The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-11
LET THE PEOPLE BE PATIENT.
Some Sensible Advice by a Democratic
Newspaper.

Speaking of President Cleveland.
Do any of YOU know what it is to be
President of the United States?
After twenty-four years of Republican
rule a Democrat comes into office as
Chief Executive. That is, the head
man who executes laws by appointing
agents to the work. As a Democrat
we hurried men to vote for him. As
yet we see no reason to regret what We
did in this respect. God knows we wish
every Republican voter out of Office.
Women of good character can remain
if they are useful to the people rs clerks
and accountants. We wish the PreSi-
dent and all his Cabinet to move ahead,
rapidly as possible.
As a Democrat, we can see no good
to come from keeping Republicans in
| office a minute longer than their term,
as there are as good Democrats all over
the country as there ever were Repub-
Leans.
At the same time let us Democrats be
just As well as generous. There are in
round numbers one hundred and ten
thousand salaried office holders in this
country appointed by the President or
members of his Cabinet
1t takes a few weeks to write the
names of men to fill all these offices,
even were they all tillable at once. 1t
takes little time TO learn who to
select
The President certainly can not read
letters, petitions, protests, explanations,
counter petitions. Withdrawals of petit
tons, newspapers. private letters, ETC.,
talk to one thousand per day, listen to
ali they say and sign appointments to
Office at the same time.
He has made fewer mistakes than
have any of his predecessors. He is a
man for long, hard. honest pull. He
is not we'll adapted for skating, but is
A l for deep blowing, and when he
turns a furrow he turns it clean.
In the White House the other day we
counted one hundred and seven men
and eleven women all waiting to see
him about office. In his private bust
ness room we stood with thirty-one 9TH
er men, Senators, Congressman, Gener-
ais, Colonies, editors, office-seekers, and
watched people pour stuff into his ear
as water from Buffalo is rushed over
Niagara Falls and on into the deep,
calm lake below.
Every man there wanted an office for
himself or friend who had sent in petit
tio1s. Had the President two hundred
ears instead of a single pair, they could
all be kept busy as receivers. Had he
h,,n Of fur
are people there for him to look at and
look into. President Cleveland has q
way of looking into men that makes
some Of them nervous. We saw him
look at and look into one applicant who
was talking to him, as though he saw
the dishonesty we knew was in him, and
it seemed to us that the applicant felt
that the President saw something, as he
soon quit talking, went out and went
home.
He is anxious to lay foundations deep,
and to select stuff that won't rot. We
believe that he could move faster, but
he is moving ahead as fast as he can.
and every cut counts. 1t means bust
ness. When the posts are all in, he
wants them in line, so far as he is con-
cerned. He is willing to stand by his
record, and lean back against his wall,
confident that it will not fall over or be
blown out of place easily.
Where there is so much good t'mbe;
to select from he is bothered which to
select. 1t is not that there is a,scarcity
of material. for there is plenty! Ii is
to be remembered that bitter local
quarrels spring up easily at times over
rival asplrants for place, and that the
friends of each are quick to get red-hOt
The President prefers to have them
come in cool, as that saves looking for
Il man who is not of himself local
quarrel.
A day or two since we were in the
office of the Secretary of the Treasury,
Hon. Daniel Manning. During the
conversation we said that Democrats in
all parts of the country were clamor-
ing for heads, especially of Republican
postmasterS.
Said he
''Ies, | know it. They have a right
to be. But they are all reasonable
men. This is a big job Here. is the
Treasury Department requiring one
thousand five hundred clerks who must
not be ignoramuses. My position is
not an easy one. | enter this office at
nine a. M, and remain here till five p.
M, not moment for rest. 1t is now
two o'clock. My lunch Ca ham sand
witch and apple were on the desK), is
brought to me. but often | can not
spare time to take even that much of
food. We must make few mistakes.
An Office force like this can not be
changed in a day or month no
more than the largest mercantile
houses of manufactures of the coun-
try change forces suddenly and
I've. | have already made nearly five
hundred changes, appointing Demo-
Gratis to positions heretofore held by
Republicans, and the work is going on.
But for Democrats there would have
been no change of administration. Let
the wants, the sentiments of Democrats
be known"
As the Secretary said in truth, peo-
pie outside of Washington have little
idea of the job on hand. They give a
new school teacher a month to become
acquainted with few scholars. yet ex-
pect a President to change 10000
Office-holders inside of ninety days.
Suppose that every Republican were out
and Democrats in their places since
March f. How many mistakes would
have been made?
Secretary Manning has already made
changes that save 5000, 900 year to the
people He has already earned more
than enough pay the entire four years
salary of the President and Cabinet. He
is selecting good, strong. able men to
positions, even rs he is himself master
mind in n master DOSitiOn.