The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-20
WON'T STAND NRpoTIsM.l

-
Cleveland WIN ignore the Requests of
Congressman Who Pension Their kelA'
tivcs on the Government.
CIXcrNS4TG, o., March l9.-The Com'
mercial Gaute's Washington correspond
ent sends the following; At II o'clock
a senator, accompanied by n oil tho
most prominent Democrats OF his state
called upon the President to urge the
appointment OF a certain gentleman Of
the same state for the office OF U, ),
marshal, Mr., Cleveland listened to all
they had 10 say, and then, turning to
the senator, said: "Did you not APP
point your son your private secretary
81 did, and he is serving in that capa-
city" was the reply.
''Then," said Mr., Cleveland, u do not
think | can conscientiously make the
appointment upon your recommends
ton. | have observed the extent to
which this matter OF nepotlsm is being
carried, and it las reached dimensions
never known before in the history OF
the government. | will say frankly that
| will not consider Recommendations
Of senators or representatives who have
appointed to c~lArkships and private
secretaryships OF committees, or to
serve for themselves, their sons or rela-
tiVes. / have observed that the clerks
OF some OF the most important commits
tees OF tho senate and house, where eX-
perience and wisdom and ability should
be the sole qualifications, sons are APP
pointed to their places by their fathers,
and are serving solely through that
fact. | fully understand the import
ance of these Clerkships, and | have
seen, in at least one instance, u trained
and experienced man, upon, in many
respects, the most important committee
in Congress, succeeded by u young man
who had no recommendations torthe
place other than that he was tho son OF
the chairman. do not propose to en-
courage this sort Of thing, but to dis
courage, in every way in my power,
and, therefore, as | said, | shall dis
criminals against the recommendations
Of such gentlemen in either house as
have appointed their own SONS 10 clerk
ships"
Mr.. Cleveland mentioned the fact
that when the clerks OF the new senate
committees were sworn in, it would de-
velop that in ten instances the chair
men had appointed their sons to the
cIerkships. There has never been a
time in the history OF the country when
the leading members OF the dominant
party had SO large Il number OF rela-
tives and pensioners at tho public
charges. The clerk OF a senate COM
mittee is very much more than the prl-
vate secretary Of the chairman. In al
most every instance that place calls for
rare and peculiar qualifications, ire
quently for a special training.
In the house, eight committees have
for clerks the ions OF the chairmen,
and one OF these is the leading commit
tee OF Ways and Means, where Nuter
Springer draws the salary which has,
in previous Congresses, been paid to q
tariff expert OF high ability. 1t is sig
nificant that the presiding officer OF
each branch sets a vicious example to
his party associates in this respect,
both Vice President Stevenson and
Speaker Crisp having appointed their
Sous their confidential clerks.
Almost the first act Of Secretary Car.
Isle was to name his son Logan as chief
clerk OF the treasury, in order that he
might enjoy his services rs n coniden-
tial adviser. The salaries OF these
positions thus apportioned of to Demo-
cratic relations vary from $1,000 to
$4,000 a year, and only u portion OF the
list has been given.
The house has voted itself clerks.
There are 1856 members, and in the SEN
ate proportion and tho house proper.
ton, as shown in tho appointment Of
committee clerks, about $50 Of these
should be tho so1s OF their fathers.
This is a new point OF attack by Mr..
Cleveland, and 1t will doubtless be as
warmly endorsed by the country as
have most or all of his previous ones.