The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-06-29
DIVIDING THE sP0ILs.
she Republican idea OF civil.
Service Reform and POltsi-
cal Honesty.
From the Chicago American (Ind .)I

From the Chicago American Ind.)I
Ii is very evident that the spiIit
which, in the days when Mr.. Blaine
was speaker, appointed q comlc:ltee
with General Butler at Its head, to ex-
ecute q war dance on the principle of
civil service reform, Is again &c the
helm In Washington. Within one
month after his inauguration, Presi-
dent Harrison has completely set at
rest all foolish forebodings that his
was to be namby-pamby, milk-and-
water administration. II is already
apparent that for the next four years
this 10 to be government of the
boys, by the boys and for the boys,
and that no one is eligible to share In
its Ibenefcence unless his republican
ism is of the Tom Platt and block. of
I've brand. When that noble Sunday.
school superintendent, Mr.. Wana-
maker, was appointed to the Office Of
postmaster general It was universally
conceded to be business like stroke
Of political sagacity, which liquidated
a $4,000 obligation on the one
hand and promised business
like administration q postal busi-
ness on the other. Ard m thln, the
president showed q very s1ohG hoof1 +.
Mr.. Wanamaker's atfontiox h60 NooG7
attracted to the experthoss 6II61 4 ~
one John s. Clsrkson In handling II
mailing lists of the Voice. the prohibi-
,ion organ In New York, which
he obtained surreptitiously, and car
ried to the headquarters Of the Nation
al campaign comlnitte with the greatest
celebrity and without losing piece of
the precious mail matter. The Voice
made q great ado over Mr.. Clarkson's
connection with Its mailing list, and
Mr.. Wansmaker, being q prohibition
ist. naturally accepted it's eulogies of
his expertness as disinterested tribute
to Mr.. Clarkson's qualifications 10 hold
any place In the post Office depart
ment lower than the postmaster-gen.
eralship, for which he recognized the
absolute fitness OF only one merchant
fore, he named Mr.. Clarkson as bis
first assistant, and gave into his hands
the power Of decapitation and appoint
ment throughout the union, reserving
tor himself the control of the post
Office at Philadelphia, lest the business
interests OF Wanamaker, merchant,
might suffer through the selection OF
some political hack to tend his mails.
In this Mr.. Wanamaker demonstrated
that he possessed the capacity to look
out for number one, with which the
world that buys at his store has credit
ed him. - = -
Mr.. Clarkson knew what the presi-
ident and Mr.. Wanamaker expected Of
him, and was too anxious to see the
chips fly to waste time caressing the
handle of the axe entrusted to his Keep
ing SO he began laying about him
with all the indiscriininate energy OF
boy with bis first hatchet. Wherever
he saw democratic postmaster his
little axe fell with unerring celerity.
He never had to strike twice to sever an
offensive partisan head from the office
that supported it. Only one consid-
Grafton restrained him from removing
every Bourbon head with one fell sweep
OF his reeking axe. 1t was necessary
10 make out commissions to ill vacan.
cies as rapidly as these were made, and
go he is forced TO prolong the agony.
But with his enjoy ment OF the task this
can not be considered uncongenial ex-
tension of his labors. How he per-
torms bis share In the glorious privi.
lege of giving rs nrst. class mail
service may be gathered from the
following account of Congressman
Owen OF Indiana's visit to his sham
bles; 81 went In the other day with q
long list OF republican names l wanlcd
favored and asked that as many demo-
Gratis be turned out. General Clarkson
took my paper. and after running over
| 1t hastily said that new rule had been
established by which men in congress
would be required to set down oppo.
site each name and post office where
changes are desired the amount of SAL
ary the positions paw. replied that
II nothing more was required could
soon comply, and stepping outside
picked up blue book, and within ten
minutes fllled In the twenty or thirty
| places where the amount of salary was
required. Then went back 30 Gener-
al Clarkson, and he took blue pencil
and wrote across the back Of each one,
appointed" This 10 the way the thing
goes from morning to night every day
except Sunday. The clerks filling out
the commissions and looking up the
bonds are being overworked. There
are no reports to the effect that his work
has began TO tell upon Mr.. Clarkson.
"The labor We delight i'm physics
PAIN"