The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-04-18
Washington Letter.
WAsu1NeroN, April I2, 1880.


Harrison is still keeping up his policy ofwes =
ing out the officeseekers, and judging from the
way the hotel lobbies are beginning to thin out
he is succeeding pretty well. With the eXcep-
ton of a patch o? postms slers, he has made no
appointments this week, and the republicans are
slowly discovering that it is poor policy to hy TO
drive him into hurry alter he has airounced
his intention of going slow. Patierce. Mess S.
office seekers. your machine goes slowly bu;
every zine it appoints man it is a republic u.
fee ON every symptom of mugwumpe y th.,
succeeds u democrat, and it is only question
of ii ne when every democrat now in Office will
be succeeded by a republican What more can
you ask? In the meantime. if you want to see
the republicans appointed and democrats
moved with lightning rapdity, just step into Firs
Assistant Postmaster General Clarksons Office
and sec him manipulate the fourth class post
offices OF the country. He has reached an av
erage of over fifty day.
Assistant Secretary Bussey of the Interior De-
partment has just reversed a pension decision of
General Black, that will affect many other ap-
pleations. The applicant was injured by the
fall of tier of seats at circus. and General
Black rejects the application for a pension on
the ground that the injury was moi received in
the performance of duty. This decision has
now been reversed and the pension allowed.
The published disagreement between Mr..
Harrison and Mr.. Blaine does not exist as far as
| can learn therefore the rumored retirement of
Blaine from the Cabinet is a little premature.
Doubtless the correspondent who sent the matter
off. like most other people here, regards such a
state of affairs as almost certainty at some
| time in the future. and did not think he was
| taking any very great risk in sending the matter
off as already having become a certainty.
Mr.. Harrison latest rap at the democratic
party was to inform a democratic Senator who
called on him in behalf of democrat that wants
| to be member of the Civil Service Commission
that in appointing those democrats which by law
| he is compelled to, he should only recognize
those that are protectionists. This seems 10 be
an injustice to the great majority of the demo
| cratic party.
Solicitor General Jenks has been requested by
the Attorney General to remain in office unit
the Supreme Court disposes of the government
telephone cases. Mr.. jerks has consented, al
though it seriously interferes with arrangemenu
he had previously made in relation to his private
business
| Representer Springer said just before l.avin!
for home, "I feel much better than have for
long time. l have gained fully ten pounds il
weigh: since the fourth of March, due probably
to the fact that have had nothing to do witt
the great National steeple chase after office. NJ,
supporters are not entered for that court. !
great many of them were four years ago. an,
then had busy time all day and when nigl.
came l could do nothing but dream of tn
thousands of anxious faces that haunt the Whit
House and the Department. l am good dea
more of Civil Service reformer than l eve
supposed | could be. OF course I understan,
that when we have perfect Civil Service til
millennium will not he far away, but | think
better to move in the direction of the millenur
than towards pandemonium which is the resui
of the spoils system. There is too much pat
ronage in the hands of the President and tn
| Departments, and | shall, next winter intro
duce and advocate bill to relieve them c
} much of the pressure. | will try to lift tn
Congressman rs burden, too. by working for til
election OF postmasters by the people that ca
} be done without changing the constitution. fc
the election would be simply recommends
lion"
Democrats here are confidently expectin
that Montana will go democratic, thus addin
two Senators and one representative to the pal
tvs vo e IN Congress.
| The Department clerks that were discharge
during Cleveland's administration are trying /
get Harrison to change the rule of Civil Serric
which says that no clerk discharged shall be 7,
instated after the lapse of one year without pas;
ing new examination, SO as to make it fou
years. Harrison has not decided the matte
but it is not believed that he will do it.