National Republican., 1886-12-25
PUBLIC PRINTER BENEDICT.
Is He Likely to Fail of Being Con-
frmed

Is lie Likely to Fail OF Being Con-
frmed?
The special correspondent Of the Mime
spolis Tri6mc, MIR. A. II. s. Davis, sends
the following to his paper in regard TO the
public printer and prospects Of his con-
nrmation:
Benedict will fail OF confirmation. Varlous
are the reasons. In the first place u is
claimed he is not practical printer. II chat
lie true no other argument need be used, for
the law says public printer must be prac-
tical printer. True he has been a newspaper
publisher and otherwise connected with the
"art preservative of arts" But this does not
constitute practical printer. practical
man at any trade or profession must have
learned II, and hence the argument that
because Mr.. Benedict may have been sue
cessful newspaper publisher he is eligible,
will not go down with printers, who are
chiefly interested In maintaining the honor
and dignity Of the profession. Again, It Is
asserted that although compelled TO largely
reduce the force Of the ofiice almost as
soon as he got into his chair, because money
was short, he discharged many more than
was necessary, and that in the indiserimi.
nate slaughter the government lost some Of
the best men In ita employ, causing great
distress and almost want In many house
holde, and unnecessary injury to public
business.
In many Of his discharges no seems to
have been governed by the impracticable
idea that when men completed certain work
they should 20, no-natter how good work.
men they wsre The custom always In
vogue IN the Office OF transferring to other
departments In such eases was ignored
AS an instance, when the congressional
force completed their work on the index,
instead Of transferring them TO other
departments until work on the Record
should be renewed, they were uncere-
moniously sent of. When one Of the
men expressed surprise that they
were not retained, Mr.. Benedict remarked:
You had finished your work, hadn't you?n
"Yes, but we were looking for the usual
Transient "0hl / don't know anything
about that sort of business. When men
have finiehed their work, II is business.like
to let them CO." A practical man would
have arranged his discharges In other de-
partments with view TO retainlpg this
valuable force. Many Democrats will OBJ
ject TO his conflrmation-the "spoilsmen,
as II we're, you kn0wn-because OF his dis
position OF Some OF the best appointments
In his gift. One Of the most important
foremanships has been given TO a
District Democrat who never did any
thing for bis party; three other foreman
Cbipo haNS bSch piuNcui III NhC haluo VI bOOu
Republicans, while another and one Of the
''softestn places in the whole Office has
been given to a man who was n Republican
until just before the presidential election,
when he dumped" all his former princi-
pies and "took hand" for Cleveland, al
though he had no vote, having lost 1t by
long fesidence In the District. l am not
saying word against the qualifications Of
these several appointees, but Democrats
are incensed over them, and / can't blame
them.
There is much speculation as to the Pres
ident's course In case Benedict is rejected.
Many Democrats boldly assert that the ap-
pointment was blunder-another evidence
Of Cleveland's ignorance Of men and affairs,
his lack Of good judgment. and the entire
absence In his general makeup OF any
quality capable Of comprehending the eter-
nal fitness OF thin5s. The prevailing feel
ing is that Col. Rogers, Of Buffalo, will be
appointed In case Benedict Is rejected, espe-
cially since It is affirmed that the President
promised him the place before the present
incumbent won the prize.