New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-20
WAS IT ONLY FOR EFFECT ]
CONGRESSMEN STOP COMPLAINING OF The
OFFICE. SEEKERS.
NOW THEY RESENT MR.. CLEvELAND'S WE'LL
MEANT EFFORTS TO RELIEVE THEM-THE '
TENNEssEE sPOILs BOARD" STRIKES
sNAG-ONE RULE MODIFIED.


Washington, March l0.-Thcro is grave reason -
fear that serious complications may result from
tho wel-meant and humane efforts Of President
Cleveland TO bring some sort OF order out OF
the chaos produced by the wild scramble Of Dem
ocratic Office seekers and to relieve Democratic
Senator'S and Representatives, in some degree from
tho heavy and unpleasant burdens under which
they have been compelled - struggle and totter
for months past Incredible as it must seem to
everybody who has heard or read their dolorous
complaints, many Democratic Senator'S and Con.
sressmen already declare in private that Mr..
Clcvcland's proposition TO allow any Democrats
except themselves to influence Sppolnt tments to Of
flee is not only vicious and bad, but "revOlu-
tionary," and that if adhered to the consequences
will be ruinous Certain Democratic Senators also
intimate in tones and words which may be- re-
gardcd significant that the Senate body
will have good deal to say about appointments,
and that Cleveland may find it wise we'll
as cXpcdient TO consult the opinions and desires
Of Democratic Senators In that regard.
or course they could not object to any man
whom he chose for place in the Cabinet, how
strongly they might doubt the wisdom Of
his choice but in regard to the appointment Of
other officials, especially In the several States,
they feel that they have right to demand and
insist that their opinions shall be consulted and
their desires and preferences respected. In fact,
tho feeling exhibited by some of these wou1-be
purveyors of official patronage is such TO JUS
tify a strong suspicion that their previous COM
plants were uttered merely for effect, and that
they really desire to have a hand In the distri.
button Of the offices.
The Tennessee Board to Divide the Spoils- for
that State which was not organized until yester-
day. has held meeting and accomplished
harmonious. There ten Democratic Senators
and Representatives from that State: there arc
three United States maishals in the State,
three distrctattorneys. two collectors of internal
revenue and one United States pension agent,
making nine Federal officers: and for these of.
fees there are altogether about forty applicants,
to say nothing of a few score candidates for
foreign missions, consuships, Indian agencies bu-
reau offices in Washington, etc. The first snag
struck in the meeting of the board" was in re-
gard to the allotment of the offices in the State.
Ii is understood that the Senators claimed five
of the nine as their share" which they natur-
ally regarded extremely modest. considering
that Senator Harris is be elected President pro
ten Of the Senate but which the eight Rep
rescntatives regarded as simply outrageous, be-
cause it left them only half an Office apiece.
There was trouble, too about the pension
agency. For years the pension agent has kept
his Office at Knoxville, East Tenressee, in Re.
publican stronghold which furnished many thou
sand soldiers to the Union armies. Now, Sem
ator Bate lives az Nashville, and lie wants the
pension agency removed 10 that place. while
Senator Harris and Representative Patterson, botn
Of whom live at Memphis are naturally anxious
to have the pension agency removed 10 that
towns Some Of the Tennessee Congressman hope
that this bone Of contention will make quarrel
between the Senators, through which the former
will reap an advantage in the coming division OK
sroils. =.
II is barely possible. however, that this " hone"
nav fall to one Of the other Southern states
which are clamornG for il. The knoXvliic
agency covers fewer than ten states, BESIDES
Tennessee among which are Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana and Texas, and ii is understood thao
Atlanta and New-Orleans are both demanding tne
Office In this relation 1t is pertinent 10 aoo
that the only Southern Senator who Is mem-
Der of the Committee on Pensions. to which all
nominations for pension agents and other offices
Of the Pension Bureau will he referred, is Mr.
Caf1rey, of Louisiana.
Under the circumstances the best that the ien-
nessee Board" could do was TO ADJOURN untu
next Tuesday. when it will again meet IN the
room of the Senate Committee on the Dstrlct OF
Columbia. Of which Mr. Harris is chairman.
NpanWnl'r
self to strengthen his individual pull at tho
White House and in the several Departments, ana
every Tennessee oflice-seeker will play the role OF
cycrybody's friend" to the best Of his ability
II is not expected that the Missouri board
will hold any more meetings for some time TO
come In fact its members-that is, those who
are only Represcntativcs-have already begun to
initiate the example of the Texas congressman,
who have unanimously agreed that 1t Is every
man for himself in this scramble. representa-
tive Cobb of Missouri has already called at the
White House and the Treasury Department with
Judge Specht. his candidate for the surveyorship
of customs at ST. Louis and urged the appoint
ment. despite the fact that Senator'S Cockreu and
Vest have promised" the office to somebody else.
Pcrhaps President Cleveland VII relieve the
NissolIri Senators as well as Mr.. Cobb, Of further
and trouble IN tins matter ny se-
lnctng u recommended ny ex-1overnor
Francis and other St. Louis Democrats WHO arc
not in office.
"Ey-Prcmier" Springer certainly deserves sub:
stantial token of gratitude from men who held
offices under President Clevelands first Admins
tration. and who demand something equally as
Good" under tis one. After repeated efforts. Mr.
Springer has succeeded in prccnrng, modiiica-
tion of the rule AGAINST eX-oiiiceholds'rs so that
hereafter they will he on the same footing as
other onire-srcLcrs, eycent as to the particular
offices which thcv held before That is, man
who held the Office say. Of tIrst au.,1r ;d unocr
regarded as ineligible for either Of the other audi
torships or any other place. except the one he
formerly held. II il also understood that II no
other hungry Democrat in p town desires the post
office the pX-postmaster will he eligible for rap
pointment II is not believed that many cases
of this sort will 10 likely 70 arise. These modih-
cations of the ORIGINAL rue however. will tend
to make the scramble more lively and complicated
than ever: and they will also prove highly embar-
RAISING 10 many Democratic newspaper editors who
have been busy during the last ten DAYS writing
and publishing arguments TO show why man
who held an Office under Mr.. Ceveland's first Ad-
ministration should not I've allowed TO hold one
under his present Administration. IN truth. tho
Preside1t is causing the Democratic editors TO
indulge in somn rather lively well difficult
Intellectual gymnastics.
This has been tho most anxious dav that the
in Washington have spent this