The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-09-01

the grave; II the senator will persist
every day for couple Of months, he
may secure your appointment as q chief
Of division at q, 900 per annum, or mes
senger at the door Of some other chief
Of division at $50 per month. In
either event, If you have any polite
al gratitude whatever, you will sim
cerely thank the senator, whether the
Office is of character which you may
want to accept or not.
In conversation with member of the
cabinet q fewjdays ago I learned that
there is only one state in the union
which has an absolutely harmonious
congressional delegation in the matter
of appointments upon all &C
casions, and that is the new
state of Idaho. The cabinet officer
said: Senators Shoup and Dubois and
Congressman Sweet, the only represen-
tative of Idaho, are trio very popular
In the executive departments in Wash
ington. If any member of congress
from any other state seeks an appoint
ment his word cannot be taken, but the
entire state delegation must be re-
quired to put their names on paper to
prove that they are in harmony in seek
ing an Office. But these three gentlemen
from Idaho are SO thoroughly imbued
with the spirit of harmony that if one
of them calls at the department for an
appointment or favor of any kind and
states that the congressional delegation
of Idaho unites in the matter, his word
is taken freely, because the two senar
tors agree with Mr.. Sweet in all depart
ment matters, and Mr.. Sweet agrees
with the senators, 80 that there is never
any friction whatever in the congress
sional delegation from the state OF
Idaho. wish I could say as much for
all the other states in the union, be-
cause it would greatly lessen the bur
dens and anxieties of my position here. -
Another member of the cabinet, in q
sarcastic manner, says: IF I were to
believe what is told me by senators and
representatives who are seeking ap-
pointments for their friends, would
say that in the presidential election,
soon to be held, only one party will
have any show at all. mean by this
that senators and representatives come
to me with positive assurances that the
appointment of q particular man will
render certain the electoral vote of
their state for Benjamin Harrison.
Representatives and senators from every
state, north, south, east and west, have
come to me with this same story, and
know of but one state which has not
been misrepresented to me in this mat
ter by enthusiastic politicians, and that
Is the state Of Texas The machine
politicians of the state of Texas will
probably realize the fact that it would
be impossible for me or any other man
to absorb and digest any such story
concerning that state, and hence they
have not only wisely, but very kindly,
refrained from assailing my credulity in
that manner"
If you receive IN appointment, out
side of the civil service, it will be after
all the tribulations indicated above, and
many more. There will be anxiety on
your part until the matter is settled;
but the tribulations will all be upon
your senators and the representative of
your district. These public men have
trials of which you do not dream. Our
political system rests upon the county
politicians. Every member of congress
depends upon the county organizations
for stalwart support. This is necessary
in the first place in order to secure re-
nomination; and in the next place, to
carry on the campaign and be elected
The senators also look to these county
organizations and pray for harmony in
them. Consequently, when the chair
man of a county committee says that
an appointment must BE secured for a
certain party worker, the senators and
the representative feel that something
must be done. When they see that the
matter is urged and demanded, you
cannot imagine how earnestly and per-
sistenrly they haunt the executive de-
partments, seeking a vacancy and urg-
ing cabinet ministers to make vacancies,
by removing some poor fellow whose
political backing is weak. Thus it often
happens that some good man who needs
the Office or position which he holds, in
III ~