The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-04-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTEI
From our Regular Correspondent. y
wAsuINcToN April 10 1875

From our Regular Correspondent. . y n
wAsHINGToN, April 20, 1885. I
President Cleveland has had much hand shak-
ing as usual to do this week. and unless some one
shall soon invent and patent an automatic Presi-
Dental hand shaker there will be need OF a depu-
ty or assistant President to perform this duty
alone Negro delegations have predominated at
the White House this week. The bishops and pas
tors of the African Methodist Conference called
upon the President, and their foreman made an
Introductory address which was nearly as long as
a sermon. The same day Mr.. Cleveland with his
Cabinet reviewed the emancipation procession of
colored people, which passed before them as they
stood on the front portico of the Presidential
mansion.
In the departments the work goes bravely on,
and to those who know the past condition of the
Departments this is saying great deal. re-
markable change has come over them. The
clerks are all doing real work. and surprising
everybody and especially themselves. For
several years past it has been very unusual to
find a department or bureau of department
here in Washington with the current work up to
date. 1t is not uncommon to ind ofices months
behind, and some of them even longer than
months. Whenever anything of this kind has
happened little success has attended efforts to
even up the business. Sometimes, 1t is true this
has been occasoned by much extra work impos-
cd on force not quite sufficient in numbers, but
generally it has been due to inefficient and lazy
clerks, whose interest in the pay roll over-shad-
owed completely their concern In the work OF the
Government. Changes now going on indicates
its best days Those departments and bureaus
which are behind with their accounts and reports
are to catch up with the current business; and
ed each day.
This is as it should DO and is just what every
well-regulated house would have done by its own
employees 1t will necessitate, of course, a
thorough overhauling the different bureaus and
discharge of idle and incapable cler1 of both
sexes, who have heretofore relied upon political
influences to keep them in place. II will demand
the retention OF good servants and the displace-
ment of bad and the general recognition that
days ork must be given for a day pay.
An occasional howl of rage in the Republican
morning papers announces that the official head
a Ranuhinan place
good work has hardly begun. There will be moro
of it anon and IL the Republican paper is going to
howl about such a little thing as chopping Off
official heads it will have to issue double sheet
and an extra edition.
Some Democrats are impatient at the delay in
dscharging class of Republicans who are motor
riously unfit for their places; but these should
reflect that IL requires time to select the proper
substitutes, and consider the tremendous difficult
ties that confront the Administration. There are
knotty legal questions to be considered in the
matter and the manner of removals. 1t would be
just as reasonable to substitute full force of
as to contend that the President should at once
turn the Republicans out and replace them by
Democrats.
The committee on economy" which is in
quiring into the methods of business in the
Treasury Department will be engaged for some
weeks, perhaps months, before they are ready to
report. THUS far we have simply scratched
around In few of the bureaus" said one of the
committee to-day, land as 1t is our intention 10
through in hurry"
With the entrance of new Administration
there was naturally considerable interest felt in
society circles as to the ladies of the Cabinet and
their characteristics. From all accounts the i'm
pressions forme by contact with Miss Cleveland
and the ladies who will. for the next four years,
be prominent factors in the social world, are of
the most tiatterng description. Some of the ladies
of society here paid particular attention to not
ing the effects OF the new element and their YER
dict was that society was in safe hands and no
disagreeable frictions would occur.