The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-01-03
our WASHINGTON LETTER.

EDITOR REGISTER: I fear I shall
be very dull this time, as there is little
transpiring of interest to the people OF
Kansas.
Great preparations are being made
for Christmas by the people of this To-
cality. The whole city Is thropged
with evergreen dealers from the coun- |
try. A person raised and imbued
with the fiery enthusiastic patriotism
of the West, cannot but observe the
difference between Christmas and the
Fourth of July, as observed here.
While 1t is perfectly proper and right
that the birth of our Saviour should be
observed in a proper manner the birth
of our Republic should be dear to the
heart of every true American. And
while the people generally crave some
day upon which to celebrate, it is pass
ing strange to see persons who care no
more for the cause of Christ than the
average Choctaw Indian, so lavishly
spreading themselves on Christmas,
while the Fourth of July is verycom-
mon sort of day. The conclusion l
have drawn from all this is that it is
not patriotism and love of country
which thrills the hearts of the people
here, but simply that some one day
must be observed, and it is easier to
join in festival which means nothing
to them, rather than to observe day
which might be construed into an &C
acknowledgement of the present condi-
ton of our Republic. There is consid-
cradle discussion going on in the pub
lie press, pro and con-, about the Civil
Service Commission. Without at
tempting to say whether the system Is
beneficial or not, wish to give you
few items of its workings as noted
since I came here.
During the late Democratic Admin.
istration there was large size shack
door" discovered by which hundreds
of simon pure democrats were pushed
through. A very earnest and continu-
Gus demand for "book-keepers" was
discovered in one of the Departments,
which was only known by the faithful
by whom it was quietly passed around
and of q sudden great numbers were
applying to the Commissioners for ex-
| animation. Those who passed were
certified by the commission upon the
request of the Department, and after
! few months stay were transferred to
good positions in other Departments,
and their positions filled from the
stock in the hands of the Civil Service
Commission While this doubtless
gave the service of clerks qualified, its
being connived at gave those who
| were In the "ring" the advantage, and
somehow every one who came in
through this "hole in the fence" were
Democrats.
] note that among those who are
know as civil Service appointees, !"
the Democrats are loud. mouthed and
ready at all times to "cuss"the Repub-
licans, while nearly every Republican
is mugwump, says she has no inter-
est in politics, and don't care which
side wins, as it will make no difference
with him." I can name department
which to-day is practically in the
hands of oui enemies. While the Sec
rotary, chief clerk and few chiefs of
divisions, are Republicans, nine out of
ten of the other employees are Demo
Gratis, and if, percbance,.a Republican
gets in, life is made burden to him.
and he stands no show of promotion.
You may ask, why? I answer that
all between him and the head Of the
Department or the chief of the Divi-
sion are his deadly enemies, and when
there is opportunity for promotion,
those who influence and recommend
them are hostile to him, and a Demo.
crat gets the place. One reason OF this
is that the confirmed Republicans are
SO fearful of doing something which
will "hurt the enemy" that no inqui-
nv is made and the result is that the
Dems get all the plums. One of the
1esults is that a large army of Mug
wumps has been created, neither fish.
flesh nor fowl, and like the Prohibi
iionists in Kansas, sit 80 straight on
the fence. that they always fall upon
the Democratic side in fight.
While there are quite number Of
Senators and Representatives who
curse the law and denounce the Com
mission, l venture that when the
time comes to pass the appropriation
bill, not one in ten of those who de-
nounce it the loudest will have the
sand" to stand up and say one word
against even the additional amount
asked for. OF all the towards" and
men of "false pretense," commend
you to the average "public man." SO
called.
1t is astonishing how many men
who served in President Harrison's
| regiment during the war, come here
with the idea, that all they have to do
is to make that fact known to the
President. and he will at once hand
over a five to ten thousand dollar posi-.
ton. But when they get here, how
| quickly they get all the conceit taken