Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-10-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Oct. Goth, 1873

WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Oct. Goth, 1885.
Another official head has fallen,
and one of the most conspicuous OPP
portunities to show friendship for civ
il service, was Assistant Secretary
Coon. He has been recognized as
the active, working chief OF the
Treasury Department under several
heads, and no man has ever held
the position who has evinced more
fidelity in the discharge of his du-
ties. When the change OF Admins
tration occurred, Mr.. Coon went to
Secretary Manning frankly, and
proposed to resign his place, saying
that he had always been a Repub.
lican and always expected to be
one. The inexperienced Mr.. Man
lning especially requested Mr.. Coon
to remain, assuring him that ne
would be of the greatest service, and
that his remaining would be consid.
cred in the light Of a favor.
Mr.. COon'S retention in office has
been one great source Of the conf
dence the Civil Service RefOrmers
continue to profess in the sincerity
of the Cleveland Administration
They pointed to his case as resemb
ling that of the Under Secretaries
in the English Government, who re
main through all changes ofCabinet
heads.
Thus the party abandons its Civi
Service hypocrisy. Mr.. Coon goes
not from any dissatisfaction Will
any official act, but because Mr.
Coon's services are not quite as in
dispensable now as they were to thu
raw men who took charge Of thu
Government eight months ago.
The ideal Democratic President is
a dispenser of public plumber as the
personal perquisites of politicians
1t would be impossible to educate
the average Democrat up to that re
form theory which the Democratic
party protested last year in order tt
get the few hundred boiling Repub
lican votes, which saved it from de
feat. They hunger for the flesh pots
and have profound contempt for any
theory of reform that does not hinge
on spoils.
General Rosecrans, the registrar
of the Treasury, has succeeded il
getting his office into a miserable
tangle. Work can scarcely go OF
there by reason of the removal o
efficient Republican subordinates
and the appointment of incompe
tent Democrats to their places
Again, history repeats itself. As {
military commander in Tennessee
it will be remembered Gen. Rose
Grams got his army into a similar fix
and had to be displaced.
Senator Sherman stopped il
Washington on his way to Virginia,
where he is going to add a few las
touches to the campaign. He wa!
serenaded at the Ebbitt House by
some of his many Washington
friends.
The Postmaster General has gone
to Wisconsin to attend the funera
of his sister. Secretary Whitne,
has gone to New York to register
Secretary Bayard has been acting
host to DR.. Curry during the week
and the latter is making arrange
ments to sail for Spain on his recent
ly appointed mission. Secretary
Manning is studying hard in orde
that he may, when Congress meets
be able to answer some of the ques
tions which will be propounded b,
the astute financial students, VIII,
compose the Senate Finance Com
mittee. The way he carries himsel
before the committee will have mucl
to do with his future standing. Th'
duties of the Secretary of the Treas
ury are probably more e~xacting thai
those of any other Cabinet position
and the interest to see how MI
Manning will deport himself thu
winter is not surprising.
The Capitol is already being pu
in readiness for Congress, which
meets in six weeks. The comfort O
those who serve their country il
both ends Of the building will b
better. Both the Senate and tn
House will have new carpets. Th'
cloak rooms, those indispensable &C
cessories to legislation, where Con
gressmen gather, smoke, joke, ant
otherwise entertain each other, ar
being newly frescoed and furnished
An additional softness and sans
souci touch, as it we're, is being CIV
en- to the lounges that Turk in pleas
ant corners.
The House is envious of the Sen
ate's luxuries, and given to imita
ting them. Last year the Senat,
removed the little strips of care
board with names printed on them
showing to which Senator each desl
belonged and substituted for then
little silver plates. This is now to b
done in the House, and it will take
three hundred and thirty three sll
yer plates.