The morning call., 1893-03-12
OFFICE BEGGARS.

We have Senator Whites word for the
statement that save in exceptional cases,
Republicans will serve out their terms un-
der Cleveland, and that persons who were
appointed Dy him during his previous ad-
ministration will not, except in rare cases,
be reappointed now. So much the Presi-
dent stated tedly to the junior Senator
from California. The statement is leading
to an hegira of California office-seekers from
Washington, which is a matter of congratu-
lation all round.
The quadrennial outbreak of the office
seeking epidemic is perhaps the most curl
Gus feature ef American life. There Is
probably 30 service which is so ill-paid and
so uDgrateful as the service Of the nation,
and yet every four years some of the bright
est men in every State Of the Union flock o
Washington to get an office. Under the civil
service rules in foreign countries the lncum-
bent of public office may expect, If he be-
haves himself, to hold for life. When young
man gets a clerkship in one of the Govern-
ment departments in England he is provided
for. His salary will be small and his advance
ment slow, but he can rely upon bread and
butter to the end of his days. In France he
begins as a suppeant provisoire, rises TO be
a suppleant. and then to be a clerk; after
HhiCn uo sOOo StcduiS tuEuEBu tue RIduHS
until, If he is lucky, he fetches up in old age
as chef de bureau. He cannot marry unless
his wife's dowry defrays half the expense
OF the household; but he can count upon
enough at the end of every month to pay for
small room, modest board and his
clothes.
In this country everything is different
The successful applicant for a public office
gets four years lease of it. AT the end Of
four years he expects to be thrown upon his
own resources 10 find livelihood. Four
years ncImbency of Government Office
has incapacitated him for exertion and
robbed him OF his energy. He has con-
tracted habits of idleness and has severed
bis ties with old friends who might have
helped him. Meanwhile he has worked for
a salary so small that he has been unable to
save anything. Circuit iudgeships, district
attorney ships, marshalships and collector
ships, which are about the most lucrative
posts in the gift Of the Government, do not
yield as much as bright professional man
ought to earn by private practice There is
| not one diplomatic berth in the gift Of the
GOvernment-exeept two or three consul
ates in EurOpe-whch enables its holder 10
| live without the closest economy. AS TO
the minor Offices. postmasterships and elet K
| ships, with the exception Of dozen or so in
large cities, they are embodied starvation.
They exact the whole time Of the incum-
bent and pay less than bOokkeeper gets in
a prosperous mercantile house. Yet at
every Presidential election the anter0oms
of the President and the Secreta ries are
iammed with really bright aspirants for
these beggarly posts.
Southerners have always been the most
persistent ofice-seekers in this country.
Perhaps the discreGit which the institution
OF slavery threw upon labor indisposed the
planters sons from relying upon their own
exertions for livelihood. But Northerners
are very good second. Everybody who is
supposed to WELD any influence is impor-
tuned about these days to sign testimonials
and letters OF recommendation for men who
have no sort of claim on the Government
and whose success in their aims would be
the worst thing that could happen them.
| One OF the saddest figures In Washington
society few years ago was gentleman of
fine parts and polished manners, who, in
an hour OF iil-fortune, was appointed Regis
ter Of a land Office in valley State At,he
end of his term Influential friends secured
renewal OF his commission, aud when that
expired he got an appointment as Receiver
IN the same Office Altogether he served
his country for twelve years, drew
| three or four thousand each year and spent