The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-02-19
Ignorant Officials.

Some curious as well as amusing
communications are occasionally re-
ceived by high officials in Washing
ton. They generally refer to ap-
pointments to Or to the management
of small Offices, mostly postofices
The omount of ignorance and illitera-
cy that prevails among the grand ar
my of public servants would be a sur
prise to people who imagine that in
telligence is the first requisite of Off
cial employment. Since the introduc-
ton of the civil service test it is quite
necessary that the department clerks
should have at least fair idea of or
biography, geography, grammar and
arithmetic, but this does not apply to
the fifty odd thousand postmasters.
nor to the thousands Of revenue and
administrative officials who are main
tained at public expense.
A netable example of illiteracy in
high places was furnished few years
ago when "General" John Mcdonald.
OF St. Louis, was appointed to the i'm
l.ortant position of supervisor of the
vast revenue district composed of the
States of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennes-
see, Kansas, Colorado and Iowa. At
the time Of his appointment McDon-
aid could write his name in rude and
scarcely legible way, but that was the
extent of his photographic accomplish
ments. He could not write at all be-
yond scrawling his signature. He
could aead, however, and he artfully
concealed from most people the fact
that he could not write. He had a
habit, whenever it became necessary
for him to communicate with any one
n writing, of making the excuse that
his hand was lame, and ON that plea
got some one else to write for him.
Before the war Mcdonald had been
runner" on the St. Louis steamboat
wharves and then the keeper of liv-
cry stable. During the war he was
cashiered for timidity, to use mild
word, while Colonel of the Eighth
Missouri Volunteers, regiment of
river roughs. Yet such is the infu-
ence of cheek, combined to a certain
jaunty and magnetic air which was a
marked characteristic of Mcdonald,
that he prevailed on President Grant
to intrust him with one of the most
offices in the revenue SER
vice. As might naturally have been
expected from such man, he repaid
his benefactor by organizing the gi-
gantic whisky ring that brought so
much discredit on the administration
and landed him and his co-conspira-
tors In the penitentiary.
TAUGHT BY HIS WIFE.
To show how assurance sometimes
fortifies ignorance, this same man
hired a reporter to write book to
which he attached his own name, and
ne took the trouble to convince every
lnsophisticated person he met that he
wrote every word of it." After his
troubles were ended he
married the ''Sylph," the woman who
igured so mysteriously in the history
# the ring. and she has since taught
lin some Of the rudlments of chirog-
Apply.
The foregoing is rather painful |
Instance of official incompetency and |
5 certainly an isolated case, but the
fnoramus gets into office much more
frequently than is supposed. Several
'ears ago revenue agent in Texas.
a recent importation from
fermany, wrote to the Commissioner
f Internal Revenue as follows:
your Excelency | haf better enc
nees in Navasota and Grimes counties
Vho | am inform haf inform you that
60 bartner NIT eleesit destillers who
makes whiskey in Navosota bottoms.
'he proof so-call by them haf been
Onward | am told NIT the department
ut haf to say the postmaster and
oundy isudge at Anderson is my
nemees and | haf hop the depart
lent vii hear my proof of innosen.
Iol truble originate NIT control of
he colored vote when the election
lit Governor Davis Vas took place. |
rite you in privat as friend and in
nree days will forward my statemen !