Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-20
GRANDPA SAUNDERS.
The Old Nebraska Ex-senator Tells
How Hard Benjamin is Worked,
BUT HARRISON NEVER COMPLAINS.
Sergeant-at.Arms Stewart Gives Civil Ser.
vice Hot Blast.
HE SAYS WORK is BEHIND TWO YEARS

Ex-United States Senator Saunders, of
Nebraska, was on the limited last night
going home He is harmless old gentle
man with white chin whiskers who left the
Senate six years ago, but as the father-in-
law of Russell Harrison his name once
more adorns the columns of the newspapers.
He was accompanied by Alonzo b. Stewart,
brother of the signal officer in this city.
81 am on my way home from Washing
ton, said Senator Saunders. ''I saw Presi-
dent Harrison a few evenings ago. 1t is
really surprising to me how he maintains
his health with the wild rush for offices.
All sorts of demands are made on his time
by the place hunters, but he takes things
philosophically. He is not man given to
complaining, and though when night time
comes he is almost played out, still he says
nothing. The other night however, he
did say to me that he felt more
tired then than at any other time since he
entered the White House. The various
little trips he has taken down the river and
to other places have helped him very much.
ITMAY BE SHEPARD.
t'The President regrets the loss of Minis
ter Rice, but it is not yet known who will
succeed him. Elliot F. Shepard, of the
Mail and Express, is the first suggestion;
but even the President himself is unable to
say now who it will be. If he has
someone in mind he has not even
limited at his name. My impression is that
the General intends to keep the German
| mission open for a while, but 1 think some
Ohio man will get the place finally.
"Just before left the President told me
that this thing of men seeking offices from
him that belong to the department officers
will have to stop He has no objection to
| talk with man about an Office within his
| gift"
Mr.. Stewart is the Assistant Sergeant at
Arms of the Senate. He is bright young
fellow, and has made a study OF the civil
service system, with the following effect:
Civil service is failure. PRESIDENT Har,
rison is enforcing the rule which Cleveland
made. but never carried out. In nearly all
the departments the work is behind two
wears, and vet 1885,, 900, 900 are appropriated
| annually to run the Government. Such
state of affairs was never known under the
spoils system.
"The difficulty is that the clerks and
officers under civil service are responsible
to no one and are careless. Their places 90
not depend on good work.
IT HANDICAPS HIM.
"a man is made chief of department,
but the men under him are selected for him.
He is powerless to choose his own assistants,
and the result is they do not agree. Your
own enemies may be appointed under you
and there is not much wonder that the work
is behind under such circumstances.
"In the law department, for example,
young fellows, fresh from college, are made
law clerks to the exclusion of old lawyers
who know all about the law and could try
cases. The lawyers are not posted on the
books, and can't pass the examinations.
"In the Architects Office there are anum-
Der of German experts who could
not begin to pass the civil
service examination, and yet bet
ter men for their business cannot be
found. In the future, however, every man
who goes into that Office must be subjected
to the civil service rules. 1 heard Super
vising Architect Windrim say the other
day that he is hampered. Even the car
penters must pass an examination. Mr.
Windrim was asked by the Civil Service
Commissioners to prepare a series
of questions and answers as a key
for them. Mr.. Windrim told me
that number of answers could be given to
his questions that would be correct but as
it is the one who fails to give them will be
shut out, and at the same time he may Be
actually the best man that could be found
1 need not add that the clerks sigh for re-
turn of the spoils system. They are dis
gusted with civil service that delays bust
ness and hampers the Government"