The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-09
No More Federal Employees Will Be Pro-
tected from Mr. Cleveland's Headsmau.
President Harrison Cannot Consistently Fur.
ther Extend the Provisions of the Civil
Service act, Though Urged TO Do So.
Life Made a Burden to Him for Two
Months by Politicians and RefOrmers.
Place Seekers the Bane of Presidenis-Five
Hundred Terrs Haute Democrats Disap-
pointed by The Recent POsioffice Order.
WORRIES OF THE PRESIDENT.

WORRIES OF THE PRESIDENT.
Besieged by Friends of Office Holders to
Extend the C,viI-seryice Law.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Jan. S-Great pressure has
been brought upon President Harrison dur
the past two months to extend the provis-
ions of the civiLservice law in various di-
rections Men from both houses of Con-
gress. politicians reformers. Office holders
and their friends and persons of both sexes
and in all walks of life have either called
upon him in person or addressed him by
letter or petition for an extension of the
civll-service laws. They have urged him
TO protect quite all the employees
of the government filling positions
acter, from those who watch tho
ebb and flow of water in canal looks or re-
port the air currents. 10 the men and
women who set type and feed presses in
the Government Printing Office. all down
through the various departments mere and
collectors Offices and around the yards
and docks of the navy and about the mill
tary posts. Scarcely one. from the man
that tends the horses of q federal official to
the women who clean out the cuspidors
aDd dust the furniture, in all Glasses of
federal Offices, has missed the notice of
those who would have the skeleton arm of
civil service raised against the hungry
spoilsmen who are longing for the changes
to take place after the 4th of March. One
prominent man urged the President to ex.
tend the law over a large class of federal
employees in order that one of his own ap-
pointees might be secure from the keen
edge Of the axman's Euillotine.
To a Congressman. the other day, the
President raised his hands in horror. He
said that while he was q believer in civil
service reform and had supported the law,
he had gone far enough. His order of last
week was the last one he intended to issue
The President pointed out the good and the
bad of the law. He saw much more of the
former than the latter in it. Its weakness
was more in its brevity of extension than
IN its length. If it went down into lower
grades and reached up into higher attitudes
il would be more efficient.
PESTERED BY oFFICE-HUNTERs.
The President said be lonced for the time
when the attention of the first officer of the
government would not be occupied by lis
tening to and providing for office-hunters.
He said that not only was his own time and
thought given up to the demands of place.
seekers. but those of members of the Cabi.
net. From early morning till late
at evening there appeared, in almost
every phase of Official life, the hand of
the office-seeker. 1t was part of the legit-
innate duties of the President to attend to
these wants, and he performed them un-
murmuringly, but he felt wholly incapable
at times to satisfactorily perform duties
aside from Office giving by virtue of the
demands made In the other directions.
Continuous thought upon any subject of
state W as impossible if the President sought
to please the political demands for Office.
IL custom, usage. law or some other device
would but supervene TO give the President
more exclusive time aud thought away
from office-seeking there would be abler
work at the hands of the chief executive.
1t was a pity the details of office-giving
the smaller of them. at least. If still lodged
with the President, could not be looked
after by q subordinate designated by him
for that purpOse-one with more time for
such affairs. The matter of being besieged
for Office. of being unable to turn In any
made. moved the President TO liken his
situation to one who, wherever he went,
was asked for @ loan-"Lend me q dollar"
Ii one heard this from nearly every one be
met, dollar-lendinR would become the bane
of his life. He could see its specter In
every face presented. Ii would haunt him
in his dreams; the state of his mind would
be that of one bewitcbed. The resources
of the lender would not lessen bis condi-
tion of mind; the request would be the
came. In fact he could no. shift his ac-
count by virtue of plethora: it would be
necessary to open accounts elsewhere.
Cetainly the depletion of resources created
limitations. but it would not altogether re-
move the predicament.
Turning to present conditions surround
ing him, the President said that be had
gone as far since the recent elections in
broadening the scope of the civil-service
law as he could and maintain the dignity
of his position and the respect of intelli-
gent and fair minded men. If on the very
eve of his departure from Office. he should
cast about with q view 10 protecting aa
many otlice-holders as possible. AID taking
in all federal employees who could be gath
cred under the protecting arm of the law.
he would be regarded as one who
crawled under the table after the feast
and ate the crumbs one who encroached
upon decency. He thought the incoming
CHIEF magistrate should receive considera.
tion. and that there were bounds of pro.
propriety in all things. In the matter Of
protecting men in Office the President be.
iieveG he had reached the limit.