The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-05-14
washington Letter.

=
ARLINGTON, May 2, I8S5.-It is be-
lieved that the time has nearly arrived
for some sweeping and cleaning In the
government offices here and elsewhere.
Renu biican office holders who have
been hugging the delusive phantom OF
hope now swish they had something
more substantial to anchor to. Things
have occurred during the week that
have shaken them up considerably ana
made them remember the many polltl-
cal crimes of their depraved partisan
lives. The Chicago postmaster was
given his walking papers in very per-
emntorv WaY, Chief clerk Nimmo,
the statistician of the treasury depart
ment, who during the last campaign
was so skillful in making figures lie,
has been dismissed. Democrats have
been appointed to a large number OF
post offices, and as l remarked, 1t is be-
lGeved that the long prayed for reform
in the persone1 of the civil sservice has
begun, and it is to be hoped it will not
stop soon.
The smoldering democratic Impa-
thence has broken out.in fierce flames in
places. There was conference held at
Wizards hotel last night which is
much talked about today. There were
present democratic senators, represen-
tatives and prominent citizens from
Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana,
| Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia and else
where, including several members OF
| the national democratic committee.
The discussions were lengthy and earn
est. 1t was urged that President CleVe-
| land and nearly all his cabinet had re-
fused to remove republican Office-h hold
ers, even on the ground of offensive
! partisanship, and that throughout all
the departments there We're republicans
who had voluntarily contributed their
! time and money to the republican cam
paign, but yet they were not only en-
couraged to remain, but it was deemed
an otfense to.eVen suggest their removal.
The president has been informed
| that the greatest source OF discomfort
was the pOstotfices, which are now be-
ing filled by democrats, while the re-
publicans are laughing defiance. They
blamed the president for not demand
ing the resignation of frst-assstart
Postmaster-General Hay and appoint
ing an assistant who could aid the
postmaster-gene in filing the small
pOstOtiices. They blamed the president
for not removing republican office
holders in the states and giving the Of
fees to the victors.
Alter an interchange of views, it was
generally agreed that if the admins
tratiOn continued to keep republicans
in office, the president should be gent
ly informed that he must look to the
republicans in congress for support.
"The president has told u.s." said one
senator to-day, shat we must be con-
sentative in these matters. | did not
understand that we carried the last
election on a 'possum policy. We
made a straight out fight and won.
Whose was the victory? This thing OF
keeping republicans in Office because
they might feel hurt if removed may
be the sort of politics they have up in
heaven,sbut it won't do on earth"
The latest democratic outrage is
found in the announcement that the
clerks in the pension Office did more
work during April than in any pre-
vious month in its history, the increase
amounting to an addition OF nearly one
half, with the same force as before.
| There has never been any doubt among
well informed people that the average
amount of work turned off every day
by government clerk fell tar below
not only what he should accomplish,
but also what the employee of any pri-
Vate establishment would have to rem
der on penalty of dismissal for ineffi-
cheney and this change in the pension
| office demonstrates the TACT. The trouble
| was, that under the spoils system the
political "stFiker" who forced his pa
tron to give him place in one of the
departments knew that he could
keep it so long as his senators or rep
resentative backed him, even if he were
lazy and negligent, and so he had no
| incentive TO do his best. Now on the
other hand, the clerk is well aware
that he is watched by a critical eye,
and that incompetency will lead to his
discharge, and so he goes to work in
| the same way as a man who wants to
keep his place in a private establish
ment. An incidental element in pro-
ducIng this better showing is the oper-
alton of the civil service law, which has
been the door through which consid-
cradle percentage of the present en-
ployees in the pension Office reached
| their desks, which has thus sensibly
raised the level of ability.