The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-03-20
NUMBER 80
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
Washinnfnn March 10 1895

washington, March ID, 1880.
That "hope deferred maketh the heart
sick" is what the Democratic Office seek.
ers infesting Washington are realizing
now. The old administration is not
going half SO fast as they thought it
would, and their long petitions and en-.
dorsements do nothing towards hurry.
ing "the rascals out" There are rumb.
lings Of discomfort, and mutterings of dis
gust and curses and threats, and a great
state Of excitement because of the un.
certainty that hangs over the intentions
OF Mr.. Cleveland and his cabinet in re.
gard to place giving.
At first the White House was the point
Of siege for the mass of Office seekers,
but they soon learned that the President
would not hear applicants, and they
made q rush upon the new heads Of the
departments. There again they get
little satisfaction beyond a courteous
recognition. The. new administration
intends to 60 slowly, and If the army of
rapacious spoils-hunters would take the
hints already thrown out by the Presi.
dent, IL would sound retreat while it
has money enough to get home. II is
pretty well understood now that only q
few necessary appointments will be
made at present. When the Emporium
ate Office hunters have gone home, the
places to be filed will be gone over, and
the men selected for them will not be
from among those who charged upon
the President upon his first appearance.
The majority of the Democratic Con-
gressmen are still in the city, and will
be passing back and forth from their
homes during the entire recess Of Con-
gress. They too are lingering to see Just
what they are going to get out of their
party success. They have left the Capitol
building and are now assembled in the
hotel lobbies and about the White
House. Their lack of encouragement
in their efforts to assist the new admins
tration in making changes and appoint |
ments has provoked some grunlbling |
and caused many to inquire if New
York is going to run the government. |
The treasury department is now irrever-
emily referred to as the New York |
establishment" The secretary and his |
assistant secretaries are New Workers, |
and there Is scarcely an Office in the |
building for which a New York aspirant
has not been mentioned. Nor is there
vaulted corridor that does not echo TO |
the footsteps of New York Office seek
ers.
The most humiliatiug feature of the
present situation in Washington is the |
pressure for Office in person or by proxy,
of ex-members of Congress. Having
once tasted the sweets of official posi-
ton, few Of them seem able to restrain
thel appetites, and the scramble il at
once disagreeable to themselves and dis
gushing TO disinterested observers. Some
of the more ambitious ones, who sue
ceeded In having themselves mentioned
in connection with cabinet positions, or
leading foreign missions, are now des-
cending to assistant secretaryships in
their demands, and by and by they will
be content with clerkship in one of
the departments-ift they can pass the
required examination. This is the old
story over again of the man who came
here in Andy Johnson's time to get a
foreign mission. BY degrees his ambi-
ton dropped 10 q clerkship, then to
doorkeepership and finally he agreed
to quit and go home If they would give
him q free ticket and an old pair of
breeches. 1t was only yesterday that ]
met prominent Democrat who two
weeks ago, was confident of being Mr..
is trying to be appointed government
architect. Another such fall and II is
pitiful to think where he may be.
Another disappointment to the ex-
pectant crowds Of Democratic spoilsmen,
was caused by the administrative reform
significantly begun at the White House.
] allude of course TO the dismissal of one
half of the clerical force there. II means
a topping of Of clerkships throughout |
all the departments, and the reductions
will give that much less chance for place
to Democratic aspirants.
A Democratic President is a curiosity,
and on each day since his occupancy of
the White House, President Cleveland
has given some time to receiving the
crowds of people who have gathered
about the Mansion to catch glimpse of
him.
On Wednesday, the long established
day for Cabinet families, the ladies of |
the new administration held their first
reception. Mrs. Hendricks received In |
her parlor at Willards Hotel. Her toilet |
was short dress of maroon velvet, and |
bouquets Of roses garnished the room.
Among her callers were Mrs. and Miss |
Blaine, Mrs. Logan, and a number Of
others prominent In the society. of the
retiring administration. Mrs. Bayard
and her two daughters held large re-
ception at their home on Massachusetts,
Avenue. Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Villas
received conformity at the Arlington
Hotel, this union Of forces bringing a
large company. Mrs. Endicott was also
at home to callers at the Arlington, and
Mr.. Garland, being widower, his
mother presided as hostess at his home.
Secretary Lamar's family did not re-
ceive, and Mrs. Whitney has not yet ar
rived in the city.