Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-03-20
OUR WASHINGTON CORE
SPUNDENCE.

OUR WASHINGTON COhRE-
SPUNDENCE.
cLEvELAND's CIVIL SERVICE PRoGRAMME-THE
''oUIEr" OF A sABBATH-THE POST OFFICES.
&C., &C., 20.
Especial Correspondence of Staunton Vindicator
WASHINGTON, March 18.-The new admins
tration is gradually settling down to business.
Already the Secretaries seem to sit as easily
and comfortably in their positions as if ''to
the manner born" It cannot be denied that
they are the objects of very assiduous atten-
ton on the part of large number of people,
whose eyes are s'sot" upon the Federal patron
age throughout the country. The President
adheres strictly to his determination to re-
ceive, personally, no application for official
positions. All are referred to the respective
departments to which they belong, where
they are put away in pickle. So far as the Pres
ident is concerned he seems to have as much
''sand," and of as good quality, as did Andrew
jackson himself, even if his sentiments are
not in fal accord with those of cold Hickory"
as to the proper relations between the "vic-
tors" and the ''spoils." Those political non
descripts
KNOWN AS sMUGwUMPs"
appear thus far to 'rule the roast" and have
things pretty much their own way They are
delighted with the course in which Mr.. Cleve-
land has started, and point with pride to the
part they had in securing his election. His
only lapse, thus far, from the high standard
Of political virtue set up in his inaugural was
in placing Eugene Higgins of Baltimore, at
the head of the Appointment Division of the
Treasury, removing one who had recently been
promoted to the position under civil service
rules and who therefore belonged to the class
which it had been announced would be ''pro-
tected," under the spirit of the law, except in
extreme cases, where good cause for change
} was shown. 1t is admitted that this appoint
ment was made at the special request of Sem
| ator German. Although many Democrats
| have sharply criticised the action of the Pres
! ident, as
BEING DISCRIMINATION
| in favor of the very active and efficient Chair
man of the National Democratic Executive
| Committee, while scores Of others who made
| similar requests "got left, many more ap-
plaud the appointment as an indication that
the Presidents civil service principles are not
absolutely infexible To the multitude of ap-
plicants for Offices it appears as silver tinge
upon the edge of the dark sky that envelopes
| them. They reason that what Mr.. Cleveland
has done once he may do again. So they in
dulge in the hope that his heart may yet be
softened toward them, and they are enoourag-
| ing each other by singing, ''Wait till the
| clouds roll by"
| The crowd of personal applicants here has
thinned out good deal. Many of them have
| become more or less exhausted, as to both
patience and purse, and have gone home.
| They have concluded that matters cannot be
fastened by their presence, but they will con-
tinue the bombardment at long range. There
are hundreds yet here, however, working with
might and main to compass their ends. Sun
day afforded the President and his Cabinet
A GRATEFUL RELIEF
from the crush of last week. They kept close
ly to their apartments, admitting few of the
many who sent in their cards on s'urgent bus
mess" All day the lounging rooms at the
hotels were thronged with eager politicians,
| and the chatter was incessant Nor were they
absorbed in the discussion of predestination
or baptism, or other abstruse questions of the
ology, nor exhorting each other to turn from
the error of their ways before it should be
everlastingly too late 1t is true many of
them were anxiously inquiring what they must
| do to be saved, but it was with reference to
postmasterships, collectorships, marshalships,
and other 'ships" sufficient to make a big
navy, and not to matters appertalning to their
eternal welfare: Thus far this week the off.
ceS of the heads of departing nts have been less
thronged with callers, although they still have
plenty of company The first few days their
time was wholly given to receiving visitors,
but they have now limited these calls, wheth-
er on business or courtesy, to certain hours,
to give them some chance to attend to the
business of their offices. At the Postof6cs
! Department to-day was informed that the
number of applications already filed
| WAS ABOUT $780,
and they were coming in at the rate of about
! 600 day. As there are about 81, 900 postofices
| in the country, the stream is likely to flow for
some time yet. The number given includes
the applications for the restoration of pressn.
| incumbents, of which there are many. Post
master General Villas seems to have fully vet
tied upon the policy, with the full approval of
the President, not to make removals except
for cause and as the machine is now running
appointments will only be made as vacancies
occur. The ''boys" look little sour over it,
but no means of relief occur to them just
now. "Dang my buttons !' said Texas man
at Wizards last night; 'tif this amt the
QUEEREsT DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION
I ever heard of. came here with pocket
full OF as good recommendations as any man
ever had in this world, but they are of no
more account than SO much waste paper.
don't know how it was with the rest of the
four or five million Democrats in this country,
but l didn't vote for Cleveland for the pur-
pose Of keeping all the Republicans in Office
Darned if did" The truth is this untutored
man simply gave expression to feeling that
is very general among large class of patriotic
citizens. Republicans view the situation with
serene satisfaction, feeling that on the whole
it didn't make much difference to them that
Mr.. Blaine was not elected. For nearly two
weeks the daily sessions of the Senate have
been eagerly watched, in the expectation that
nominations would be sent in by the score
But day after day the sxpectant crowd sat in