Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-10-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 26. 1886.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 1886.
Oh Reform What shams are
perpetrated in thy name. Public
officials or employees may, it seems,
take the party stump, although the
famous order reminds them that
e their time and labor belong to the
Government" They may be delegates
to nominating conventions, "provid-
ed they conduct themselves with de-
corum and SO not make their office
prominent though the order pro-
nounces the use of their offices to Sc
cure their election as indecent and
unfair" So long as they act in pol
itics as '.mere citizens" they are If
reproachable. 1t is a very simple
process.
1t has been reported that the
President and the civil service CON-
missioners cannot look each other in
the face without laughing. Demo
cratic Government clerks here go
home to vote, but something admon-
ishes the Republican clerks that they
had better stick to their desks.
Some Of them thought to adjust
their sails so as to catch the favor
ing breeze of both sides, and took
their annual leave beforehand, so
that now they cannot 60 home to
vote without losing their daily wage.
Besides, they have good excuse in
the mass of work thrown upon the
Departments by the preparation of
tue annual reports, and the absence
of all the Democratic employees.
And now there is another story
rejecting upon Gen. Blacks man.
agement of the Pension Office. Dur
ing the session of Congress Commits
sioner Black attempted to discredit
ex. Commissioner Dudley by trying
to show that Dudley made certain
cases especial" in order that their
allowance might be made useful to
Republican candidates for Congress
who asked that the claims specified
might be hurried. Gen. Black has
frequently stated that while he re-
mains at the head of the office there
shall be no cases taken uD out OF
their regular order to oblige Demo
cratic Congressman. A few days
ago one Of the friends of Represen-
tative Stahlnecker called ON Gen.
Blacks assistant and asked that the
claims of certain soldier be hurried
through. Its prompt allowance
might prove useful, he said, to this
Congressman, who was having con-
siderable opposition in his canvass
for reelection. Before he left the
office he was promised that the case
would be " expedited" but the mat.
ter was to be kept quiet and no pa.
pers relating to the "expeditiOn''
were to be sent in.
Much indignation is felt just now
by the employees of the Pension Of.
flee because of the uninhabitable
condition of the building in which
they have to work. 1t has been in
course of construction for about three
years, and is the ugliest public struc-
ture in Washington. during the
past summer nothing was done
there, but since cool weather set in,
and Congressman began to arrive, a
display of activity has been made.
The work of plastering has begun
and large part OF the clerical force
is sick in consequence. One of them
published a petition to the effect
that the time they were losing from
such enforced sickness should not
be taken from their wages, and he
was right.
Work on the annual reports that
are to go to Congress is taking pre-
cedence of everything else in the
Departments now. The Democratic
Bureau officers are not finished writ.
ers, and the prolixity of their contri-
buttons are appalling. The task OF
curtailing them to reasonable size is
going bravely on, and it takes a
great deal of time. Under the Re.
publican regime ex-Comptroller Law
renee was the most prolific sub-re.
porter, but there are several Bureau
officers under the present Admins.
tratlOn that can waste more paper
than he.
This is race week, and the Wash
ington race course, most beautiful
when its surrounding hills have their
brilliant autumnal coloring, will as
usual be the rendezvous of society.
1t is much more the fashionable
thing to go to the races here even
than in Baltimore. The grand
stand always containing numerous
representatives of the old families,
as well as of :he Diplomatic Corps,
and Army, Navy, and official circles.
The autumn meeting of the Jockey
Club affords about the first oppor.
tunity for general gathering of the
people who have been spending the
summer months away. There is no
restriction on betting here, and those
who wan. to see the horses run for
their money are allowed to do so.