Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-07
THE STRUGGLE FOR PLACE.
The Dimculty Of Keeping = Man Ont o.
Office.


THE EXPERIENCE OF A DEPARrMxNr OFT
CIAL-wHY EFFICIENT CLERKS ARE DIS
neutrality-suspicious. CLERKS SUPPORTED
BY DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN.
A few years ago the government oficials
were considerably harrassed by the importuui-
ties and persistency Of people who wanted pub
lie Offices. There are still q few left who have
not yet had this particular ambition gratined,
and who are no less assiduous In bringing the
fact to the attention of those in power, but the
officials seem now to regard this incident Of
their official life as q minor annoyance COM
pared with the obstacles which they md In
getting people out Of office.
"Why don't you remove the poor clerks II
you want to make removals." asked visitor
who had called at one of the departments to
protest against the removal Of an efficient clerk.
"Those are the very clerks that we can't
touch. was the rather initiated reply. "The
less efficient q clerk is the more influence he or
rid of a clerk whose Office record is bad or In
different, my office swarms with an army pro
testing Congressman. 1t seems TO make no
can and was appointed by republican influence,
the number OF democratic Congressman who
can be enlisted on the side Of the clerk is simply
overwhelming The more worthless the clerk
the greater is the array of influence. So you see
we are reproached for not making changes by
when we attempt to make changes then the
members men Of the democratic party protest and
Win great vlgOr, too. with one breath the
democratic party cries go on and with the
mex. breath they shout halt TO describe such
situation as a quandary Is q very mild form
of expression.
"What is the result?" continued the official, in
tones of genuine disgust. 1--WE are compelled
10 search out employees who have no influence,
aud, as a rule, it is the efficient clerk who has
PAID strict attention to the duties OF the place.
ana who has not taken the time to hunt up
influence, that must of necessity be selected for
decapitatfon. The one relies on q good official
record, and the other on influence, and it is the
latter that counts every time when the question
OF removals is under consideration"
Apropos of removals and the eagerness dis
Played by the dominant party to enjoy what is
porter was told the other day good story Illus
talking with an official who had the supervision
OF q large number of offices, and he rather init
mated that the changes were not being made
with sufficient rapidity.
II am making appointments as fast as can
sign my name," pl Otested the official
"Why don't you get one of those stamps with
your name cut in and you could get q clerk to
use it., quickly rejoined the visitor as he smiled
pleasantly upon the astonished official
IL Is one thing to put people out OF Office and
another thing 10 keep them out, as u great
many find out. One OF the recently appointed
olncials told q STAR man that the next day
after he had made some forty dismissals, half
OF the persons dismissed came to see him with
their influence to try to get reinstated. and the
remainder came the following day and then for.
some time afterwards large per centage made
daily calls either IL person or bv friends