Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-19
GOVERNMENT CLERKSHIPS.
49,, dangerous EeefS i'm the Ocean
Ihc of official Life.

"a
fh' of official Life.
,,;rst Assistant Postmaster General
Nav IS doing very well for a man who
~ rs rs if he had one foot in the grave
ISS"U,nD,,aturelv aged, with hair bleached
lL;tn ewes soft and tender rs a maiden,s
l,,t rnInnaturally bright, lips parched as
!! vi NV some inward thirst which could NOT
IL Il y Gnenched, this slight-framed gentle
.son from Pittsburg devotes about six
h i.l'rr q dav to public business and an
l,Gr upwards of twenty-five fourth
lass postmasters every twenty-four
bours. Mr.. Hay is removing many of
tbe Republican incumbents and persists
n IN declining to make public the cause of
a ~, of the removals. "No, it is not
n Dec for the public to know" re-
-norked Mr.. Hay; cit is in the pleasur-
nbip discretion of the Postmaster-Gen-
oral and for good and sufficient cause -
+ NAV be possible for Mr.. Hav to hold
ont a few weeks longer, but as he receives
and listens to about $50 visitors daily,
that task alone is enough for a man of
robust physique. For a person in deli
cate health his present onerous duties
mist soon wreck what little is left of his
constitution.
Apropos of the prevailing dread among
the employees OF the executive depart
mpnts that there will be numerous
changes or perchance a clean sweep at
the close of the fiscal year, June so. it
NAV be said that there is much in the
past history of President Cleveland to
Taassure the timid pen-drivers. The line
of conduct marked out and followed by
him affords ample evidence that he is a
true believer in civil service reform, and
that an efficient and faithful public SER
want has nothing to fear at his hands.
There is a cold day coming, however. for
those whose only claim to fat places lies
in the fact that they have rendered SER
vice as politicians.
As rule, while removal from Office in
the departments in the cases of men who
have passed their best years in the GOV
enment's service, and who have helpless
families, would be piece of wanton cru
city and the cause of much suffering, such
removal in the case of young men would. |
in most instances, prove to be a blessing
to them. The average government clerk
is apt to acquire the habit of living ''from
hand to mouth" and, generally, The has
his salary spent before it is earned Be |
sides this there is the fact that young
fellows who get into the departments lose |
all ambition to succeed by honorable
means. Ii they desire promotion, instead |
Of seeking ii by means of their work, they |
hunt for influence" True it is that a |
word in a Secretary's or Presidents ear,
spoken by some Senator or other promi- |
nent official, has often advanced a worth |
less clerk over the heads of meritorious |
ones; SO often, in fact, that there may be |
some excuse for the departmental idea |
that zone powerful patron is of more
value than a pound of brains" Gov !
office has been the grave of |
many a bright intellect, and young
men OF ambition should seek almost |
any other employment. In the history
oi those who have gained renown or
wealth III our country there will not be
found the name OF any man who had no
higher ambition than to be q Government
clerk. This remark is not intended to
reflect in any manner upon the many
intelligent men who, by force of circum-
stances, have been compelled to take
erVIce under the Government, but to
eter those who can do better from sacri-
clng their chances for pitiful clerkship
rom which they may be removed at any
loment at the bidding of a political boss.
spirants for official honors in the Gov
service should see to it that they
re provided, before leaving home, with
nough money to pay their fare back,
therwise the roads from Washington
ill be overcrowded with pedestrians 1t
I'LL, perhaps, be just as we'll for the
young bloods now in office to
ave an occasional quarter, because while
here Is a good deal in the civil service
lw to make it difficult to get into Gov
mment clerkship, there isn't thing in
hat law to obstruct the way out.-Specidl
-nnnnannndnllce Onanhn HernId