New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06
LAMAR AND HIS MEN.
SKETCH OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
QUEER AssoRTMENT-THE PUBLIC SERVICE NJ
LAYED AND DEMORALIZED.

only point to the Department 1t presents itself to-
day to those acquainted with the requirements Of this
important branch Of the Government service.
This statement may sound paradoxical at frat but II Is
nevertheless easily susceptible OF proof For nearly nine
months the Department Of the Interior has had AZ
ts head. nominally at least Utopisn dreamer and
ndoloDt enthusiast His assistants have been men with
out experience or executive ability The chiefs o.
bureaus either old men, whose toothless palsmty
has covered Mr. Lamars administration with Iidlolle
young whose talents. II they ever had any were
exercised fields entirely different from those 10 which
political prcferment and the caprice of party leaders
have called them. The result has been that the
business OF the Department months bebndhand You
hear complaints every side.
In the once the issue OF patents in most OF the
Northern States ana Territories has been suspended
Tho whole service been dsorganiEed No setlor on
the public domain knows to-day whether he has any
claim his holding not until AFR. sparks shall see n
10 decide.
In the Patent once nst impo tant case has been
settled upon appeal by Commissioner Montgomery since
went into Office eight months Attorneys are loud
IN their complaints and denOdnce the present condition
OF affairs IN the most unmeaSured terms.
Those for past have drawn their yearly pen
sons without encouuerng obstacle nnd themselves
confronted suddenly W order rom Commissioners
Black who pretends have found lrreguaTity IN
papers tue proceedings under which the pensions
were granted Genreal Blacks order respecting the
charge OF technical deeron has enAiled needless hard
ships upon thousands Of homes and tue business In his
office, in consequence OF his SILLY proceeding has accu-
mulated until 1t compelled him TO sond requiston 70
the Civi Service Commissioner for twelve additional
clerks.
II You turn to the Indian once tho condition of affairs
is scarcely less unsatisfactory. Mr. Atkins apparently
does not know himself what Is going on about him
for the RailrOsd Commissioner It would indeed he
rash assertion say that no knew anything at ali Of the
workings OF his ONCE Some Of his present suDordnates
so 80 far as 10 doubt his knowledge Of and OF course
Also his ability to interpret provisions of the
Thurman This may be a little harsh on poor old
General Johnston but It altogether Improbable
such Ia ths condition OF few Only Of tue bureaus In
the Interior Department Yot Though greatly Ia arrears
the pubc business IA carried on, not with the aid or
under the active direction Of the whom tho present
Administration pat into power but In spite Of them.
The men who perform thu work that IL done al al are
the old and experienced employees, protected IN part by
the Cy Service Act but really only tolerated because
they are Indispensable to the powers That without
them tne public would suner and business be
clocgcd admit, OF odOubt
Wnen Sir. Lamar urst entered oGcc he occupied hs
timc With the exception ~ days upon which ne pro-
ferret staying home and reading novels Ia hearing
the applications oce-scoe-s who hronrcd MS ofice
and tre corridors callng 20 u from early IN tne mornu;
TIL late az night 10 m.a OF his sensitive nature this
occupation Wa anything bat pleasant n 10 had not
for u sp-nsung. AID thea. OK lPdies. to whom
o. ecCretary i Al AL unei tIo most sAlaht OF ou nc
woud have c Office tho nrst week after entorlug
all Not returned BIT ho stood the onslaught bagcy
aud did not lluch anti tho summer sln oame 10 his
as-ls ancs and drove tho OF applicants avt ~.
Since then access % Mr LamAr's Office has boon made
more ficmt iIe rctIscs 90 D. victim ot the Office
seeker any louscr He retire. 70 All inner 1T tho
slightest Indication Ok danger. and has provided hs odce
with exits through which Le mystcriousy di-appcars
not 20 be- hoard Of agaa until Is quite sifo for h 70
/ return.
Nj Lamar occupies hlm.e!, cL,e1y with rcalus tie
low decisions t,huh uls a,1siuts or caefs OF bureaus
may occ, to spomt hin Sow and then he Will attack
tic Dr. b-in Involved Ia tIc REMOVAL ~ h9UO OF @liOO
CLERK wh,s circumference eric. 90 Heaven for juds
msnr, and substitute Democrat sod and irun When
10 does THIS lc utulos The question alt th9Feuguh-a
aud energy, DO oonfcss~d that would exotic tho
admiration Of country tho directed f. another
channel Eut of real executive sbN;y. So. p ~ Woud
control guide aud WORK Tor Ae vast machinery OF
his department Secretary Lamar has not tho slzh est
notion. 10 a trained scholarly mind. hla
legal acuueA Of tho saarpos bat O. e1orc'e othor
be must feel himself drawn 70 tho subject oT be Inter
cs,cd Ga tho ci.o presented for hia consideration doub;
very much. for instance, whether ue hearing Ia the
telephone case struck Mr. Lsu,.'s fancy. lie seemed
/ 20 depend entirely ia those proceeding upon the
counsel AMI ADVICE OF Mr. Jsnzs, hs irst Assistant
secretary And yet showed very pa ny that 10 was
capable " greet dscernmout and fully understood NO
point IN any oontsoyertsd questions submitted for his
la,r On subject d!.ta.tcfI - him. he WORKS by fa an1
.;Art. unduns much u tho good ~hich 10 may hase
previously accomplished demornli,ng tao force under
HIN. vho never know what hs Is about, Aud reard!us
tho business OF Department which taa any other
branch OF the Government service. perhaps, demands
/ on.cs vet paiust.siug aud efficient work.
What could have induced Secretary LANAI to appoint
Mr. Mulirow as hls First Assistant Secretary, oGcept
IL be cons lerAous OF fenishlp ana regard. hA puzzled
a good people II might have been A. opposed that
. ilr Lamar would surround himself vi people who
could supply ns d.hceuoes. strengthen his hand,
and relieve han Of such work us ho himself found dis
tasteful or too lauorous. But Mr.. Mudrow appar-
onty OF these things He Is an nonensiyo and
very lady Ike Ntte Hau. whose cousoiousnesS OF tho
dignity aud importance % his Office sufficient 10
carry Lim through HE. satisfactorily % himself Of cOursc
Hls legal abilities are slender lawyers assure uo HIS
talents "A, ctc,uuyc Oref II he have any, sl remain
In hiding lie i -ucccssul, however, IN convincing TIE
messengers AMI porter- about tue building That tho
weight amt ctre Oi The "hoe Drprth"nt rest upon M
tiny shoulders. fDhdness for driving around tho
streets Washington I'D The Office carriage ~ one or tue
characteristics Of Mr. M1dro~. Mr. Lamar Is vo:y fond
of nm trusts him implicitly. and WOnlI miss him greatly
wero liz to 90. Bat who ever heard Of Il Domocrauo
n The apo nnent of Mr. Modrow somewhat OF
must be pronounced very happy one. lie Ia man OF
great ability, shrewd. kocn and qulck. have yet TO
Jcnkss legal accomp 7hments. HIS Ia mind which
goes root Of tLlnga studies aud Analyses works
onghnoss and Iainstakin' hlcity distinguish Mr.
jerks II IA only natural that under these circumstances
Inc has become tho main prop Of 80 inducn' man ~
Mr. Lamar aud that his Influence I'm tue Department VIII
Increase every day aud hnhly beo0no IirlhOunt
he alko tho virtual hoad OF the Interior
Department. Mr. Lamar Is completely under his lnnu
eu,e lie "a small man. bald headed, smooth faced,
with -hnIp- features and keen, bright ewes, who
enioys tue reputation OF being the uglest Ia the
| DcuartUcut. lie has "a nutcrackFr face 1 hcarl
some ono say. His manners are rreprOnchable. He
dispatches business promptly and without hustle
savo his with tho Impression that
they have made the acquaintance OF most benign AMI
Kindly disposed gentleman. How far this impression ~
warranted BY facts unable say. Mr.. jerks made
nh. acnuAlntance OF Mr. Lamar while representing the
! XVII District OF Pennsy lvania IN tho House. Mt.
Lamar was struck by an argument which Mr.. Jenks
delivered before the Electoral Commission that he At
once determined, upon assuming Office 10 tender the
Mace OF Assistant Secretary 10 him Mr. Jcnkss Ambl-
tnn prom him to accept tbe place at once. His pay
"A. Secret AIRY n very much smaller than the
income he could made by practising lay. but he
viii have made "a reputation when he leaves Onico.
: [ Thn Cnmml asnner Of the Land Office. Genernl "