The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-03-26
Washington Letter.

Public attention is now natursllv
eenteTed on President Cleveland
and his newly chosen advisers. and
everything In regard to their move
ments and intentions is ca0erlv
heard. The tone OF impartial cym-
ment is favorable to the ncy re.
gime, and it is commanding resDect
and popularity from the start bv
dignity and discretion shown In ev-
cry act. There are great oxpccta-
tlons as to what will be accomplish
ed during the next four years.
During this transition period in
its history upon which the country
is now entering, Washington will
be the cynosure of the nations
eyes. Instead of interest ending
with the expiration of the forty
eighth congress, it rather begins.
for congress did ht5le and the
Cleveland administration must do
great deal The change in offices.
which began at noon on the fourth
OF March by the transfer Of execu.
tive power from Mr.. Arthur to Mr..
Cleveland, goes on from point to
point. ihe changes in men az we'll
as 10 principles will be very great.
Nothing dramatic may occur. but
the political situation will be inter
esting. There will be a new politi-
cal atmosphere, and with CHANCES
some novelties in habits and princi-
pies of government may be ex-
pected.
President Cleveland has already
introduced some innovations at the
white house. The household is re-
quired to be ready for an eight
O'Clock breakfast, unheard of be-
fore at the executive mansion, and
the library which has heretofore
been controlled by the sweepers
and house cleanere until noon, is
now ready for business callers at an
early hour.
Smoking is prohibited in the Of
noes of the white house, and the
methods of doing work there have
been simplifed by the discharge Of
one half of the clerical force. Fewer
employees and plenty of work for
those who remain, is the motto Of
the president and his private secre-
tary. They propose to earn their
own salaries, and will require their
subordinates to DO the same.
The work of entrenchment begun
at the white house will not end
there. 1t was a hint to other de-
partments with superfuous force.
and has sent a chill of terror
through thousands of government
clerks who have for years been
drawing bOuntiful salaries of the
tax payers money and doing no
work. If the principle is applied
throughout the service, not less
than twenty thousand men will be
stricken from the federal pay rolls,
without impairing the transaction
of business. Officers of the treasu-
ry department., for instance, have
testified that the clerical force there
could be reduced one third without
detriment to the service.
Inasmuch as President Cleveland
is a worker, it has been rumored
that the social interests of the
white house will suffer under his
administration. He will'not give
80 many grand and expensive en-
tertainments to the favored few
in official life, but he will devote
more time to receiving the people.
There will mot be so much formality
and court like etiquette observed
at the white house, but guess will
enjoy themselves as much if not
more. My prediction is founded
partly on a clause in Mr.. Cleve-
lands inaugural address. The pur-
port of it was that the social and
domestic lives of public officials
should be calculated to inculcate
habits of economy, TO avoid restless
extravaganza and to restore sim
plicity more in harmony with the
spirit of republican institutions.
This sentiment had caused good
deal of gossip in Washington social
circles. Society people do not
doubt the president means what he
says, and that his entertainments
will be for the public to a greater
extent and for state dinners and eK-
elusive receptions to q smaller ex-
tent than has been the rule for the
last twenty years.
Lavish expenditure upon enter
tainments at the white house and
in cabinet households compels ex-
travagance in other official circles
where it is oppressive. Secretary
Bayard has neither the means nor
the. disposition to initiate his preds-
cessOr. The brilliant entertain
ments of the Frelinghuysens will be
missed by a certain element Of
Washington society, but the ex-
travagant methods insuguTated by
the last secretary of state proved
very oppressive to the foreign di-
plomats who came here to represent
their governments on small salaries.
The army and navy officers, and
many others in official and social
life who felt bound to keep up the
standard OF extravagant display es-
tablished, will welcome change that
will diminish the expense Of a
Washington winter.