St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-28

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-F. W. M.
CutcheOn. chairman of the Democratic
state central committee, has left the
city. and expects to reach home by the
last of the week. Just before his de-
parture your correspondent requested
a general talk with him on matters of
interest to Minnesota, and he kindly
consented to endure the reportorial in
QUESTION. He was first asked if his
missionary efforts with the various de-
partments had been reasonably success
full. He replied:
"1es, my visit has been fairly satis-
factory. l came down here with only
two objects in view-first, to secure ac-
tion in number of postoffice matters
upon which we are all agreed, but which
have been hung up owing to the lack
OF anybody to push them; and, second,
to secure, if possible, the appointment
of Louis Stern to some respectable con-
sulate position, an appointment which
we have felt was due to the German
Americans of Minnesota, and in which,
as friend of Mr.. Stern, 1 have been
particularly interested. In the former
matter L have had as much success as
there was any reason to expect. In the
latter the state department has given
US great deal of encouragement"
POSTOFFICE DELAYS.
"What reason is there for the unusual
delays IN the postoffice appointments"
"lt is hard to make the Democrats at
homo
Jority of postoffice appointments have
been SO long delayed. 1t is difficult for
them to realize that from every section
of the country the postoffice department
is subjected to overwhelming pressure
in these matters. and that if the depart
ment is not to abandon all other duties
(as has been done under many former
administrations), the changes in any
given locality must come slow
ly. Minnesota, too, is handlca pped
by having no Democrat here in Wash
ington to attend to the interests of five
of its congressional districts. 1t is i'm
possible for either Of our TWO Demo-
cratic congressman to take care of more
than his own district. When Mime
sofa sends more Democrats here, she
will get better and more prompt atten-
tion for her interests in the depart
ments. Yet. even when one is here on
the ground. the obstacles in the way
of obtaining satisfactory attention for
even the most pressing needs are almost
insuperable. Every cabinet officer is
besleged, day after day, by impatient
crowds of officials, each seeking recog-
milton for some special interest. In all
the departments United States SEN
ators take precedence and one often has
to endure most eXasperating delays, OBJ
tainining in the end only the brIefest
and most unsatisfactory interview.
These things are not sufficiently under
stood among US at home. Mr. Hall and
Maj. Baldwin, our congressman. are
doing all that anybody can, and are
more successful than many of their
associates. The silver debate has ac-
complished one thing of consequence
for Minnesota. 1t has brought to the
front and has given
REALLY INFLUENTIAL POSITION !
in Washington to D. NJ. Hall. People
here are beginning to realize what
clean, clear-sighted man Minnesota has
sent here. The Third district people
will have to go far and fare worse many
times before they find another man so
creditable for their representative.
Maj. Baldwin is winning the highest of
good opinions and is taking a place
right beside Mr.. Hall. Minnesota Demo-
Gratis owe it to themselves to do every
thing possible to sustain both of these
gentlemen.
'In addition to what have said about
the difficulty of iTrpressing an especial
matter upon the memory of the head of
a department.. it must be remembered
that the poStOffice department has
adopted certain rules for its own guild
ance. The StrictneSS with which these
rules are observed is not generally
enough understood. For example, it is
laid down that, except in case strong
charges OF official misconduct are made
and fully substautiated, no occupant of
a presidential office Will be removed be-
fore the expiration of the term for
which he is commissioned. or, if his
confirmation be of later date, before the
expiration of four years from the date
of confirmation, and that, unless
like charges are made and Simi-
larly established, no fourth-ctaSS
postmaster will be removed prior to the
expiration of four years from the date
of his commission. No exceptions to
this rule are made, and for the present,
at least, it is futile to urge the depart
ment to make any. For all practical
purposes this is an ironclad rule. The
Democrats in Minnesota might as we'll
accept it and
REGULATE THEIR APPLICATIONS
accordingly. Attempts to secure eX-
ceptional appointments simply waste
the time of the applicant, of the con-
gresham, and of all those who are
endeavoring to secure action in the
interests of the party in the state. The
officers of the state central committee
and the members OF congress will not
permit their time to be wasted and their
patience to be tried in these vain at
tempts. That may as well be under
stood.
PERSONALLY, think it is perhaps Just
as well that some of these appointments
should be carried over into the last half
of the administration. We have an
election next year. Hope for oneself is
d much stronger incentive to hard work
in a campaign than is gratitude for
favors conferred upon ones friends. I
think that chickering's over appointments
and Indifference during the campaign
might both be avoided in the future, to
a great extent at least, by securing,
early during next years campaign, the
formation of Democratic club in every
election district to which every Demo-
cratic voter should be eligible. with the
previous understanding that all purely
local appointments should be referred
to the club for decision by the vote of
some fair majority of the whole club;
and that the decision so made should be
final so far as concerned those
advising the departments. That seems
to me a straightforward. equitable and
politically judlcious way of doing things.
1t certainly would be Democratic |
think it woald prove entirely feasible if
distinctly uuqeretood beforehand.
1.y IL mead Of some ada