Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-03-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Mar. II. 1886.

From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Mar. IL, 1886.
Washington society has gone into
mourning for forty days. To observe,
or to appear to observe Lent. 1t is
as fashionable in this city as it is to
approach it with social events heaped
rapidly upon n another. The
young lady who has been going to
balls, routs, receptions, and dancing
attendance upon the German, has
thrown aside her decollete satin robe
and arrayed herself in a high cut suit
of black cloth, metaphorically speak
ing, while she cries mea culpa, and
contents herself with afternoon teas,
drives and theatre parties.
Every day crowds of people go to
the capital and make their way to the
senate galleries where they listen to
the long-lookedfor debate on the
Presidential ~prerogative. Although
all the discussion that could be crowd
ed into a year would not ENJOY the
question at issue from the category
Of vexed political problems, the PEG
pie viii be glad to have the subject
thoroughly exhausted. Then both
parties to the controversy may settle
down to the real work of the session.
Thare will be general approval, how
ever, # the debate shall produce, as
one Of its indirect results, the throw
ing open Of executive business to the
scrunity Of the public.
The new administration is now but
little more than one year old. It
may interest Civil Service reforners
to read what changes have been made
in the personnel Of the Executive De-
partments during the twelve months
and how the President has carried
out his pledges at the expense Of his
party.
The treasury department, which is
by far the largest of them all, affords
the most interesting example Of what
has been done. Its assistant secreta-
ries have given place to democratic
successors and the score of bureau
officers who were, with few exceptions
active partisans, have given place to
SUCCESSORS chosen on about the same
principles. The supervising archi-
tect and chief Of the secret service,
retain their places. Among the dep
uty chiefs Of bureaus, about one-half
have been displaced or reduced to
lower grades, OF the chiefs of divis-
ion, about one-half have been displac-
ed or reduced to clerkships. Taking
the Secretary's Office as an example,
Of it's nine division chiefs four have
been displaced, one Of whom was sue
ceeded by the promotion of an effici-
ent subordinate; the other five have
been retained. The Treasurer's bu-
reau has been protected absolutely
from partisan changes, and vacancies
in all its grades have been filled by
promotion. Assistant chiefs of divis-
ion haze been recognized as under
the civil service classification and free
from partisan changes, the appoint
ment Of an assistant chief Of the APP
pointment division being the only Vi
olat;on of this principle and policy.
In the four clerical grades the civil
service law has been absolutely en-
forced and excuses for removals or
eyasions have not been sought.
The bureau Of engraving and print
ing, controlling more patronage I'M
restricted by the Civil Service law
than all the bureaus Of the treasury
combined, has afforded the most con
spicuous and perfect example of the
triumphs Of reform principles.
Throughout the departments, where
assistant secretaries were employed,
they have been superseded, with d
single exception. With chief clerks,
the rule has been very different. The
veteran and efficient chief clerks Of
the state, war and navy departments,
trained under Republican admins
trations, have been retained The
chief clerk of the department Of JUS
tice and Of the Interior department
both continue to serve, and the only
two who have been succeeded, those
of the Treasury and Post Office de-
partments, voluntarily resigned.
The State, War and Navy depart
ments, have been absolutely free
from partisan changes above, below
and in the classified grades. The
departments of Justice has witnessed
numerous changes in its higher po-
s%itions, the assistant Attorneys Gen
eral, the Solicitor General, and speei-
al attorneys, etc, but its chief clerk,
appointment clerk and other promin-
ent officers remain, and in the grades
of division chiefs, clerical grades, and
on,op~ 4hr 1ahoro~c apI rcaouarr oru