The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-21
THE CABINET OFFICER.
HIs DAIIT IABORS 4 MOST THANK
LESS TASK.
Rstrenchm cnt and Reform the Watchword
Of the President and His Assistants.
@LO, the Poor" ONCE Hunter.
TiNYs BUREAU. RArLrY Buu DINO.
WASHINGTON. April 20. 1898.

York papct which described the Hamp
ton Roads as beautiful gravel dri se-
way. extending from Norfolk to he his
toric town Of Hampton" was tribe In
the line OF revelation OF new and i'm
por,ant facts.
The oiiiCe-seekors, though stlll some
what in force. are losing the confidence
and assurance they felt at the start.
and instead now Of saying. they arc
all good fellows. YOU just wait and sec
how they viii change the Offices" they.
ia a great many instances remark: These
fellows are lot of chuckle-hcaded
chumps. who are fixed themselves, and
seem not TO care d. whether or not
allJ body gets anything"
The fact is that the President and all
Of his Cabinet officers have about been
run 10 death by these very aspirants,
and that two OF them. Messrs. Smith
and Herbert. arc confined 10 their beds
The position Of a Cabinet officer is the
least 10 Dc desired Of any connected with
the Government. and it is indeed an eX-
tremely rare thing 20 find one who would
under any circumstances accept another
term. and history shows scarcely q
single Cabinet which has not been broken
more than once, even in four years. by
the determined withdrawal in one form
or another OF some Of its members.
The labors are extremely onerouS pre-
senting often delicate questions. the de-
cision OF which, no matter how, brings
sharp criticism from some OF the press
and the officers business relations, aside
from his office as those Of Attorney
General Garland and the present Mr.
Olney. have invariably been brought for
ward TO their detriment.
Their compensation. too. is only s. 900
per annum. and by virtue of the recog-
r.zed custom Of our society the female
potion Of their families are subjected
c0rstently 10 expensive public receptions,
f1cked by Tong haired men and short
haired women who serve no purpose in
life save 10 show the wonderful diversity
Of Gods creations.
man OF wealth enough TO keep the
place has 20 be somewhat Indifferent as
% his family comfort. and be willing to
labor a great deal harder than he did to
earn his money. and 10 place himself
daily in a position 20 be criticised by
many papers who believe that no good
could come out Of Nazareth
Secretary of Agriculture Morton is
keeping up his record for reducing the
expenses OF his department by the ahol-
ishment Of useless burdens and the dis
missal Of unnecessary clerks. He began
with the brother OF the late Premier
Mr Blaine. and yesterday turned out
fortv-one assistant microscopists. Just
what forty-one assistant microscopists
mean / don't know. but evidently Mr.
Morton did not want them about the
shop. They might have been Republican
microbes mugwump bacteria or high
tariff hacili hut anyhow they are gone,
and the country saves dollars by IT, and
they did no good whore they were. In
this part at least we can agree with Mr..
Morton.
fame for himself every day, and II is
refreshing 20 note the fearless exercise
of his prerogatiVes. especially in the IN
Vestigation Of the corruption IN the
Weather Bureau where thousands oi
dollars worth Of the peoples property
has been carted away and sold 10y dis
honest watchmcn and cheap subordnates
who bv nature are public plunderers.
Mr. Cleveland is setting a splendid ex
annie 10 ali OF his Cabinet officers IT
the matter Of appointments. and the fre'
confirmation in the Senate Of his ap
rointees was not so much due to a Demo
cratic majority as II was to the fact ina
his Appointments so far have been or
very high order This has been especially
the case where he has not been influenced
by congressional delegations, but mas
used his own judgment of men. combined
with information gained by other prom
nent men.
The fact that Mr.. Cleveland has privat
Information as TO the leaning OF the vari
Gus candidates in the great inter-part.
contest Of last year. develops every day
and / have now personal knowledge o
the fact The latest case on record wa
the appointment Of Hon. Seth Shepard
OF Texas. 10 a place on the District Su
premo Court bench. Mr.. Shepard Is
SPLENDID man. and headed the Clevelan'
delegation from Texas 10 Chicago.
The weather to-day had no attraction
for the average ofice-seeker. ana every
ttirg at the White House seemed TO In
dicate that enCagements with the mem
hers of Congress 20 see the Prcsiden
had been declared on until more suitabl
weather showed up. for at this late da
the office-seekcr is not driving aroun
in cabs and carriages. as the long wal
fas 50 reduced his bank account AS L
make riding of any Kind luxury TO D
thought over a lorg time before indulge
in The stream Of visitors 10 the Presl
dent to-day could not truthfully be sal
70 rour I'm. but there was q regular down
r0ur outside under the Influence OF
strong wind from the east The caller
began 10 drop of considerably about ]
o'clock. and the President gave motto
that he would see no more visitors
Everybody who called after thdt I'm
was referred 10 Private Secretary Thur
Der.
The Virginia delegation representative
and senators. had none Of their member
81 the White House this morning 10
the simple reason that none Of them al
in the city. Home and the Naval Rer
devious al Hampton Roads have elaine
them all They VIII be dropping bac
here. however. from time to time. as IN
Virginia ohice-seekers have 50 far ma
little 10 satisfy their cravings, so manifes
short while ago. Senator Daniel b'
fore his departure yesterday put in
good day's work around the department
in the interest Of those for whom he
trying 20 secure some Of the Federi
patronage.
The visitors al the White House wei
ebout equally divided this morning b
tween senators and representatives. II
Southern senators had the call howeVe
as the following list, which comprls'
al the senators who saw the Presiden
will show: Mills. Berry. Harris tauikne
Martin. Call, Butler and Coke. None
them. however. had anything OF impor
snce to impart as a result OF their Vlsi
Most OF them said they called simply
Say goodbye TO Mr.. Cleveland beio
leaving for home.
At / o'clock the President, by speci
Arrangement received the State RAJ
road Commissioners, who are now IN al
nual conference in the city, ana the