The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1885-09-19
VIRTUE sTRAfGHT-0UT DEMOCRATS
COMPLAIN.
tspscial dispatch to Times Domocrat.l


tspscial dispatch to Times Democrat.1 (
dle complaint of the Democratic
sfrS ahfout press is that the people
"a Tor q change of government, and
TINT, Nj. Cleveland is not giving it to
,.Ahen. They, object that these are pop.
nlar institutions, that the people are
Supposed to know what they want,
and are entitled to haveit. The verdict
at the polls last November was that a
change must be made, and they say
the administration is disregarding the
sentiment by which itself was created.
Figures are not easy to get except in
rare Instances. The bureau chieftains
are far from exhibiting vain Or glori-
Gus pride In what has been done; still
q few estimates are accessible.
The PostOffice- Department has the
largest number of Offices at tho disposal
Of the President. There are 50,753
postofices in all; 4s,42l Of these are
fourtk-clas Offices aud 1882 are presi-
DENTAL Offices. These are the places
which are nearest the people, in which
the masses take the most intimate in
terest, and through which the govern
ment most eloquently manifests itself.
Out of the 4s, 42l fonrth-class Offices in
the hands of the Republicans six
months ago TOO have been transferred
to the Democrats. Out of the 1882 post
Offices directly in the gift Of the Presi-
dent, 1926 have been given to Demo-
Gratis.
Within the department here at
Washington about one-half of the
bureau chiefs have been changed, and
of the 1900 railway mail cierkships,
500 have been transferred to Demo-
Gratis.
In the Treasury Department, not
Withstanding the presence and active
ministrations of tho much-abused Hig-
gins, not more than half OF the impor-
tant places have been turned over to
the Democrats. There are less than
400 of these, yet less than 200 changes
have been made.
In the State Department proper no
changes at all have been made, except
in the appointment of Assistant Secre-
tary Porter. Nearly all the foreign
appointments have been given to Dem
ocrats. BY the end of the year there
will not be more than fifty places Of
that sort in tho hands of Republicans,
but within the department itself not
even the chief clerk has been changed.
And the same is true of the War and
Navy Departments, where it would be
difficult TO discover any sign of Demo-
cratic possession.
In the Interior Department, except
in one branch of tho Pension Bureau,
changes are scarce. In the Patent
SvE II
chiefs; only two have gone to the
Democrats. In the Indian Bureau, out
of sixty agents but seventeen have
been changed. About $50 surgeons,
traders, etc., have been appointed out
of 500. In the Pension Office there are
1852 employees they remain as they
were. Out of twelve division chiefs
only four have been changed. Ont of
305 special examiners one-fOurth have
been changed. In the Department of
Medical Boards, out of 1000 Republi-
can incumbents 1900 have been re-
moved TO make way for Democrats.
This is the ono blue ribbon achieve
ment.
In the Office of public printer there
have been no changes. In tho Bureau
of Printing and Engraving chief was
appointed, but he was Republican.
This is about all that can be asccrtaincd
at present.
The public can judge whether the
showing is brilliant or otherwise. There
are over 100000 offices not tangled in
the civil service coil, and out of these
it appears that less than one eighth
have been turned over to the dominant
party. Straight.out Democrats claim
that the changes are too slow and too
reluctant.
The mugwumps say they are too
fast; the champions of the adminstra-
ton argue that Mr.. Cleveland has now
been in Office one-eighth of the Repub-
licans. BY the end Of the four years
he will, at this rate, have them all out,
and then, the champions triumphantly
say, the party will be in prime con-
dition for another struggle.
The transcennenlalists forget, in their
zeal, that 1t may not sound we'll 10
argue that the highest purpose of Il re-
form administration is to fix itself for n
second term, but this is perhaps the
only serviceable argument they have.
At all events, the above is as complete
q statement of a situation as can be
made, and it discloses practically the
cas,ts belH of the straight-outs. Of
course in addition 1t has the civil SER
vice rules, which are universally
obnoxious.