Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-05-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHISGroN May Is, 1cS5

is no friend at the Republican oillce
holder. For the last ten years have
been trying to hayc him discharged,
and for the last eight years have
considered him and written of him as
no better than thief, who, ike IL, Is.
HAYES, drew the salary OF smother
man. The only difference il that
these Office holders have been drawing
their fraudulent salaries for eight
wears instead of four, or ever since the
voice Of tie country discharged them
bv the election of Tilden. Dut Dot>
hstanding | AN anxious 10 see Re-
publican Office holders go, | cannot
Join in TIE pretty common denuncia-
ton Of the new Administration he
cause it has not completed lis fur
wears mission in ten weeks. To me
it appears remarkable that so much
has been accomplished in so little
time and can account for the de-
nunciation of the so called tardibess
OF the administration Onl y Oh the sup
positiun that those who denOunce know
nothing of what task Mr.ss,CievelanG
and bis Cabinet had before them.
Ten weeks ago the President found
himself at the head of a ponderous
and ccnplicated chaos OF governmental
machinery intimately connected with
the interests of 60.000,00 of people
and handling $500, 000,O 600 per year in
the the transaction of public business.
He was without experience in Nation
a affairs, bad not been in Washington
until he became President. 1t is not
remarkable that ho spoke in his inau-
gural address of the painful sense OF
responsililits with which be under
took the stupeEdous work. 1t would
be. very easy for him to dawdle
through his term and pose as Press
dent like his proper and respectable
predecessor. But the time demanded
different work from bim-the work
Of reforming AMI simplifying a vast
and demoraized bureaucracy and res
ducing it to an honest business basis.
Ten weeks have passed and much
has been accomplished. \ large
number of the civil service bureaus
have been filled with good dem ocrats
and with good men. To the unre>
ilecting millions this may have seemed
an easy task, but when it is remem-
bered that the time of the administra>
ton has been occupied 10y battalions
of delegations pressing rival candida
ties, bv office seekers single, and Office
seekers in mobs, all good democrats
so called and beautifully endorsed. it
is remarkable that time has been found
TO make the best selection Most
people presume, are aware that the
mere fact of having voted the demo-
cratic ticket does not fit man for
Office where he must perform prompt.
" and creditablv class of work about
which he knows nothing more than
be does Of the Russian Language.
When Mr.. Clevelend came into Office,
the first consideration was, using an
old figure, to keep the ship of state
sailing smoothly and effectively,
making the best time and preserving
the precious freight of men and mer-
chandise. Revenues had to be col
lec;ed. The army. the navy, pensions,
the courts, and vast civil list had to
be paid: the books must be kept and
ten thousand incidental processes re-
quring skill and experience had to be
infinitely carried out. The Presiden,
and his Cabinet and his party were
unskilled and inexperienced in execu
tive affairs. They have as yet only q
general idea of what they have to do
and what can be done. 1t is not any
thing to the disparagement of many Of
the bureau officers that have been ap-
pointed to say that they are helplessly
dependent upon their Republican sub
ordinates in office for information il
the commonest details of their otficia
duty. They are at the head of the
Bureaus, vast offices employing frou
one hundred to six hundred clerks
and yet they know less than any o
these clerks about rontine Of the bu
reau
1t would then seem to be not jus
the time to discharge these clerk:
who however bad politically and per
sonally, have a skill upon which tb'
new Administrator will be depend
ent for time, nothing would be NOR,
rash and ruinous than to fill these
Offices at once with unskilled men
The postollices throughout the coun
try are a different class of offices an(
they are being filed at the rate OF
about one hundred per day
or just as rapidly as the Pos
/ - octar Eopora1 cop uorL