The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-07
ONLY A LITTLE PATRONAGE.
Preildent Mckinley will Have Few Onioes
10 FIJI.


TO FIJI.
New York Sun: Presidcnt-elcct Nc
Kinley will dIsappolnt more ot,ice-seck-
eru than any other President FOR nifty
years past, and unless Congress repeats
or mod,flcs the civil service law. OF
which there IL no PROBABILITY. The civil
service has bean extended In all depart
ments OF the federal scrvicr. by prcst-
dent. Cleveland until his successor in
Office Will have very little patronage at
his disposal.
The only real good Offices which Pres
ldent Mckinley can I'LL will be the sabi-
net places, foreign MISSIONS. collectors
OF ports and first-class poStmaSters.
Some OF the politicians who have made Il
study % the matter estimate that With
out n change in the civil ervice law Pres
ident Mckinley during his entire term
vii have only about 200 good places 10
iii.
When 4 new administration comes
into power an average o: $4,000 patriots
march on Washington ready to serve
their country in any place OF honor and
profit Next year more than $4,000 OF
them will be disappointed.
The consuls OF the United States have
been placed under the civil service and
new regulations about fees have cut
down their pay until the places will not
be 80 attractive as formerly. The con-
sulshlpS have for years served to save
many j Woodworking politician from
disappointment and ldleness. Men who
have begun by seeking n cabinet place
or a flrst-cllss mission have often been
glad TO accept n small consudship after
4 year OF worry and expensive waiting.
rl.I IL. strtn d., 10, tIrF ~
such places TO select from and many am
bilious politicians will be disappointed
OF the offices that President Mckinley
can MI there will be less than 100 paying
salaries large enough % make them at
tractive to the average ofIlce-seeker.
The tlrSt-class foreign missions ure the
really important places, but only
wealthy men can accept them because
the salary OF 500 year Is only about
one fourth Of the necessary expenses OF
an ambassador.
The salaries OF the ministers to the
minor European and Aslatic govern
ments and the South and Central
American republics ar, small and such
places are not az much sough. after as
consulship IN England, France or Ger
many.
None OF President McKinley's cabinet
Ia his department. The flrst-class
postmasters will Ind full civil service
force In their offices. and cannot make 4
change except for cause. The collector
OF the port OF New York. as well as the
collectors az all the other large ports OF
the country will find every branch OF
the service filed with civil service APP
pOlntees, who cannot be removed The
navy yards OF the country Will no lorEer
provide work for men who have served
the successful party. Even the day Ia
borers are now protected by civil service
regulations.
The postmaster general can still chop
off Che heads OF fourth-class postmas.
tiers. but that Is slow work and the
places are no longer eagerly sought MS i
reward for partisan serrlcee.
Throughout all the various branches OF
the treasury department and the inte-
rlor department. as well rs the war and
navy departments. only few bureau
ships have hccn lett exempt from the
protection OF the civil service laws.
All clerical offices In the departments
Mt Washington are in!the classified civ
II service.
The attorney general will be better OF
In the way of patronage than most or the
other cabinet officers. because the United
States district attorneys for the various
states, territories and districts have not
yet been placed In the classified civil
service list, and some of those places pay
good salaries.
or the army OF upward OF 100000 per-
sons in the service OF the government
when President Mckinley IS inaugu-
drafted he will probably not be able TO re-
move and replace more than 1000 office
holders during his entire term, except
Ing fourth-cluss postmastcrs.