New-York tribune., 1885-08-12
OFFICIAL ABSENTEEIsM.
EVEN REFORMERS LEAVE THEK DESKG
TAXING WHAT THEY yoRsfHRLY CALERD "yuxK-
ETING" MISUNDERSTANDING DOWN CLERKs'
VACATIONS.
lar TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuxnI

tnt TnLEonArH TO The TRIBUAhJ
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The question Of
official and clerical absenteeism In the Government do
paRtments has been constant tneme Of discussion for
many yeafs While hs Republicans were In power the
Democratic spapers those viIant ssntiuels the
watch towers Of Reform" failed to SOUND note OF
alarm whenever Cabinet officer chief OF Bureau
was absent from his post OF duty he happened to DO
absent from Washington ocial business he was said
to be junketng" st Government expense These same
newspapers informed their readers five months that
there would be no more official absenteetsm for four
years to at Ieast that Especial cars for high
Government officers thing Of the past; that cub
lie vessels would no longer be used TO transport the Pres
dent members OF his Cabinet and that there woud be
more "junketng" at the public expense. For days
and weeks the country informed In every
twenty hours Of the at which tho President
took his breakfast and that which the members Of hfs
Cabinet seated themselves al their official desks. One
Democratic newspaper which at that time sspred to be-
the Court Journal" II net the official organ Of the
Administration Fcnt so FAR as to publish sort OF picture
In which President Cleveland represented sitting ut
his SIX, without coat waiscoat rmt rsed In official
BUSINESS at O'Clock Sunday morning That picture
would 10 now. and the PresIdcnrs breakfast
h0lr the moment at Which each Cabinet officer begins
his daily duties s longer heraded 10 the country
Since May l the PresIdent'and every member of his
Cabinet have enjoyed the luxury of special cars free
OF expense themselves and among the distinguished
men who have been passengers the Dispatch public
vessel. the President and Secretaries whitney aud
Endicott. Secretary Bayari has furnished an example
OF Jefersonlan sImpI, by travelling all the way
to Missouri In Pullman special car" In order to I'M
part to the citizens of that state his views respecting
Thomas Jefferson He retu rned to Washington BY the
same comfortable conveyance Secretary Endtcott also
srcnt several weeks In tine West travelling IN Pull
spocia. ca" to inspect" the military prison at
Fort Leayenworth anil the military posts at Omaha and
palfr rxoI ,tu.fnrt oh afnn nns
journeyed to the Paciic Coast by easy STAGES In
special sar" to inspect the railroads. solicitor
General Goodc has visited British Columbia at the ex
pen+e Of the Government to demand the extradtOn Of
slefaulring Fsstmassr-s duty which could have been
performed veil BY officer the scene OF action
at small expense. The record Of official absenteeisni
during the first ave n months On this Reform AamnIs ,1,v
complied 1t shows that Secretary whitney hns been
ary Fniicott more than rty days sccreary Manning
hrty-eigt days. Secretary bay srd twenty hve days.
Sserasy Lamar asg Gans i've der
Assistant Secretary Fairehid sixteen days. ssistant
twenty SsrT Say 1, as twenty days.
Commissioners Miller fifteen layscommissener johnston
days other Chiefs of Bureaus have been absent for
longer or shorter periods
In sous of tho mentioned the absence was
en- official business jur ketng" AS the Democratic
newspapers used 10 caitand two three cases the
absence eansed by Illness. II such be the record
Of men the fresh morning OF their zeal for Reform
what may be expected when their fiery enthusiasm SHALL
have n,ated somewhat. after al the offecs have
been nlsd with Democrats There 10 another aspect Of
matter hch deserves to bs mentioned The heads
OF several ot the Departments have issued or.ssrs
restricting the. leaves OF absence granted 10
clerks In pursusnee of Law and The law ithor
granting OF such leave with pay for period
MT exceeding thirty days In one year. also permits
the granting OF leave with account of Sickness
properly certified to by rezpectabs physician, Tor
shorter time In the discretion OF the head OF
a Department. This time has not been deducted hfre-
ofor regular annual leave Of absence reeox
nixed by the law enacted by the last kepubIean
Congress, which law has to u great extent reformed
abuses arising the indlscrimnate granting OF leaves
absence In the last three months one or two Cabinet
decided that leave of absence with pay.
whether account OF sickness not, shall exceed
thirty days In n year great many people Will Dc
Inclined to think In regard to this matter tha what IL
sanre for the Cabinet officer Bourbon chief ought 10
he for the clerk atso.