The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-10-14
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Oct. s, 1SS

" WV " AoOo'
The situation in the departments |
here is remarkable. Nothing like it !
has been seen for at least twenty years. j
A determined political struggle is 60
ing on in the different states, and the !
Government clerk attends to his rou- !
tine duties and is apparently no more !
interested in the result of the election I
than are the mechanics and trades
people of Washington. Heretofore it
has been their custom during politi-
cal contest to waste their result. 1t is
doubtless fact that majority of the
employees here secretly hope for Re-
publican success but the day of their
organizing campaign clubs, contrib
uting and begging money, procuring
cheap railroad fare 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
cics and in securing more and better
work from Government employees.
This is the time of year that Gov
ernment 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 fact that star was printed on all
mail bags carried by stage coach, horse
back or footman. There has hereto
fore been much just complaint of col.
hot TlInunl fha PnSt
Office Department aud certain favored
contractors. This year the control of
the bids were put in the hands of a
committee of three, of which Chief
ment was the Chairman. Mr.. Nash
sent to New York and purchased a
trunk, big solid fellow that would
make the average baggage snasher
weep with despair of ever conquering
it. Upon this trunk was placed a lock
to which there We're only three keys,
each member of the committee being
given possession of one of them. The
lock was SO arranged that neither
member of the committee could open
the trunk without the other members
knowing it. This trunk was placed
in lock ed 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 We're
all opened not even the most disap-
pointed contractor complained that
anybody had advance Information of
their contents.
During the last week two Cabinet
meetings have been held. The ques
tions discussed related to fhe surren-
der of Geronimo aud to the participa.
ton of Federal office holders in Obtr"
sive and practical politics. If any
body is harboring the notion that the
President does not mean to exact
obedience to his order prohibiting Of
fee holders from manipulating con-
ventions, they are probably of the class
of persons who will not admit that the
President is capable of sincerity, or OF
another class that unreasonably expect
him to correct all Offenses of partisan
character by instinct, instead of wait
ing to have the facts In each case laid
before him for consideration and
action. A number of cases have been
brought to his notice and to the notice
of the Cabinet, aud it is altogether
probable that some of the more prom
inent offenders will be reminded of
their otfenses in such way as to con-
vince the lesser ones that the prohibit
ory order was issued in good faith and
that it means all 1t says.
The Indian wholesale murderer,
Geronimo, continues to be a serious
issue in the Cabinet, and unless band
of patriotic lynchers shall put him out
of the way, be is likely to cause legal
aud military casuists more trouble to
fix his international status than it gave
Gen. Miles to capture him. TO man
up tree it looks like q great waste OF
learning on bad Indian. Let 1t be
assumed that Gen. Miles, in order to
arrest the playful Geronimo in his
pastime of murder aud rapine, prom
ised him a wigwam on Fifth Avenue,
or to make him Secretary of the Inte-
rior. 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 without more ado. The
natives of India, when they want to
catch a man eating tiger, make an Ell
ticing trap bated with fresh meat
What would be thought of the heathen
fools who would call this tiger trap
ping civilized war and treat it from
an international standpoint? AS
compared with Geronimo, man eat
ing tiger is an angel of mercy.
ATT Enrnno il in q state nf excite