Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-27

messengers not under the classified service
The struggle for these places is terrific.
1t Is safe to say that there are at least a
hundred men for each place. The Secre-
tary has been overburdened with applica-
lions. The good of the service requires that
these changes should not be made expedi-
tiouSly. Politics does not always throw the
right man in the right place. Indeed, i'm
some cases where changes have been made
three or four men have been tried before
competent clerk has been secured.
Under the Treasury Department..
Great pressure has also been brought to
bear upon the Secretary of the Treasury.
His official duties have been so arduous that
for months he has been unable to give even
hearing to office seekers. The few that
have been appointed have been selected by
subordinate officials. Collectors, surveyors,
marshals. special agents. subtreasurers,
chiefs of divisions. auditors and others are
appointed by the President, usually upon
the Secretarys recommended ton. The su-
bordinate officers in these bureaus are ap-
pointed by the Secretary mairly at the re-
quest of the chiefs of divisions. For in
stance: A man is seeking an appointment
as boiler inspector. He writes out his APP
plication, Endorsed by different Congressman
and democratic leaders. 1t is placed on file
at the Treasury Department and in mosc
cases, referred to the officer having charge
of such matters. His recommendation goes
a long way in securing the Office. " Without
It, the applicant is almost sure to go To the
wall. There are today in the Treasury
Department enough applications for Office
to I'LL freight train, and they still pour in
upon the department. To give these appii-
cations careful consideration would re-
quire years of steady work. Nevertheless,
changes are constantly being made. hut the
prizes are as few and far between as
those in Havana lottery. ~
The Department of the Interior.
The same strain is felt in the Interior De-
partment. This department covers the PEN
sion, land, census and patent Offices en-
ploying thousands of men and women The
most of the employees are protected by the
civil service rules. There are hundreds.
however, who are not An army of women
are seeking these few places When
vacancy occurs nearly every Congressman
in the House is importuned to go to the
front on behalf of some applicant. Those
who make a business of seeking Offices in
stead of attending to their congressional
duties. with rare exceptions, appear to be as
unsuccessful as others. There are Repre-
scntatives who tramp the departments so
continuously that 1t Is hard to find them
when their vote Is required to make a
quorum. AS for the registers of land
offices, surveyors, Indian agents and other
places in distant states they are appoint ed
by the President.
The War Department. in comparison with
others, has very little patronage to dis
tribute For that little. however. there is
constant fight. Secretary Lamont is emit
nently practical and distributes whatever
he has promptly and graciously
Inc Department of Justice has also very
little patronage. The United States district
attorneys are appointed by the President
usually but not necessarily. on the recon-
mendation of the Attorney General These
district attorneys select their own subor-
dinates.
The y. o. d. Headsmaa.
The Post OIHca napo
with applications for office. 1t employs hun
dreds of clerks in Washington alone The
most OF them are under the civil service
rules. The main patronage is in fourth
class post offices. These directly interest all
democratic Congressman. Robert A. Max
well, the fourth assistant postmaster gen.
eral has charge of these offices They were
formerly within the gift of the first assist
ant postmaster general. 1t was in their dis
Tibution that Adlai f. Stevenson and James
5. Clarkson made their reputation as heads
men.
Some congressman make bitter complaints
against Mr.. Maxwell, but the record shows
that he wfeldS the ak as skillfulIy as did
even Stevenson or Garrison The latter did
business by spurts. Days would drag by
without removal and anon hundreds of
heads would fall into the basket within
twelve hours.s Maxwell works the guillotine
steadily. The aggregate shows that he has
made more removals since he has been in
ONCE than Clarkson made in the same time
me pressure, however is so great that dis
satisfaction still exists. 1t threatened to
show itself in the democratic caucus on the
night OF January D. A democratic Repre-
sentative had resolution prepared assert
ing mat IL was the sense of the caucus that
every fourth-class post office in the country
should be filled by democrat before March
The friends of the administration If is said
got Wind OF MS purpose. and the caucus ad-
1Ollrna6 hpfnra h. 1t
ton.
An Exceptional Case.
Congressman Wilson of Washington whose
cry Of cuckoo" in the House has won him
the sobriquet of 1.-The Cuckoo Congress
man.. tells singular story of an inter
view with Postmaster General Bissell En-
tering his office last week. Mr.. Wilson said
General, l am here in behalf of a post
master in my district. 1t is a vital matter
He is in great distress. and 1t is in the
power of your department to relieve him."
What can do?" Mr.. Bissell replied.
You can accept his resignation Mr..
Wilson said. He resigned last August and
the office has not yet been filled. He lost
one opportunity to go into business because
his resignation was not accepted. He has
another chance to make a living, and ne not
only urges, but demands that his resigna-
ton be accepted"
We'll" replied Mr.. Bissell, this appears
to be an exceptional case. 1 will put him
down on the Emergency Lists"
Wilson says he got a glance at the
Emergency List" when the name was put
down. Il give you my word SIR" he said
there were over a thousand names on it,
Last of all Is the Department Of Agricul-
ture Secretary Morton went at it With a
pruning knife soon after his installation
Hundreds of female clerks have been dis
missed, but horde of applications remain
Very few, ii any, obtain places. The bu-
reau of animal industry is a part of this
department. 1t extends throughout the Unit
ed States, giving employment to several
hundred persons. Aside from this and little
bureaus in Washington, the patronage is
very limited and the appointments are less
Such is the field upon which the army of
office seekers operate in WASHINGTON II is
an army without supplies Its sustenance
seems to be drawn from hope alone Con-
gressional influence, nine cases ont Of ten
is a basis for this hope but il almost in.
variably proves mirage. The applicant
in the end, finds himself without food or
drink, and drifts homeward sadder il hot
wiser.