The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-07-08

~ dTc necessary 10
the incumbent of such a position.
The pressure which it brought to bear
upon the chief clerk of the department
Tor appointments in the grades of
watchmen, messengers, charwomen
and other positions not affected by
civil service law and rules, is very
great indeed. 1t may seem surprising
to YOU, but it is a matter of fact we'll
known to every one i'll this city, that
representatives and United States sem
ators. laying aside the legitimate du-
Ties for which they have been elected
by their districts and by the legisla-
lures of their states, go to the treasury
department and insist upon appoint
nents of this kind being made.
The secretary of the treasury an
nounced at the commencement of his
administration hat the law granting
union veterans the preference would
be observed and that union veterans
would not be discharged from the de-
partment without cause. In spite of
the fact that this announcement was
made in the newspapers early in March
urgent and earnest demands nave been
made for the removal of the incum-
bents of these places and the appoint
ment of others to succeed them. 1t
has been the duty of the chief clerk to
carry out the will of the secretary in
this regard, and he has done SO in an
admirable manner While never rude
or brusque, the chief clerk has been
very positive and determined in his de-
mails of these applications. From this
it must not be affirmed that changes
have not occurred in the personnel of
the watch force and messenger roll,
because for various reasons changes
are occurring constantly.
During the past two months it has
been almost impossible for the secre-
tarv OF the treasury to transact public
business as it should have been trans
acted, because he has been obliged to
listen to the demands and appeals of
seekers after the important offices un-
der the control of the treasury depart
ment. If in addition to the demands
for appointments as inspectors, collec-
tors of customs, collectors of internal
revenue, and other places paying s., 600
per annum and upward, the secretary
of the treasury were obliged to listen
to all of the demands for appoint
ments in the subordinate places. his
life would become one hideous night
mare in which Office seekers would pre-
dominate. Fortunately, not only for
the secretary of the treasury, but for
the public welfare, the chief clerk is
Obliged to attend to that branch of the
ofticeseeking business and is able to
dispose Ct it with neatness and dis
patch.
The chief clerk of the treasury de-
partment has never been popular with
the heads of bureaus in the big de-
partment. When the comptroller of
the currency, the solicitor general, the
commissioner OF customs, the commits
sioner of internal revenue, the register
of the treasury, the auditors and other
great men who have been appointed bv
the president. want anything they ex-
pect to have their wishes gratifed.
For example, suppose that the comp
troller wants a new typewriter or a
photograph. He makes out a formal
requisition for the article, sends it to
the chief clerk and expects that official
to stand and deliver at a moments no
tice. Imagine, if you can, the surprise
and indignation of the great man
when he receives a note from the chief
clerk informing him that the condition
of the contingent fund Of the treasury
department is such that the purchase
cannot be made. The great man pro-
ceeds to the office of the chief clerk in
person, and accomplishes nothing.
The official who is the custodian of the
contingent fund explains that the ap-
preparation is a limited one, and can
not be drawn upon too heavily at this
season of the year, or it will not hold
put. 1t has sometimes happened that
high officials have gone directly to the
secretary to secure an order for the
honoring of their requisition; but even
then they must fail. Upon one occa-
sion a prominent official secured an
order from Secretary Window for a
certain requisition and triumphantly
carried it to the chief clerk, Mai.
Bracket, who looked at it and said:
THAT order is of no value. The on
tingent fund is too low for that ex-
pe~nditUre, and / will not obey the
order" The high official went back to
Secretary Window with the report that
the chief clerk would not obey his
order. That astute statesman. who
was always a man of peace, replied:
"Well, if Bracket will not obey my
order, l do not see what else we a
do. He always was a self-willed
fellow"
Secretary Window knew his chief
clerk, knew that he was right, and
thus sarcastically ended the matter.