St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-11
HIGH POSITIONS VACANT.
Applicants Will Not Make Much
of a Fight for Them. However.

Applicants Will Not Make Much
Of a Fight for Them. However.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1O.-There are a
number of vacancies in the higher
offices of the executive departments of
the government, and the problem of
filling them has been considerably COM
plcated by the result of the recent cleo
ton. These positions are outside of
the civil service law and regulations,
and are looked upon as the legitimate
patronage of the party in power. Under
the present administration all of these
places are or have been filled by men of
the Republican political faith, as dur
ing the last administration they were
filled by Democrats. 1t is expected,
of course. that when the administration
changes on March next, another gem
eral change will be made.
In view of that fact, the vacancies
now existed cannot be regarded as alto
gether desirable prizes, as in about
three months the app0inteeS would no
doubt be expected TO step down and
out. 1t will be necessary, however, in
order that the public business may be
properly carried on, that some of these
vacancies be filled at once. Although
there has been no lack of applicants,
yet it is doubtful whether any large
proportion of them would now be will
ing to accept the places which they
must so soon surrender, and in making
such appointments President Harrison
will probably find that the Office must
seek the man, and not the man the Of
fee, which Will be something of a noy-
city in his political experience.
In the postoffice department there is
n11lu N off
and that is the office of the first assist
ant postmaster-general. Col. Whit
fields resignation went into effect
nearly a month ago, and since that time
Mr.. Fowler, the chief clerk OF the office,
has been acting first assistant. Under
the law an acting first assistant can
serve only thirty days, after which a
permanent appointment must be made
if the vacancy is filled at all. Mr..
Fowler and Mr.. Bell, the second assist
ant ostmaster-general, have been men
toned for the place, but Gen. Wana-
maker, it is said, has not yet fully
decided whom he will recommend, but
he will presumably take some action
soon.
In the interior department there is
also one important vacancy, that of the
com missioner of the general land office,
now being temporarily filled by Assist
ant Commissioner Stone. 1t has been
suggested that Mr.. Carter might be
induced to return and serve until March
4, but this is quite improbable. 1t is
assumed that the heads of all the
bureaus of the several departments will
be replaced by Democrats soon after
the 4th of March, and these. with the
hundred or more chiefs of divisions.
chief clerks and others outside the civil
service, will constitute the main patron
age at the disposal of the Democratic
party in the government service in
Washington.
In the war and navy department
there are no vacancies in any one of the
important offices. The same is true of
the department of state proper. but
there are several diplomatic places va
cant, which are usually most enticing
to would-De fficehoderS, but may now
go begging. Some OF these places are
ministries of high order, such as the
Italian mission, the Russian mission,
the Portuguese mission, the SWISS mis-
sion. and finally the Chinese mission.
In all of these cases but the last Repub-
lican lncumbents have resigned. In
the case of the Chinese mission. owing
to Mr.. Blar'S rejection, the place is
still filled by Minister Den6y. hold
over from the last Democratic admins.
tration, who, therefore. appears to be
safe to continue at his post for four
years more, unless President Harrison
should determine to make change be-
fore the 18th of March, which is imprOb-
able.
There are practically two vacancies
in the important offices of assistant
secretaries of the treasury, as Mr.. Net
tleton's resignation will take effect next
month, and Mir. CrounZ, who ran as
Republican candidate for governor OF
Nebraska, has likewise resigned from
the treasury.
In the department of justice there
Will he vacancy at the very head, At
torney General Miller having signiied
his intention of resgning. The pres-
dent will also have four vacancies on
the bench to fill between now and the
4tli of March. These are judgeships
caused by the retirement. of Jndse
Blodgett. of the Chicago district. by the
resignation of Judge Montgomery, of
the supreme coart, of the district OF