The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-06-25
Washington Letter..

WASHINGTON, June %, 'S5.-The new
cabinet officers and the chiefs of bureau
under them are very much embarrassed
by their inheritance of asYlums for the
aged, blind and deaf. The government
offices are these asylums, and there are
in them hundreds of superannuated men
and women who do actually no work.
They were not remarkable for energy
and efficiency even in their prime. Now
they are sans eyes, sans ears,sans every
thing but a yawning pocket. They
90 to the departments day alter day as
has been their custom for years. They
sit at their desks and do nothing, but
once month, when pay day comes,
they are each handed one hundred dol
lars in crisp new notes. | have in my
mind an old sman both blind and
deaf, who is daily brought to and taken
home from the patent office by members
of his family in order that he may draw
the paw he is absolutely incapable of
earning. If these superannuated peo-
pie should be discharged, they would
doubtless die from the shock, and more
or less suffering would be sntailed upon
their dependent families. but tits never
theless a gross wrong to the taxpayer
and prostitution oflthe purposes of the
civil service to make the government
offices an asylum for this class. The
government pays thousands of dollars
yearly for rent of offices, and the rooms
OF many departments are Overcrowded
with desks, 1t would be in the interest
et economy to pay these old and help
less people to stay away from the oe-
partments so that competent men might
be placed at the desks which they only
cucumber.
There is another class that ought to
be discharged. The departments were
filed with pretty women by a system
fostered and practiced by the republi-
can party, There is not a republican
senator or ex-senator who has not love-
lly proteges, and some of them have
| dozens in the government offices here
They were not appointed under civil
service rules, but in direct cOntraven-
ton of civil service nciples-because
| they were pretty and helpless, or be-
cause they were sisters, cousins, aunts,
and mothers-in-law 10 say that they
are not efficient is putting it very mild
| ly. Ten good clerks, such as are found
| in the business houses of the city can
| do more and better work than one hum
bred of these women, and will be glad
to do it for less pay than the women re-
ceive. The tact is that the civil service
| mas Deen LQOSI SudLu6luIly Auu uOWu dG
the heels, swell as at the head, during
| the lsng ascendency of the party OF
moral ideas and loose practices. Dur
| ing the last three and half month s
great progress has been made in the
neglected and belated work of many
government offices, but the best results
cannot be hoped for until radical
changes have been made in both the
men, women and methods of the worst
demoralized civil service under the sun.
Proof that new era has opened in
| national affairs is seen every day here.
| The last republican senate succeeded in
passing a subsidy bill of 100000 in ia
vor OF the pacific Mail Steamship
Co. Mr.. Villas has been looking into
the subject, and he finds the present
rates paid for the mails are ample, AS
the act of congress is not mandatory,
but merely gives him permission to
spend the money the p. m. general will,
with the approval of the president, ex-
pend not one cent OF the appropriation.
This will be very fatiguing and nausea
ting to the Pacific Steamship lobby, but
will save the taxpayers the sum of
100000. This is only one instance.
But wait until the account is made up
at the end of President Cleveland's
term. sThere will be literally millions
in it, saved TO the country.