Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-10-02
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
MA.mINnInN. Sent. Is. 1850.

NANhiN'l'N, cept. 10, 1000.
At the first Cabinet meeting since
the Presidents return there were
but four members The Secretary
of State. Secretary Of War and the
Attorney General were absent. Mr..
Bay ysrd has taken ten days leave
aud II ~ said he will be locker on
at the Democratic gubernatorial
nominating convention in New York
The Cabinet session lasted till nearly
three o'clock.
There il no truth in the recent
gossip relative TO the resignation of
the Secretary Of the Treasury. The
qam nuncs had it that Mr.. Manning
would soon go out Of the Cabinet
and that Mr. Villas would take his
place, and that Mr.. Stevenson would
bo made Postmaster General. This
story was probably based upon the
frequent declaration upon the part
Of MIR. Manning that lie was heartily
tired OF the duties of the place.
This IN unquestionably true. MIR.
Manning has great difficulty in get
ting through with the routine work
OF bis place. He hates excessive Ia
bor and il he had his own way he
would never have come to Washing
ton at alt. But when he consented
10 come here II was with the deter
mination that he would stay as long
M tho President wished him to. He
has recently leased . house for three
years. and this does not indicate any
intention to leave Washington dur.
ing Mr.. Clevelands Presidential
term.
Mr.. Convillc. Sixth Auditor at the
Treasury. n stuunch Democrat and q
bona Gic civil service reformer, is
much annoyed at having his efforts
thwarted by tho bad and bungling
Civil Service Commission. He has
made certain changes in his Office in
the wedding out Of incompetent men
aud has made room for ten new ap-
pointments. As matter of course
he wanted Democrats who would be
in hearty sympathy with his efforts to
reorgsnize his Office and reduce it 10
% practical busiuess-like basis. He
found that he would not be able to
IN Ike any independent appointments
except through the Civil Service
Commission. He made requisition
upon the Commission for list of
candidates who had passed is exam
nations. The Commission sent him
the names OF forty candidates, from
whom no will be compelled to make
his selections. He found that there
was not y single Democrat in the
lot. lie will be obliged 10 appoint
Republicans or make no appoint.
ments. There is a very general
complaint against the commission,
based upon the ground that they un-
duly favor Republican applicants.
As between . Republican and Dem
ocrat applicant, they will always
pass q Republican, il be is anywhere
near the mark. A Democrat has to
pass what is called q premium exam
ination, and even then he is not put
in - good position as if he was q
Republican. This board has, 10 a
number OF localities, examined
enough Republican applicants to fill
vacancies in the various bureaus of
the Government for some time to
come. II is one Of the most unfair
and partisan Of machines.
Tho chief of one of the largest
Government Offices, who has charge
Of nearly three hundred clerks was
talking about appointments, dis
charges and civil service examina-
tions. He remarked that a radical
aud phenomenal change had taken
place among the employees of his
bureau since the fourth OF March,
that since then nearly all of his
three hundred clerks have been la
boring to prove that they are Demo.
Gratis Of the purest and most ancient
Political pedigree and practice.
When called upon to explain how
they wero appointed and had SO long
held Office under the Republican
spoils and machine system, they ex-
planned that their cases were excep-
tons to the general rule. They all
have q plausible way Of showing that
they aud their iorefathers and
mothers.in-law are Democrats. He
says also that he finds it difficult to
discharge q clerk for bad habits, in
competency. or for any Of the many
causes that would render him unfit
for tho important work Of his office.
Just as soon as he gets ready to re-
move clerk and make room for a
Democrat along comes Democratic
Congressman aud insists that the
clerk shall be retained. The Con-
gressman will, at the same time,
urge the appointment Of his particu-
lar friend. but when an attempt is
made to remove some one to make a
vacancy . protest 10 entered at once.