The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-10-18
ashington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.

establishment neglects his duties the
bad example is quickly followed by
those of his subordinates who have an
opportunity to do so. This govern
ment is the biggest business establish
ment on this continent, and the Presi-
dent is its general manager
mismanager he has been since March
4, 1893. As one gentleman put it in
conversation today, "this administra-
ton ought to be known in history as
one of vacatio and incapacity." No
reasonable person objects to the Presi-
dent and members of the cabinet
taking vacation, just as most other
men do occasionally, but when there
is more time devoted to vacations than
to work it would seem to be time for
Congress to act, and to prescribe pre-
cisely the time the President and
members of his cabinet may take off
and continue to draw their pay. Take
this year, for instance. Mr.. Cleveland
has been absent from Washington
more than half the time, and about
the only member of the cabinet who
has not taken almost as much time
away from his duties is Secretary Nor
ton, and he has probably remained in
Washington more because he could
better follow his greatest pleasure
keeping himself before the public
through newspaper interviews upon
finance and almost every other con-
ceivable subject-here than when
junketing around in some obscure part
of the country. The only reason that
90 little has been said about this con-
tinuous absenteeism is that most peO-
pie have arrived at the conclusion that
the less time the President and mem
bers of his cabinet put in at their desk
the less harm will be done to the
country's interest. While tnat is
largely true, they should not be allow
ed to draw salaries for doing nothing.
One of the odd phases of the Mary
land campaign is that while the
German democrats continue to assert
that Mr.. Cleyeland wants the German
ticket to be elected Mr.. Cleveland and
all the members of his cabinet main
tain a dead silence on the subject, and
the most prominent official that all OF
the coaxing and begging of Senator
German and his friends has been able
to get upon the stump in Maryland
was Dominic Murphey, subordinate
of the Commissioner of Pensions.
Your correspondent makes no pretense
of being in the confidence of Mr.. Cleve-
land, or of any member of his cabinet,
but he knows that in the past neither
Mr.. Cleveland nor the members of his
cabinet have hesitated to speak out in
favor of the democratic ticket In any
state where it was thought such speech
would aid in bringing out the party
vote. IF they really wish German to
win, why do they not speak out for
his ticket? Why didn't the members
of the cabinet who refused to make
speeches for Germans ticket temper
that refusal with few words in favor
of the election of the ticket? The
answer to these questions may not be
that Mr.. Cleveland wishes the German
ties to be defeated, but it certainly
looks that way at this writing.
Secretary Hoke Smith has gone to
Georgia again. 1t is said the Ex-
Speaker Crisp's announcement, when,
he was in Was hington the other day
of his intention to make some free
silver speeches in Georgia had some
thing to do with the Secretary's present
trip.
It is evident that the administration
does not feel any more cordial towards
Mr.. Castle, the new Hawaiian minister
to the United States, than it did to-
wards his predecessor whose recall it
so unjustly demanded. Mr.. Castle
arrived in Washington a few days ago.
He called at the State Department to
see Secretary Olney about arranging
date for officially presenting his Gre
dentials. When Mr.. Castles card was
taken in to Secretary Olney he sent
word to him by messenger that he
was busy and could not see him, but
that he could call upon diplomatic
day, which is set apart for receiving all
members of the diplomatic corps who
care TO call upon the Secretary; but
the calls upon that day are as rule
more of social than an official nature
OF course the incident was discussed
by members of the diplomatic corps
and especially chuckled over by those
! representing countries which are in
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