The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-05-30

Washington Letter.
Regular Correspondence.

W ASHlNtlDN, May ''Nll' i'r''
1t is pretty well known by the editor ana
bv the readers of this paper that their
Washington correspondent is no friend OF
the republican office holder For the last
ten years | have been trying TO have him
discharged, and for the last eight years l
have considered him and written Of him
as no better than a thief, who, like X. Is.
Hayes drew the salary of another man.
The only difference is that these Office hol'
ders have beeu drawing their fraudulent
salaries for eight years instead of four or
ever since the voice of the country dis
charged them by the election OF lllden
But, notwithstanding | am anxious to see
republican office holders go, cannot join
in the pretty common denunciation OF the
new administration because it has not com
pleted It's four years mission in ten weeks.
TO me it appears remarkable that 50 much
has been accomplished in so little time
and can account for the denunciation OF
the so called hardness Of the administra
ton only on the supposition that those who
denounce know nothing of what task MIR
Cleveland and his Cabinet have before
them. Ten weeks ago the President found
himself at the head Of ponderous and
complicated chaos of governmental machi
merry intimately connected with the inter
ests of G0000,000 of people and handling
$300,0O0,00O per year IN the transaction OF
public business He was without expert
ence in national affairs: had not been In
Washington until he came as President
1t Is not remarkable that he spoke in his
inaugural address of the painful sense OF
responsibility with which he undertook
the stupendous work. 1t would be very
easy for him to dawdle through his term
and pose as president like his proper and
respectable predecessor, but the time de
manded different work from hlm-the
work of reforming and simplifying "A vast
and demoralized bureaucracy and reducing
ii to an honest business basis Ten weeks
have passed and much has been accom-
plished. A large number of the civil ser
vice bureaus have been filed with good
democrats and good men. TO the unre-
necting million this may have seemed an
easy task, but when it is remembered that
the time of the administration has been DC
cupied by battalions Of delegations press.
Ing rival candidates, by Office seekers sin.
gle, and Office seekers in mobs, all good de-
mocrats so called and beautifully endorsed,
ii Is remarkable that time has been found
TO make the best selection. Most people
presume are aware that the mere fact Of
having voted the democratic ticket does
not fit a man for Office where he must per
form promptly and creditably IA class of
work about which he knows nothing more
than he does about the Russian language.
When Mr.. Cleveland came into Office, the
first consideration was, using an old figure,
to keep the ship Of state sailing smoothly
and effectively, making the best time and
preserving the precious freight of men and
merchandise Revenues had 10 be colec
ted. The army, the navy, pensions, the
courts, and vast civil list had to be paid ;
the books must be kept and ten thousand
Incidental processes requiring skill and ex
perience had TO be infinitely Carried out
The President and his Cabinet and his par
ty were unskilled and inexperienced in ex
ecutive affairs. They have as yet only "a
general Idea OF what they have to do, and
what can be done. 1t is not anything to
the disparagement of many of the bureau
officers that have been appointed to say
that they are helplessly dependent upou
their republican subordinates in office for
information In the commonest details of
their official duty. They are at the head of
the bureaus, vast offices employing from
one hundred to six hundred clerks, and vet
they know less than any Of these clerks
about the routine of the bureau.
II would then seem to be not Just the
time to discharge these clerks who, howey-
or bad politically and personally, have
skill upon which the new administration
will be dependent for time, and nothing
would be more rash and ruinous than 10
fill these offices at once with unskilled men.
The postoffices throughout the country are
a different class Of offices and they are be.
Ing filled at the rate of about 100 per day
or just as rapidly as the Postmaster General
can work.