National Republican., 1885-09-22

In commencing this letter wis, to say that
In my open letter to Mr.. Cleveland omitted
to give the details Of his conversation with me
when called at the white house TO see him at
his own invitation. / did not go in search OF
Office for myself or any one else, which makes
It one Of the most remarkable instances ofthe
kind on record. | called In behalf ofthe
female industrians of the country, who had
been ignored and badly treated by his subor
dinntes.
The President received me kindly and re.
marked to me as to whether considered II
polite on my pnrt in making such IN attack
on the present incumbent or head OF tho labor
i replied saylng, "Mr. President, II may not
have been polite, but stated facts ncycrthe-
polite to tell the truth did not wish to have
anything to do with politics"
do not regret my attack on the head OF the
labor bureau, and indeed, feel rather llnttercd
that so many prominent journals Of the land
indorsed Inc for so doing. believe In sin.
cerily, not in subterfges. Is i possible that
the truth cannot be told in high places except
TO the injury of your political partyi
Perhaps, Mr.. President, 1t may not be polite
for me to tell you Of your shortcomngs-how
| you have been remiss In your duty to the work.
| Ing element of the country, male and female,
| but tell you so nevertheless, not being very
particular, as TO the policy involved. The
| pointed In your administration thus far. The
same old fatterers that surrounded YOU
| tricksters afler offices aud spoils who dined
and wined Mt Delmonico's, and had good
time generally on tho money contributed by
enthusiastic Democrats toward your election
are around You STILL aud VIII b2 as long
your table. They enjoy the fruits Of
victory won by the Democracy, but
their only contribution was bombaSt While
| the icasts were going on we OF the common
rabble were doing our best for your election,
and we succeeded. Now, Mr.. President de-
sire to ask you few questions: In the Mlssls.
you have placed Mr.. Lamar and his man Mul.
drow. Muldrow is only an assistant secretary,
rather too small an officer TO attract my fire or
tary's hat when he loses 1t, and count out the
| towels TO the Cinnamon when they call, and
fix up the vouchers at fifteen cents per hundred.
He has chief clerk called Lockwood who
assists him. At given time of day Secretary
Lamar lectures Lockwood on economy, Lock.
wood being the brain Of the concern.
always on hand pay day." According to
prominent official of the Interior Department,
Mr. Lamar is once more relapsing into his old
which so distinguished his days In the United
States Senate. When Mr.. Lamar was appointed
there .was II general feeling that he was not
enough of q practical worker to attend to the
great mass Of business in the Interior Depart
mcnt, AT first the Secretary took hold with a
vim, and surprised his critics. Lately, how
ever, he has gone back TO his old habits with
vengeance and the bureau officials are
greatly concerned about the work.
His thoughts are all literary, and any practl-
cal duty Is distasteful 10 him. ltseems that the
very idea of labor is repulslye to him. had
every reason to look upon him as Il friend to
the industrial clnsscs. and to expect much from
him as Secretary of the Interior. l was not
long In discovering that lie took no interest In
our cause; was either too indoent or too indlf-
fcrent 10 do anything, and depended entirely
on his subOrdinates for Information and advice
even in running the Interior Department The
responsibility of the towel-washing contract
was shiitediro M shoulder to shoulder, and 1t is
difficult to find the sponsor for the great econ
omy achieved in letting out the towel washing
Mt 10 cents per hundred towels. Who could
afford TO do this work but n Chinaman? Noone.
make nothing personally by this expose of
Democratic economy, or departmental parsi-
mony. ] consider II simply disgracefnl on the
Iart OF the officers of the department to accep
such bid, thereby robbing the widows and
children Of bread. What caused the washing
to be taken away from them? Who proposed
this wonderful scheme to save money TO the
treasury?
If the government Is to be run In the interes
OF economy the next move In order would bt
TO let out the minor offices, such rs messengers
watchmeD, and laborers by contract, and ther
John Chinnman could come in and underbiC
the rest Of mankind. The Chinaman, undc
the patronage of our economical government
can afford 10 take the bread from the mouth
Of our wage-people. They can exist on mice
rats and leprosy, and can afford to work fol
less than other people.
Civil service protects the balance alread,
planted firmly on govcrnmentpay, Private ras
cality and immortality are not deemed suliicicn
reasons for discharge. In faet, stained repu
tatlon seems to make no difference with the
Secretary of the Interior. For, Mr.. President
are you aware that within the past four week
person who was formerly in the Mississippi
penitentiary has been reinstated in the treasur,
by the request and through the influence of l.
| q. &. LAMAR
I called day or two ngo at the Interior De
partment to mention the fact of the immoralit
Of one ofthe clerks employed therein, and ais
that the mistress supported by this clerk wa
indebted TO Il poor wage woman and refused 1
pay her, was very emphatically told by Mr
Jonas, of Mississippi, acting secretary pro ten
pore, that the Interior Department was no
responsible for the moral character of its EN-
p'oyes or the payment Of their just debts; The
had nothing 10 do with these things; and men
toned the fact that one of the best clerks In tn
interior had never been sober day for fnee
years.
much pleased with my letter regarding tn
yexed question of the "towel-washing and tn
Chinese" The bee must have stung somebody
for one John w. Morgan comes out In n card Il
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, and agrees will
me in everything said, except that Mr. Ia
mar and Mr.. Manning, were innocent gentle
ing his card. "What has Mr.. Morgan to do wit
itY' What prompts him like true knight G
the tub and the sadron to fly to tho defense c
those secretaries? We find OH inquiry tina
Mr.. John ". Morgan possesses the contract 70
washing these towels, and curiosity led me /
7. investigate as 70 how he got It,. Some tim
washing was awarded TO Mrs, Sarah Zaln,
German woman. Upon investigation learne
tiom one of the chief clerks that tn
woman had to surrender the contract on aC
= Not satisfied with this statement sought Cap
Van Rensselaer,, who Informed me that ate
obtaining the contract she employed II numbe
of cclored women to do the washing, when
terrific thunder storm came and the vivi
lightning so alarmed them that they ran ava!
Thus 1t seems that the very. elements gro
Rnpptnrlp chem al
the Indignation expressed by the industrla
element of the land. The woman, in truth
surrendered the contract because 1t did not pa
her, and she could get no one to work for he
at the wages she could afford To pay. trea
ury official informed me that the department
dealt only with the contractor, ana did M
know or care where the washing was dom
whether In a Chinese laundry or the penileI
: tinry made no difference 10 the department
|, II was at this time that Mr.. John II. Morga
70 embraced the opportunity to accept the col
tract which had been thrown up by the &c
man woman, and now TO testify his grAtltnd
TO the secretaries he comes out to defend then
lie says, "If Mrs. Smith had inquired into IL
. towel business, &c., she never would hay
i. written the letter" Perhaps not, but kno
. too much now about the 'towcl business, an
u the number Of poor women thrown out of en-
"a ploymcnt. and wonder, with many others, no
d Mr.. Morgan eau afford TO do the work for Il
r. price he receives, and how he affords to tai
- work relnQuished In disgust by the womR
l. unless he sublets the work TO Chnamen, whic
a have been assured he does. lle may agrt
3, with mt, but don't agree, with him, for he
l. engaged In n very small busness-sch as |
1, should not wish to have known in the con
|, munity, You are an interested party, NJ
;" Morgan, and your motive Is too transparent
deceive any one. If Mr.. Morgan can afford
stand 1t can, and dismiss him now and 10
ever
have received many congratulations fro
labor organizations and eminent persons
clcrgymcn Nnd physlc,ans-On my letter to yC
published In THE REruRLICAS of the llth, syr
I pAihizing with me In my work. II Is rdth
l. remarkable that you did not acknowledge
a. receipt yourself II was very llntlcrlng to yC
"a and your administration, aud contains mo
" truth than has been embodied In q publ
document for some time. II Is not alwA,
e. pleasant TO tell the truth, but Nathan told 1t
David, and literward the king turned reform
na md mCnlnl his MnNH.