Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-10-17
THE OFFICE SEEKERS.
They Are Already Abroad in Every
Nook and Corner.
The "statesman" who Knows How tc
Treat Thorn Well Usually Remains
m Congress for n Great
Many Years.
LspeeIal washIngton Letter.l

II was in the summer of 1889, and a
scorching hot day. 1t was in the rooIu
of the senate committee on public
lands. Frank Flenniken, the clerk of
the committee, was hard, at work. lie
was always hard at work, because Sen
ator Plumb was a hard worker, aau it
required a good worker to keep pace
with him. Frank Flenniken was equal
to the task.
EX-Gov. Ike Sharp was there. Jim
Beacon, of Smith Center, had just come
in. There were five or six other Kan
sans in the room when Senator Plumb
entered. He said: Hello, boys" and
went to Flenniken to give directions
about some business, when jim Beacon
walked over and said: "Plumb, gimme
a handshake."
The senator turned around, took Bea
cons hand and shook it heartily, say
ing: always glad to see you, jim;
but what do you want to shake ha2Gs
for? Are you going away"
mo, I'm not going away" responded
Beacon; "but l sort o. want to get
warmed up, and you're warmer"
Isn't this day hot enough for you2"
inquired Plumb, who still held Beacon's
hand while with his left he wiped a
perspiring forehead.
1T seems mighty chilly to me- re-
sponded Beacon. II supposed it was
hot day, but I've just been calling
ON Ingalls, in his committee room up
stairs and ! got pretty thoroughly
chilled"
Ingalls, chilled many people. He be-
came aristocatic and naughty. lie
didn't like office seekers. and Jim Tea
con wanted to be postmaster. He knew
that Plumb would not chill him, FOR
he was always a good handshaker and
genial with all of his constituents. So
Beacon sarcastically alluded TO ingalls,
in that manner to show his disresIcct
for Ingalls, and his high regard for
Plumb at the same time. 1t was the
chill which he impaired to many of
the common people that struck in one
year later, and the people gave Ingalls,
the cold shoulder by electing PETER in
his place. Even the Office seekers be-
lieve that they have some rights.
When Frank Hattou was made first
assistant postmaster-general he was
placed in charge of the fourth-class
post offices and controlled the appoint
ments of upwards Of 40, 900 pos tmas;ers.
His room was daily filled with Jtilce
seekers and their friends. After he
had been in his high Office for about a
week, asked him one morning how he
managed to treat all of those Office
seekers with such patience and urLHn-
ity, and he replied:
"Tve just been an Office. seeker my
self. Those people have as much right
to seek Office as had, and it 10 my duty
to treat them politely, just as l expected
and received polite treatment when !
was seeking this office"
That is the sensible way to look at
the subject, but there are few men ~ho
attain high positions and remember
tina: they were recently Office seekers
themselves. Thus it is with senators
and representatives. They solicit the
suffrages and favors of the people, be-
cause they want Office. When they at
tain the object of their ambition, they
should not forget that others have a
right to seek preferment, and have a
right to expect the assistance of :he
men whom they have put forward as
their representatives..
The Office seeker is abroad in the land
to-day. No matter who shoil be in
augurated next March. there will be
hordes of Office seekers in the national
capital. They will call upon their SEN
ators and representative and the men