Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-18

Zach's psntalooes pocket without his knowing
IT. They worried him almost to death after be
got here and IL has been the same With
all the Presidents down to Clevs-
land Garfield was killed by an Office
seeker, and it was an Office holder
who pulled Andrew Jackson's nose. James
Buchanan had a way Of taking q mans
papers and chatting to him about other subjects
In such . friendly manner that he was sure he
was going to get his place, but he never granted
such applications General Grant often prom
ised appointments which were never given, and
his drafts were not always honored by his cab
met ministers Postmaster General Jewell, It
10 said, once told an applicant who brought .
Recommendation from General Grant that tho
President bad but little influence in this matter,
and that he was running the Post Office Depart
ment
TON coRwN on OFFICE sIEKrNo.
Speaking Of recommendations, one of the
quesrest cases I ever heard Of was that relating
to Tom Corw,n, who was Secretary Of the Treas
ury. He had been in Congress before this and
bad given out letters Of Recommendation to Of
nee seekers rather freely. Among others he
gave one to . man for . place in the Treasury
Department The man took it, but failed to
pointed Secretary Of the Treasury he bodied
up sersnely and asked for place. ''What rec
concentrations have you2" said Corwin.
II have this" was the reply, and the map
thereupon put before the Secretary Of the
Treasury his own Endorsement, which was
signed ''Tom Corwin."
"And did this not get you an appointment
under the former Secretary" asked Mr.. Cor
win.
"No," was the reply ait did not"
"Well, II It wasn't strong enough to get You
place them" answered the genial Tom. ~
don't think 1t ought to be strong enough to
give you . place now" and he refused to
give the man the place. Corwin always tried
to persuade young men from entering the
the worst places in the world for young men,
and he advised one man who called upon him
while he was Secretary Of the Treasury to get
an Ak and . mattock and put up . log
cabin rather than take q government Of
fee. Said be: II may give you place today
and can kick you out tomorrow. And there
IL another man over there at the White House
who can kick me out, and the people by and by
can kick him out, and SO it goes. But II you
own an acre Of land it is your kingdom and
your cabin 10 your castle. You are a sovereign
and you will feel it in every throbbing Of your
pulse, and every day of your life will assure me
OF your thanks for this advice"
1t was the same with old Senator Chase, who,
when Salmon P. Chase, aftervard chief justice,
asked for Q government Office. told him he
would give him dollar to buy him q spade to
10 ont and dig for q living, but that he would
not ruin him by putting him into the employ
of Uncle Sam.
This is the same today. There is no worse
place in the world for a young man than the
government Offices Of Washington. The clerks
after time become pure machines and there is
less snap, energy and get-up-and-git inside
these great government departments than
there is anywhere in the American continent
outside Of the West India Islands.
FRANK G.. CARPENTER.