Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-22
CABINET oFFICERy TROUBLES.
Some OF the Trials They Have TO En-.
dure at the Hands of the Office.
Seekers.

Some Of the Trials They Have to En-
dure at tho Hands of the Office
Seekers.
The worst besieged man in Mr. Gleve-
lands Cabinet is Mr.. Villas. He is one OF
the newest in public life and he is thrown
right into the thickest of the office seeking
brOil. From the time he rises in the morn
ing until he goes to bed at night he is pur-
sued. He is obliged to steal into his de-
partment after O'Clock to get time to
sign his official mail. There are two ante
rooms to his main office. They are kept
filled all day long. IL Mr.. Villas were to
receive everybody that came without
cards his room would be packed to suffO-
cation. The first room next to his
is occupied by the chief clerk. The next
room beyond this is the main ante
gers are stationed to receive general Wis
itors. In Mr.. Villas room the Senators
and members are permitted 10 90 without
any introduction or form. AS a necessary
consequence this room is also crowded
with members of Congress, who are sit
ting around with as anxious faces as the
people in the most distant ante.room. |
sat beside the Chief Clerk this morning
and watched him open his mail for several
moments. Nearly 600 or 700 applications
are received every day for office.
s0NEOF THESE APPLICATIONS ARE VERY
FUNNY.
Every now and then an applicant in
closes his photograph as proof positive of
his virtues. Every one of these appllca-
lions is ''put on file" l asked the chief
clerk his object IN filing all these applica-
tions. He said: awe dare not put one of
them in the waste basket. We file every
application under classified heads, so that
when the question of deciding the ap-
poiutment of postmaster for certain
place comes up we take up every appli-
cant who has put In a claim for that posi-
ton. If we did not we would get into
great deal of trouble"
1t is not probable that any application
for positions in the department would be
decided upon mere papers alone. The
postmaster General must depend natural
ly upon the Senator or member OF Con-
gress, unless he deV1ses some new sys-
TEN of getting at the merits of candidates
In an independent manner. 1t is physi-
cal impossibility for him or for any set of
men under him to really examine one
ten-thOusandth part of the papers filed.
There is mysterious infatuatiOn. how
ever, among officeseekers of ineXperience
in the filing OF papers.
WHILE 1 SAT BESIDE THE CHIEF CLERK
THIS MORNING
one of the unheralded callers of the far
ante-room, a visitor belonging to what
they call class three, was shown in. He
was man above medium height; he had
round, bullet head, black, scared-look-
ing eyes, furiOusly red nose and a thick
moustache, painted the blacklist of shades
OF lampblack. He removed his soft,
black hat, showing a smooth, bald head,
and advanced awkwardly to the side of
the chief clerk and presented a large en-
Velope to him. The chief clerk grasped
the envelope, picked up blue pencil and
without glancing at the contents of the
envelope he indicated the particular
pigeon-hOle to which this bulk of papers
was to travel. All this was done like a Fash.
The man stared stupidity as he saw his
precious winters work of papers pitched
into basket of similar documents. He
gazed interrogatively at the chief clerk,
who said to aim, pityingly: "Your pa
pers will be placed ON file, SIR" ''But |
want an Office" said the man; 81 want !
that pOstmastership.' He pointed to the
Endorsement on the envelope, the name of
one of the most prominent and wealthy
of the Senators. The chief c.erk again
replied: "YOur papers are on file, SIR"
and bowed to the poor man, who turned
about and walked out with a most help
less look upon his face, completely stag
gered by the formula and the idea that
perhaps the placing of the papers on file
was equivalent to future appointment