The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-01
WAsHIEGT0E LETTER.
eom orr Regular orrap3adentl

WA5HISGroN, March q, 1885.
The situation in Washington is full Of
interest, butnot "a all startling. AL the
government Offices feel the thrill Of 8
new lie, and the sensation to Office
holders Is novel and alarming.
WI.h q President at the head Of affairs
who has breakfast at 3 o'clock, and who
has finished aH ordinary days work at
~ hour when his predecessors were in
bed; VINO listens politely 10 the twaddle
of Office seeking delegations, and then
ssuds the Office to seek the unheralded
man, VINO dismisses half the clerical
parasites of his household, for a
"sarJer;" who thinks before he acts and
acts before he speaks, there is much to
cause surprise TO those who are accus-
toned 10 old time men and methods.
The example at the White House would
be infectious, no doubt, and would have
its influence on the Departments in time,
bat it begins to appear that the admins
trati0u h4- not relied on the slow process
Of infection. The Cabinet officers whom
he has chosen, some Of them at least
appear 10 be men Of deed who have
taken hold with courage tempered by
Judgment. Useless clerks have been
discharged; expensive perquisites of
horses and carriages have been dispensed
with; and the broad and intricate Jungle
Of the civil service is being surveyed
and mapped for Improvement
10 Is curious TO observe the alarm and
galyauic energy that is actuating the
large body OF political bummers and
droncs who have drawn pay for years
and years without doing any legitimate
work, without in fact, having any legit-
innate work TO do. These men aud
women would be willing to do anything
now that would have the sembance of
work and are put to absurd straits TO ap-
pear To be doing something
There are clerks Of another class who
have plenty to do but whom it has been
heretofore impossible to make do their
work. There are many of this class in
the Y. S. Patent Office where the work
OF examining and passing upon applica
tiOus OF inventors has fallen in many
classes from six TO twelve months in
arrears, compelling the applicants for
patents 10 wait often more than a year
before their patents are granted. There
are nearly hundred and fifty examiners
in the Patent Office, and the force is
ample to keep the work up to date, but
under the lax acknowledgement of the
last eight years, many OF these examin-
ers have spent. their time outside Of the
Patent Office, or in reading, talking and
flirting with the female employees OF
the office. During. the last week q
change has come over the spirit of their
dream. They have been ordered, in
80 many words, to stop their gossip
reading and dishonest loafng, and tC
bring their work up 10 date, even il
they have to work at night. The cure
that this order has accomplished appears
miraculous to those unacquainted with
the real nature of the disease. The
examiners are now doing more in 8
week tHan they have done before in
month, and at the present rate, theil
desks will in three months be cleared OF
long and shamefully neglected accu
mutation.
The plaintive cry of previous admin
istrstious to Congress has been "give u,
more cierksl more clerksW Mr.. Cleye
lands ringing command to the clerki
has been give Us more work" and til,
clerks, no longer backed by their Repub
lican influence, are buckling to it in q
WAY that is edifying.
lhere Is some dlscontent and Rrun
bling at the policy aud the appoint
ments Of Mr.. Cleveland, but itiss sporadic
and comes mainly from disappointed
individuals. There is one fact that tn
great body of the Democratic part.
knows and rejoices in, and the merel.
political and ofice-seeking class will b
taught to know il sooner or later. MI
Cleveland was not an ofiice-seeker him
self, and has doubtless no love for office
seekers as a class The Office sough
him, not to reward him for what he ha,
done, but because he was believed to b
able TO begin desperately needed re
generation. Representing ideas an
principles that are as old as humanity
and As eternal as Democracy, he is hsI
PLY a new and unentangled man. Wit
suew man and new men, let us have ne'
methods. The great heart of Democrac
may well be Indifferent TO private pang
and chargrins in the boundless Joy cf
rescued and reunited nation.
c.. A. s.