Bridgeton pioneer., 1886-10-28

MCGOWAN s. NICHOLS, Publishers.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26. 1886

VII, helofiH WHal SlldlllS dre pefpe-
trated in thy name. Public officials or
employees may, it seems, take the party
stump, although the famous order re-
minds them that ''their time and labor
belong to the Government They
may be delegates to nominating CON
ventions, provided they conduct
themselves with decorum and so not
make their office prominent" )" though
the order pronounces the use of their
offices to secure their election as ''inde
cent and unfair" So long as they act
in politics as ''mere citizens they are
irreproachable. 1t is a very simple
process.
1t has been reported that the Presi
dent and the civil service commission
without laughing. Democratic Gov
ernnent clerks here go home to vote,
but something adnonishes the Repub
lican clerks that they had better stick
to their desks. Some of them thought
to adjust their sails so as to catch the
favoring breeze of both sides, and took
their annual leave before hand, so that
now they cannot go home to vote
without losing their daily wage. Be
sides, they have a good excuse in the
mass of work thrown upon the De-
partments by the preparation Of the
annual reports, and the absence of all
the Democratic employees.
And now there is another story re-
flecting upon Gen. Blacks manage
ment of the Pension Office. During
the session of Congress Commissioner
Black attempted to discredit eX-Com-
missioner Dudley by trying to show
that Dudley made certain cases
special in order that their allowance
might be made useful to Republican
candidates for Congress who asked
that the claims specified might be hur-
ried. Gen. Black has frequently stated
that while he remains at the head of
the office there shall be no cases taken
up out of their regular order to oblige
Democratic Congressman. A few days
ago one of the friends of Representa-
tive Stahlnecker called on Gen. Black S
assistant and asked that the claims of
a certain soldier be hurried through.
Its prompt allowance might prove use
full he said, to this Congressman, who
was having considerable opposition in
his canvass for reelection. Before he
left the Office he was promised that the
case would be ''expedited,' but the
matter was to be kept quiet and no
papers relating to the ''eXpedition
were to be sent in.
Much indignation is felt just now by
the employees of the pension office be-
cause of the uninhabitable condition
of the building in which they have to
work. 1t has been in course of con-
struction for about three years, and is
the ugliest public structure in Wash
ington. During the past summer
nothing was done there, but since cool
weather set in, and Congressman be-
gan to arrive, display of activity has
been made. The work of plastering
has begun, and large part of the cleri-
cal force is sick in consequence. One
of them published 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 precedence
of everything else in the departments
now. The Democratic bureau officers
are not finished writers, and the pro-
lixity of their contributions is appall-
ing. The task of curtaiing them to
reasonable size is going bravely on,
and it takes a great deal of time.
Under the Republican regime ex-Comp-
troller Lawrence was the most prolific
sub-reporter, but there are several
bureau officers under the present ad~
ministration that can waste more pa
per than he.
This is race week, and the Washing
ton race course, most beautiful when
its surrounding hills have their bril-
liant autumnal coloring, will as usual
be the rendezvous of society. 1t is
much more fashionable to go to
the races here even than in Baltimore.
The grand stand always contains nu-
merous representatives of the old fam
lilies, as we'll as of the diplomatic
Corps, and Army, Navy, and official
circles. The autumn meeting of the
l. HrSt
portunity for a general gathering of
the people who have been spending
the summer months away. There is no
restriction on betting here, and those
who want to see the horses run for
their money are allowed to do SO.