The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-03-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
IFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Mar, lG, |,

tFrom our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Mar. l6, 1885.
The situation in Washington is in
teresting, and even surprising. 1t is
plain that in the presidential chair,
around it, or behind, there is mind
and will will not say that certain
fiery reformers are happy in the reali-
zation of their impatient hope. And
it must be said that those in need of
reformation, have taken new heart and
hold; bu, let all wait with patience, and
prayer. and they will, think, see the
glory of the new dispensstion revealed,
with the exaltation of the right men,
and principles-with the confusion of
thieves, and money changers who have
so long preyed upon the substance of
the country.
There is an old latin maxim, .festind
iente, hasten slowly, and this seems to
be the result of the new administra-
ton. Reform was very properly be-
gun at the White House. -Four clerks
swept from office with one swoop of
the new broom. Five thousand dol
lars per year, and much desk room
saved. The example was taken up in
the Treasury Department where Sec
retary Manning has discharged forty
useless employees from one bureau.
Secretary Lamar has first applied
his broom to the stables adjoining the
Interior Department. For years of
Republican ascendancy carriages and
horses have been kept at extravagant
expense in all the Departments, and
have been used not for the public SER
vice, but for the convenience of the
families of public officials. The fine
equipage that has been used to convey
ladies to receptions laIe at night, has
been ordered to be sold and the seven
persons who have been carried on the
pay roll as drivers will no longer have
even the semblance of a right to draw
their unearned pay. Of course this
is only beginning. In all the De
partments, and in all the bureaus, and
subordinate offices super huous clerks
are stumbling over one another. Turn
the loafers ont and then it will be cas-
ier to find the rascals. Twenty thous
and employees can be discharged with
result of positive improvement, and ex-
petition in Government work. Gel
your little pencil and multiply 10000
by $500, and you will have an idea,
but not full one, of the amount that
will be saved; for you have not taken
into account the Office room, and fur
niture of this vast army.
1t is not necessary to say that there
is much unrasiness, and alarm in all
the departments. The reduction oi
the clerical force is an unexpected
flank movement, and it has set thou
sands of clerks quaking in their luxur.
ious sinecures. Turn the loafers out
is new and terrifying sound.
There are many straws Indicative OF
a new era. An order has been issned
to all the employees in the Patent Of
fee that there shall be no more read
ing or talking during Office hours, and
that those behind with their work
must work after office hours until it j.
brought up to date. The Patent o.
flee has been conducted in lax and
slatternly way. In some classes of in
vention, as textiles, harvesters, print
ing, stoves and furnaces, household
furniture, builders, hardware, surgery
etc., the Patent Office Examiners art
from three to twelve months behind
with their work, and applicants fol
patent have frequently to wait siA
months or year before their cases are
taken up. The recent order indicate,
that the new administration will intro
duce new order of things, net only ir
the Patent Office, but in other branch
es of the public service.
The rush of office seekers has abated
and the new administration has more
time to address itself to work. 1t is q
fact much commented on here thai
very few office seekers have come from
the South, and that many have come
from the Northern and Northwestern
republican states. Since the Presi
dent has announced that he will moi
hear applicants for Office personally
but will refer all applications to tn,
proper cabinet officers, he has been but
little troubled. There will doubtless bt
important changes made, but policy
and good business management woul,
require that they should not he mad,
until after the most careful oelibera
ton, and a thorough study of thu
needs, and abuses of the service. AM
person acquainted with affairs vii
know that the work will be all the bet
ter done for the caution that precede
its inception.