The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-23
LIVE WASHINGTON TOPICS.
TIE HoM JOSIAH oULNCT,s PERM
CIoUs POLITICAL kCTITITY.

CIOUS POLITICAL <C1JTITH
MI. friend. Say that the Amsitrc, OF III,
I,t, Il 10 re Governor OF Nns.nehu,ettr,
and that He H. Distrisuttue Patronage
where II Will DO the Most Good.
v,su1Scroy. juno 22-Mr. Josiah Quincy.
,he energetic First Assistant Secretary Of
state is afTordng certain members Of the Adj
p,inistration q great deal OF Amusement by the
bo,,t5al activity he displays In the discharge
o,hts Official duties. There are other MON bers
n, the legislative and executive branches Of
tbe Government who are more or less nnnoyed
ly hi, rernicous activity. Tho latter class are
wondering how much longer he IL going to re-
main in tho Department Of state. When he
was appointed first lieutenant on Sec
rotary Gresham's staff tho announce
men, was officially made that he would
not hold the office more than two
rthree months. At the present writing he is
said to 10 too busily occupied In planning his
,aupaign for the Eubernatoriai contest in
Massachusetts, to even think OF relinqulshing
his comfortable office In the State Department
building Besides, 1t is currently reported
that he is not averse to distributing such pat
ronage as he has at his disposal where It will
do the most good. In addition. no has. or
claims to have influence in the other de-
partments and he is not too modest to
take advantage OF 1t. His personal friends
say that tho one ambition OF his life
isto lie Governor OF Massachusetts, and many
Of his official actions point in that direction.
lie n u only seeks to control the consular and
Diplomatic appointments In his native State.
but is frequently seen in the other departments
examining tho samples on the pie counter"
The amusing mart Of his performance Is that
his civil service friends appear to be blind
as far as he is concerned. and he goes
Iis
ingly unconscious Of tho fact that he
is violating the Civil Service law and sub
jecting himself to "a fine Of $1,000
or IMPRISONMENT for q term OF not exceeding
three years" In the second section OF the
Civil Service law there is the following pro-
vision: That no person In tho publ, service
has any right to use his official authority or
influence to coerce the political action OF any
person or body" At tho end OF tho act tho
penalty is fixed.
Mr.. Quincy and his political methods are
sometimes discussed In Administration cir
ees and some Of his requests are 80 audacious
as to appear almost ludicrous. Not long ago
he called on Postmaster-G General Bissell to
eve h IN ths
conclusion OF his interview with the Jolly Post
master. General he said
make any nppo,intments up in Massachusetts
as tbs nt TsRy ne u no sreH
stances would his order be violated
is Ssns arSand IN
He is unuuest onably an interchangeable worker.
whether he is ENGAGED in state Depart
nation Tor the Governorshir q Massachu-
setts. When the shades OF evening fall and
chusctts politicians he seeks the seclusion Of
his apartment at the Albany. quiet fat house.
nG SSsr hm s dpr3fe ssSe hi
Navy Nc Adao called upon him at his apart
ness Mr Quincy t@oE Ris fnv@re o postion S on
the lounge. and was supposed to be listening
McAdoo drew his chair close to the side of the
lounge and proceeded to talk business"
or comments from the reclining Assistant
secretaryot State might have been appropriate.
S sabes to noe the enee ~ the
Finally the point was reached when a, direct
answer from Mr.. Quincy was REQUIRED; The
It was discovered that the would-be Governor
Of MASSACHUSETTS, was sound asleep
sests sSo have bsen n y reeenly
are indignant because Mr.: Quincy has en-.
in the bay state Several OF them were dis
sGssng The situation in The lobby Of the Ar
Quincy for some appointment that had been
made. A little round faced man. with short
gray sny side whiskers. exclaimed with much en-
Quincy may mean all right but since the
guhernatoria! bee commenced to buzz in bis
bonnet. it's not safe to credit anything he says
His promises and his actions vary materially.
For my part. think IL will do him good TO run
Tor Governor and be beaten. He seems to think
nomination can be elected. He will find his
mistake. for his personal popularity is nothing |
compared with that Of Gov. Russell The lat |
ter. in my judgment. is the only Democrat who |
can carry the state"
plan for tho betterment Of the department |
Service OF the Government has been agreed |
upon by the several heads OF the executive |
departments. In carrying out this general
Plan. circular letters OF instruction have heen |
addressed to tho chiefs Of bureaus and divis- |
Ions in every department Of the Government |
service az Washington. This letter asks all
clerks male and female. to state their age,
VIXEN appointed. whence appointed. present
In Office. and such questions, which: when
answered. will give Rt glance O. satisfactory |
history Of the clerks official life The ap-
p3intment clerks OF the several departments
will then compare notes and make such |
recommendations Is the facts in each parrlcu-
lar ease may seem to warrant These investi-
cations are expected to disclose that many
families have from three to ten relatives in the
Government service. and that many clerks and
others now carried on the rolls are too old and
tecrcplt to perform efficient work and are
represented W substitutes Mt greatly reduced
faT. These facts when established will form
the line and ~ the " eeding" out process
the Government service is expected to be in
creased in efficiency fully 10 or Is per cent.