New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
CHIEFLY ABOUT THE DoNGs AND SAYINGS
OF PUBLIC MEN
A"BUsrNEss ADMINISTRATION" --surKRASSuArhD
xoRTRAITs-sENAroR FRYE's FIRST SALMON.

OF PUBLIC MEN.
A"BUsrNRss ADMINISTRATION "-sUrERAsSuArhp
xoRTRATs-sESAroR FBYE's FIRST SALMON
WARRINGTON, April 2s.-It appears that Assistant
Private Secretary Prudep, after profound rafiooina
extending over period Of three years ana VI.
tocks as the Scotch put II, announces In pioasAn
nut somewhat dogmatic that this Is tho ohi'
thoroughly busness Administration we have e'o.
had suppose that lIko Pip In Dichenss eros'
Expcctations' we should be forever grateful to them
that has brought US UP by hands Mr.. Pruden's OK
cabedra opinion, oraculary delivered derives ae
ditonal weight from the fact that he has previously
seryed-doubtess With travail OF spirit ana many
conscientious scrupesunder several Republican TICS
ideuts and, IL now appears as an unwilling memoet
NJ their Official families. I am told however, tnss
vbe the late President Arthur still at the White
House. and the election Of 1884 was measurabT IN
doubt this same member Of his staff slipped over !"
Albany quietly one Saturday afternoon, in . pru-
dental' manner TO speak, and held sweet converse
with Dam Lamont Mr.. Pruden was at his desk 40
usual on Monday morning, and gravely discussed win
a number Of newspaper some pending legislation
Ono OF them remarked:
"why, Pruden, saw you In hs4y yesterday
what in the world wero you doing up thcreT
The on1cil member Of the unbusiness like Admins
tration however, needed not tho "voco o! tho
charmcrs although tho charmer' referred severai
times to tho Incident The busness-bSc' secretary
preferred discussing the bills. He msde, am tou'
another trip TO Ncw-Yerk State shortly afterwar'
vhIoh apparently resulted in making himself solid
with the present Administration What relief u
must have been for Mr. Prudep after Of toll ana
variation under unbusincsske Republican Presidents
70 be- for once though It is likely for short time
only employed by . really businessli Like Admlnistra
ton.
II ts said that such OF the Civil Service employees
as reside at the National Capital fatter themselves
that Senator Haes Investigating Committee, though
It unoarthed great deal Of rottenness In fhiaaei
pha Will not be permitted to 20 much further In ls
present limo of investigation. These festive worthies
Intimate In their hours Of ease and In moments OF
bbuIous confidence that species OF political snaso
mosfs, so to speak, which they claim exists
between certain Democratic and kopuohoan
Senators and Representatives. which will turn aslao
the barbed shaft aimed by 3r Halo ana uio
Republican members Of his committee or extract
tho ranking barbs which may strike home so that inc
Senate Committee shall in no solitary Instance piueh
out the heart of the mystery
Upon the othor hand, learn that the Civil Service
Commission Is not bois.erously hilarious.
1t was the painful duty Of the correspondent OF 1hh
TRIBUNE TO exploit in an extremely cursory manner
last summer the somewhat toruous methods pursued
ut the competitive examination held January 8, 1880,
10 fill vacancies for grade OF Principal Examiner
IN tho United States Pension Office, position wmch
pays a comfortable 81, 900 salary. As matter OF
Upstream delllxy,' Jeames do la Piuche wouiu
have said no alusion was made TO the curious 1act
that a Republican and ex-soldier, who mildly COM
planned in a communication to the Commission OF the
unfaIrness OF the questions and Of tho 60 asyou-
please manner of conducting the nqusition, received
a reply which wound up by practically telling him 10
mind HIS business and that Ills letter was iniper
tinont; while the Democratic competitors VINO COM
planned Of their marking, which fell far below sixty
Eve per cent at this examination, were accorded
atIOn fha cry
which as a matter Of course they wero then able to
answer satisfacory and which led forthwith to their
appointment Tho spelling Of one OF this gentry has
since been source Of continual merrimcnt to his sub
ordinates
And yet says the Commissions report for the Same
year, ~
Ths are ~ surely breaking up the OncP
81 gaSnss IN & public ssryc rec
petition no GeT sS as1Id PaSss 70 es for
Or exclude from once the adhcrents OF the enes
once . e.S Rolsi2Ss A''' ''''"'' '
But there arc vague mutterings Of devious paths
and methods to which 1t would be ndelcate to advert
now STILL with that faith which can move noun
tans' can imagine tho genial old bald-headed
Bishop" oberly hearing the doleiul "connteor' OF
Chief Examiner william II. Webster, and solemnly
pronouncng dissolution over him. The absurd rumors
Of printed questions having been generously handed
beforehand to the representatives Of the "Unterrfed
Democracy have doubtless arisen from the fact that
a certain Pension oee clerk not many years ago, in
writing q report q claim in which canal and Its
tow.path figured invariably spelled 1t toepath,' and
that he had 1t returned to him by waggsh chief Of
division, with each lapse from webster's Spelling Book
corrected IN blue pencil 1t Is whispered that tho
name OF this Pension Onice clerk William II. Web
STEFAN abridged Webster, SO to speak, at that time
But tho present unabridged Webster can console HIM
self, no doubt In addition to Bishop oberlys abso-
luton, with the refrain Of Mark Twain's poem in
"Roughing IT, the celebrated storm on tho
"ragng canawl";
Said DolHnger, tho pilot man,
Towering above the crow,
Just put you. trust in Dollinger,