The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-13
Headsmento Be Put to Work Next March, and
Every Republican Not Protected by the
5 Law Promptly Decapitated.
An Army of Hungry Georgians Already
Seeking Endorsements for Office.
Atlanta Flooded with Ex- charlottesville Think
They Have the First Call on the Coming
Administration-Ca Gossip.
HUsTLERs TO BE REWARDED.


Cleveland Has Promised Many Offices and
Will Let All Republicans Go.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-It 10 tho impress
sion in Washington that the new Demo
cratic administration will GO at the office
holders with o fine toothed comb. Mr..
Cleveland was made President in 1884 by
the support of mugwumps. men who had
left the Republican party from pique. He
got it into his head that although he him
self was q spokesman, the country was in
favor of the reform. He not only stood
by the letter of the cIvil.service
law, but he greatly expanded the
spirit of It at the latter part of
his term. Men who have talked
to President-eIect Cleveland during the
past few days say that he will recognize
the "hustlers'' in the distribution of pat
ronage; that he believes his election was
due to the organized efforts of Tammany,
In which conclusion he Is undoubtedly
right The extension of the civil-service
law is probably the only method by which
the poor office holder can be protected in
his position. But the civil-service law
protects only those who draw salaries of
from 5000 to $500 e. year. Those below
and above these figures are TO be fired In
continently out of their places as quickly
as possible
In view of this unoheerful outlook cold
shivers are pouring mp and down the
spinal column of Repub lican Off Co. holders
in Washington and throughout the coun-
try. During the past two years the ap-
p0intment clerks In the eight executive
departments have had little to do. Nearly
all of the offices were occupied, and as
designations and deaths in official
life. are very infrequent, there was
little opportunity for book-keep-
pointment clerks. These men anticipate q
great rush after the 4th of March. Some
of them expect to 90 before the rush begins
The incoming party always likes to have
men of it's own political complexion In the
appointment divisions of the various ex-
ecutive departments. So confident are the
employees of the departments that there is
60 be q general onslaught upon their army
that some of the higher officers under the
evil service law refuse high promotions 81, to
make them liable to early de-
capitatlon. For instance. q half dozen
chiefs of division could get instead of
$1,000 year from $500 to 5000 annual
salary if they would accept vacancies al
ready existing in assistants to the Cabinet
officers. AS chief of q division these men
hope Co escape the axmen of the now ad-
ministrati0n for time, and they refuse an
increase of salary and political distinction
ranking Immediately under the chiefs of
division and who are therefore protected
by the civil-service law, absolutely refuse
any promotion whatever.
Never In the history of cIvll-service re-
form has the present civil-servlce law
been so unpopular as now. Nearly every
Democrat In Congress who is now about
Washington has proclaimed against the
law, while many Republicans have joined
In expressions antagonistlc to the reform.
Some of the latter openly announce that If
the Repu blicans had had the incentive of
Office to offer during the recent campaign
they would have scored victory at the
polls They contend that the CIVIL service
law itself has not improved the interests of
the government, and that whatever im-
provement in the public service has taken
place during the past eight years has been
due to the spirit of reform and not tho let
ter of It.
Republicans now see. and frankly con-
TESS, that some natural errors of judgment
have occurred in the multifarious duties
which have devolved on the appointment
officers under this administration. Some
men have been given places when they
neither deserved the preferment nor hon.
ored tho position. These mistakes have
gone far to bring about the apathy and in
ans In some States, notably In Indiana,
when the party was organized for battle
during the past summer. The reports of
this character which have come
to your correspondent remind one of
mistake made by the Pension Office in the
allowance. of pension to q veteran In
Allen county, Indiana 1t had been re-
ported few days before the election that
there would be immense Democratic gains
in the northeastern section of the HOosier
State, due TO dissatisfaction over appoint
ments. The correspondent of q Democratic
newspaper in New York was sent to Fort
Wayne for the purpose of ascertaining just
how far the reported disaffection among
th0 h loan IN
vote of that party at the polls.
When the correspondent arrived at Fort
Wayne be was told by the chairman of the
county Democratic committee that in q
greatest number of dlsaffected Republic
ans would be found. Determined to get
the names and ascertain the grievances of
the Republicans who intended to vote
took buggy and drove dozen
miles into the country. He stopped
located the leader of the indictments.
Eyes, sir, am one OF the Republicans who
will vote against President Harrison." said
he. My reasons for opposing the re-elec-
tion of President Harrison are all conferred
upon the pension question. l served three
years and half in the Union army and
contracted pensionable disabilities. For
ment at Washington with testimony
bearing upon my claim for q PEN
sion. 1t was only the other day
that my pension was allowed.
get the miserable pittance of Sc q
month. My experience In seeking and
receiving pension is duplicated by tive OF
my neighbors" and as the farmer made
this statement be led tho correspondent
out to the veranda which surrounded the
house. and pointed out the five soldier
neighbors' houses. "A few weeks ago the
man who lives over FOUNDER, in the house
which you see through the timber. made
application for q pension. The pension
was promptly allowed. That fellow not
only was given SIC q month. but was
allowed back pay TO the amount of
several thousand dollars. That man served
ninety days In the army. never saw q battle
and never contracted disabilities in the
service while each of US six men, who get
] SO month, were in scores of battles. and
| are disabled from performing manual labor.
We are all Disguised, and are going to vote
| for Cleveland"
Party workers and public speakers in the
Republican ranks from every section of the
| country report instances in which the dis
tribution of public patronage was involved.
! They say that the men who were given
Office, as rule, failed to appreciate the
favor. while those who sought Office and
| failed TO get it took out their revenge at
| the polls Every man who disliked fed
seral officer showed his disap provsl of that
officers appointment by voting against
| President Harrison. He was held person
ely responsible for every fortunate and
unfortunate appointment. The upshot Of
| 1t all is decreased popularity of the civil
service law. PERRY s. HEATH.
ALL WANT OFFICE