The Washington critic., 1886-06-19
WASHINGTON CRITIC
WASHINGTON. JUNE 10, 1895.
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

and In this particular the Secretary's
views will carry great weight. 1t
seems. however, quite probable that
the Treasury portfolio will be retained
by New York, since that State is the
greatest OF all political factors in the
Presidential election OF 1888. While
various names are mentioned In this
connection, among them ex-senator
Henry G.. Davis of West Virginia, It is
within the range of possibilities that
the Cabinet may be reorganized by
transfers, In which event Secretary
Whitney might be assigned to the
Treasury. No one, however, is author
lied to speak for the Administration,
and. as the President keeps his own
counsel with remarkable pertiuaciy,
the current of his mind is an unfathom-
able mystery--save the two proposi.
tions-that Mr.. Mannings advice will
be needed and that New York will not
be deprived of the great political en-.
gine of the Treasury Department.
~
The President has shown great
courtesy in giving two receptions this
week, says the special correspondent OF
the COurier-Journdt. The lateness of
the season and the heat might have ab.
solved him, but as he preferred that his
wedding should be strictly private and
divested of an official character, he
recognized the fact that II was his duty
to invite the different branches Of the
Government and the public to be
formally introduced to the lady who is
to share with him the honors and the
perils of his high office. When a lady
who Is well versed In the usages of po-
lite society suggested to members of
both houses of Congress that she
thought 1t looked churlish for them
not to send committee to wait upon
the President and present res
.olution containing congratulations.
there was wide diversity OF
opinion expressed In regard 10 the fit
ness of so doing. The suggestion was
made in view of the fact that the
Queen of England had sent cougratu-
lations, the Diplomatic Corps had held
meeting in this city and sent through
the Secretary of State their felicita-
tions, and corporate bodies had ten.
dered congratulations. 1t was the first
time President had married while
Congress was In session, and 1t did not
appear respectful for coordinate
branch of the Government to silently
pass over so important an event. SEN
ators Plat of Connecticut and Van
Wyck of Nebraska were both heartily
in favor of the resolution, but Senator
Edmunds said that he was too good q
Democrat to copy the usages of mon
arches where the line of succession de-
pended upon the marriage. When
asked how long he had been Demo
crat he answered: "Oh, from my
cradle-I was born one." Representa-
tive Hatch of Missouri thought that
such resolution should be passed, and
Mr.. Morrison thought 1t ought to ema.
nate from the Committee on Ways and
Means. However, 1t has been neglect
ed, and our own highest legislative
body has laid itself open to the charge
Of being deficient in gallantry to lady
and discourteous to Its executive.
~.
"Sydney" writes as follows In the
Chicago Ne,os: The month Of June is
the month of roses, but the Govern
ment clerks only see the thorns. The
1st Of July ends the fiscal year-or the
physical year, as very distinguished
official here always innocently writes
it-and there is always more or less
wedding out Of the Departments at
that time. So to all June is very un-
happy month, as no one knows who
will be wanted by the headsman. The
Civil.Service Commission is at odds on
good many points with the officials
who make acquisitions for clerks. One
is, the officials always want men clerks,
and when list is submitted to them
seven out of eight selected are men. AS
the women are equally efficient, aud,
as putting likely young fellow in a
Government office is like tying mill
stone about his neck and drown
ing him in the depths of
the sea, the Commission want
more women chosen. One device
to get around this is by merely giving
the initials instead of the Christian
name, so that B. Jones may mean
Betsy Jones as we'll as Ben Jones. But
as the officials would take care to go be-
hind the record to satisfy themselves
on this point before giving b. Jones an
appointment an ingenious plan sug-
gested Is to have the certifications arbi'
trarily marked; thus, every successful
candidate would have letter or
number, and, while AS standing in all
branches, age, qualification, etc.,
would be known, AS sex would re-
main a mystery. The Commission is
strongly and sensibly opposed to send
Ing in the names of men type. writers.
IA 10. sN
to see in this glorious Republic great
big able-bodied man copying off
things on type writer is enough
to make the American Eagle
moult all of his tail feathers.
1t is often remarked how few marriages
occur between men and women clerks.
1t isn't likely that woman who sees
herself with average education and
only moderate strength, earning as
good living relatively as the 175 pound
six-footer at her side, who has had n
college education perhaps, opportuni-
ties for start in life, and could have
100 acres of Government land for tho
asking. will ever demean herself, as the
darkies say, to marry him. The men
clerks who have no sense are very top
loftical before their feminine fellow
workers-but If they have a grain of it
they sing very small-and the way the
women size up these little calculating
machines is perfectly delicious.
W..
Says the same correspondent: Mrs.
Manning will be sincerely missed in
Washington. Although the Jenkinscs
of society fortunately never found it
out, she is one of the most sensible,
graceful, well-bred women in the
world-always doing the right thing
and the kind thing, and the model of
what public mans wife should be.
II will be remembered that they were
marria1 onlv ahnut aaynntnan rnnntho q