The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-10-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Oct. sth, 1Ss

The situation in the departments here
is remarkable. Nothing like it has
been seen for at least twenty years. A
determined political struggle is going
on in the different states and the gov
eminent clerk attends to his routine
duties and is apparently no more inter
ested In the result of the election than
are the mechanics and tradespeople of
Washington: Heretofore it has been
their custom during political contest
to waste their time discussing politics
and to wager their money on the result.
1t is doubtless fact that a majority of
the employees here secretly hope for re-
publican success but the day of their
organizing campaign clubs, contribu-
ting and~begging money, procuring
cheap railroad rates and leaving in a
body to stump and vote early and often
for the republican candidates in their
several states, is past. The country
gains both in the publication OF poll
tics and in securing more and better
work from government employees.
This is the time of year that govern
ment star route contracts are let out.
The reader will remember that mail
routes, except those by railroad and
steam, are called star routes from the
bags carried by stage coach, horse back
or by footman, There has heretofore
been much just com plant of collision
between employees in the post office de-
partment and certain favored contrac-
tors. This year the control of the bids
was put in the hands of a committee of
three, of which chief clerk Nash of the
postoffice department was the chair
man. Mr.. Nash sent to New York and
purchased a trunk, big solid fellow
that would make the average baggage
smasher weep with dispair of ever con-
quering it. Upon this trunk was plac-
ed lock TO which there were only
three keys, each member OF the COM
mittee being given possession OF one of
them. The lock was so arranged that
neither member of the commitfeescould
open the trunk without the other mem
bers knowing it. This trunk was plac-
ed in locked room. AS fast as the bids
were received they were locked up in
the trunk in the presence of all three
of the committee. After the bids were
opened not even the most disappointed
contractor complained that anybody
had advance information of their con-
tents.
During the last week two cabinet
meetings have been held. The ques-
lions discussed related to the surren-
der of Geronimo, and to the partieipa-
ton of federal e-holders in obtru-
'sive and practical politics. Ii anybody
is harboring the notion that the presi.
dent does not mean to exact obedience
to his order prohibiting office-holders
from manipulating conventions, they
are probably of the class of persons who
will admit that the president is capable
of sincerity, or of another class that
unreasonably expect him to correct all
offenses of partisan character by in
stinrt, instead of waiting to have the
facts IN ease laid before him for consid-
Grafton and action. A number OF cases
have been brought to his notice and to
the notice of the cabinet, and it is alto
gether likely that some of the most
prominent offenders will b reminded
of their offenses in such az way as to
convince all the lesser ones that the
prohibitory order was issued in good
iaith, and that it means all it SAYS.
The Indian wholesale murderer, Ge-
ronimo, continues to be a serious issue
in 1.-THE Cabinet and unless a band of
patriotic lynchers shall put him out o.
the way, he is likely to cause legal and
military casuists more trouble to fix his
international status than it gave Gen.
Miles to capture him. To man up a
tree it looks like great waste Of learn
ing on Il bad Indian. Let it be assumed
that Gen. Miles in orGer to arrest the
playful Geronimo in his pastime OF
murder and rapine, promised him
wigwam on Fifth Avenue or to make
him secretary of the interior. This
promise would make it none the less
the christian duty of Gen. Miles to
brain Geronimo as soon as he got his
hands on him. Since Gen. Miles failed
in his christian duty it is the duty of
the government to dispatch him with
out more ado. The natives of India
when they want to catch a man eating
tiger make an enticing trap bated with
fresh meat. What would be thought of
the heather fools who would call this
tiger trapping civilized war and treat
it from an international standpoint?
As compared with Geronimo, a man
eating tiger is an angel of mercy,