The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-13
A Model Official, and by No Means So Bad
q Man as Painted.

A Model Official, and by No Means So Bad
Man Painted.
Washington Letter in Philadelphia Record.
The fact is that Mr.. Higgins has made so far
the best record that ever was made in his Office
| do not like spoilsmen, but believe in giving
even the spokesman his due. Higgins, the poll
ticlan, may be all the wicked things he is said to
be, but Higgins, the appointment clerk, is a
model official This is simply just The Office
of appointment clerk in great department
like that of the Treasury is a most responsible
one. Under former administrations, particu-
larly under that of Secretary Folger, the ap-
pointment clerk of the Treasury was practically
the appointing power Secretary Folger had all
he could do in trying, in his slow, judicial way,
to keep the run of the routine business of his
Office. He was very glad to turn the endless
bother of removals and appointments over to
the bright young Brooklyn lawyer whom he
had made appointment clerk. The latter lived
practically at the Secretary's house, he ate with
him. walked with him, rode with him. he
knew his general principles as we'll as
he did himself So it was very easy for him to
go on making removals aud appointments right
through Folger's administration without troub-
ling the Secretary for anything more than a
mere formal approval now and then. You may
imagine that that appointment clerks morning
receptions were as crowded as those of the Pres
ldent and that he had as many callers from the
two houses of Congress. This was very alb
normal and improper condition of affairs. The
Secretary of the Treasury must be held resron-
sible for all Treasury appointments For this
reason, if for no other, he ought to make them.
1t is unnecessary to say that under the present
vigorous administration of the Treasury Depart
ment he does The appointment clerk no longer
appoints. Nevertheless, his Office is sill a very
important one. All applications for Treasury
offices are filed there all charges against in
cumbents go there; all the papers in every case
of removal or appointment originate there.
Every letter on the subject of the Offices which
goes out of the Treasury Department bears,
whatever other signature may be on it, the
mystic initials ''E. H." These letters do not
stand, as some grim spoilsmen think, for Every
Head" even if they are in bloodcolored ink,
but for Eugene Higgins" and they show that
the letters were originally drafted iE his Office.
Every day the Secretary summons the appoint
ment clerk to his Office. Some days he sum-
mons him dozen times. At these conferences
the Secretary tells off to the appointment clerk
the gentlemen who are to be beheaded. There
upon the Lord High Execationer of the Treas
ury draws his snickersnee and makes short work
of them. Then the names of the lucky sue
cessors must be placed in commissions and the
other blanks in those documents filed up In
the Office of the appointment clerk, too are the
records and the recommendations of all the
employees of the department., small and great,
since it was department. You can see even
from this hasty summary that this must be a
large and busy Office. 1t is. 1t is at
Tue cAlTeue SOUTHWESTERN corner OF tue
floor on which the Secretary has his
office. The latter is at the extreme
southeastern corner Mr.. Higgins gets a great
deal of exercise every day. His own room is
larger than the little den where the Secretary
does most of his work, Just off from the big
gilded room where he receives his callers TIE
appointment clerk and his assistant sit facing
each other at a large double desk ir the center
of the room. A few flowers ard loads of papers
are on the desk. A colored messenger sits in the
corner Applicants for places sit or stand where
ever they can find room, looking, while they
wait, through two large windows at the Wash
ington monument and the Potomac flowing be-
yond. All morning long the stream OF callers is
constant The appointment clerk rece. yes them
affably and courteous!y, even jocuarly at ZINES
Many of them find it so pleasant that they ga y
they will call again. To them Mr. Higgins is
apt to say. as he did to the Ohio bore. who SAID
to him after half hours session: well, iii
see you Tomorrow MOT if 1 see you first
But the shrewder ones call again without saying
anything about it. Ii is really difficult task
this that Higgins performs so patiently. Iwould