Telegram-herald., 1889-05-04

handed over - Mr. Nathan Smith. another
experienced clerk, and ne goes through al
that mass II papers u lnd u there be ANY
di>covefaoie error IN any Of tAe work.
When be Is assured that tie case is ready
for consideration he lays u Ola the Post
master General table, AID that hard
working official must tAAe time 70 READ
over that Presidential brief II he finds
any thing which attracts his special atten-
ton. he turns 10 the paper IN the case
which las been carefully numbered py Mr
Kca, IN order 10 enable him 10 iiLd Il easily
and reads the original paper. After study
ing the case carefully the P0stnastcr-Gen
eral takes the entire bundle - the y hlte
House, and there with the President goes
over il again, aud finally decides who shall
have the appointment, and writes the name
Ia the proper place. and sends Il back 10 the
department with orders Tor the commission
20 issue. Meantime. there are papers com
ing into the department relating 70 every
fCurthc,ass office in the Land, and there are
fifty-scycn thousand OF them. IN each case
there are numerous letters and petitions
which have 10 be handled as carefully as
the New York case Every mail brings
into the department whole armfuls Of com
municaii0n5 concerning the Offices. Many
of them relate 10 accounts OF poStmasters
defaultings, rents, clerk hire, and almost
innunerable subjects, besides the appoint
ments. II viii be so for the ext year or
more. and then business Will settle down &c
regular routine again But, even then. il
Will be a hardworking Office, and every
empl0ye in il earns his or her bread and
butter. The salaries in this department
range from nine hundred 10 eighteen hun
drcd dollars per annum-
The average reader viii consider this
something desirable. But after ono has
held 4 clcrlsship in one Of the executive de
partments in Washington and inevitably ac-
quired the expensive habits Of life in this
city, the salary shrin1s into iusignifcance
The young man VINO is wise, or who will
listen 10 the words of wisdom. will never
seek Government position IN the civil
service, nor accept it if rendered unsought.
II is vanity Of yanities People who live at
distance from the National capital will dc
well 10 understand that tnc giamor with
which their imaginations surround Govern
ment positions Is usually Elementary and
more creditablc TO their powers Of mental
ecctntrclty tAan TO their mature judg
ment. II is far better 10 have salary Of
SIX hundred dollars per annum in town
or city Of the interior or on the coast. than
70 have an income of twelve hundred dol
lars from the Government 1T Washington.
The chief c.erhships and heads OF bureaus
90 to those who have disuu guisncd them
selves IN the political walks OF life. The
real wage workers become familiar with
the business and are almost invaluable IN
their several positions; but they can never
rise. There are several Mcn in tho Office OF
the First Assistant Postmasier-C eucral
who are competent 10 manage the depart
meut, fully as competent Is any prominent
citizen who might at any time be called ic
the POstmaSter-Gencralshi but they are
seris of the Republic, with no power 10 rise
ANA they never VIII rise during their life
times The days may come and the DAYS
may 60, bat they VIII be Government
clerks. Occas iOual.y one OF them, unable 10
control a natural and commendaoic spirit Of
ambition. lifts his head and aspircs 10 a
chief clerksAip. but usually he is marked
thereafter by lis superior officer as q good
man to keep down. and he IS rclentlossly
suppressed The average Government
clerk Is poor. ana 70 be- poor is 70 be friend
less generally. SMITH d. FIR