Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-21
orrrCE.sEEkERs DEFENDED.
Veteran Observer GOssips About OF.
hce-Seekers and Their Habits-A LIE.
ultimate Business.

THERE'S no disgrace in having the desire to
Mold public office" observed a veteran man Of
affairs the other day to a STAR reporter. "You
would suppose from what you sometimes read
and hear that it was really an unworthy object
OF a mans ambition. To some ears the term
ofdce-seeker is a reproach. There is good deal
OF talk about the Office seeking the man and not
the man the Office. Perhaps one office in ten
thousand is filled in that way, but don't i'm
agine that the proportion is any greater
The meaning intended to be conveyed would
imply that the President made the selection
without any suggestion from others. and this
would require a very extensive personal &C
necessary, when an Office is to be filled, that the
resident should be informed as to the persons
who would like the place. as well as their MT
ness TO discharge the duties, and then ne can
make an intelligent selection. With the posi-.
BILE exception Of what known as PERSONAL
appointments no appointments are made un-
less an application is presented in one form or
another by the person appointed; IL Is very
common thing to hear men say after they have
rec Ell we'd an appointment that 1t was perfect
surprise to them, and that they knew nothing
about 1t until the appointment was made. That
is not word of truth in it. If the President
should say that he never heard of these gentle
men until their names were presented to him
as candidates that would undoubtedly be a per.
fectly truthful statement"
THE UNDERGROUND METHOD.
"Of course" continued the gentleman rs he
became interested in the subject. ''all this is
explained by the different methods employed
by men when they become office seekers. 1t is
rather curious study to notice the diversity of
means to obtain a common end. Some men go
after an office in the style which is commonly
known as hunting with a brass band. They
get up petitions, they organize delegations,
newspapers, and they secure 'e endorsements
from political organizations. They make q
mighty fuss and flutter in the community
v,nfc lint
the same methods in q more or less modified
form. Still they are openly known as candi-
presenting their claims to friends and ac-
qualntances. There are other men whose
names ;ge never heard in connection with the
in the newspapers may be their names are not
found among them. Their method is by the
underground system of wires. and by patient
burrowing around they finally discover con.
cealed way to the White House leading directly
to the Presidents ear. While the delega-
front door Of the White ao House hun these e
unknown office-seekers are manipulating their
little wires and really getting nearer to the Pres-
dents attention than the front door visitors.
When the appointment is made and the pro-
prietor of one of these underground telegraph
| lines is the fortunate man, no one is more sur.
of the President.
"In our system of politics." resumed the
is perfectly proper, and indeed it is right
every citizen, If he wants an office to announce
MS udIIle 10 tne freSlQent, ana then 10 ADOPT
the proper measures to show to the President
who he is and how he is regarded by his friends
knowledge of this sort would be rather detri.
mental to their interests than otherwise, the
President is informed simply who desires his
his backing. The latter consideration
is frequently the all-powerful one in
politics. when the selfish system of give and
take is In full operation. The amusing feature
In the scramble for Office, however, is seen in
the cases where men imagine that they are en-
only ones holding that opinion. they then go
to work as they would in the pursuit of any
thing else they desire, and the various expedi.
entS resorted to diverse as the people
themselves. There is good deal of human ma
ture In office seeking, but it is perfectly legit-
mate object Of ambition, and one that should be
encouraged rather than otherwise"