The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-09

understood IT does not forbid any head
Of a department to dismiss as many
Of the employees as he likes. But he
cannot appoint to the vacancies any
persons other than thDse who are Of
fer'ed by the Civil Service Commission,
after having passed satisfactory exam-
nations Thus the incentive to dis
charge subordinates for political reas-
Ons IL removed. The reform has had q
marked effect on politics. Naturally.
there IL not 60 much enthusiasm now
adnys among political workers Of the
fice-seeking class. At the same time.
the army of fice-seekers at the OPEN
ing Of a new administration is almost
as numerous as ever. The number OF
available places being limited there
are one hundred applicants for one po-
sition where erstwhile there Were only
half q dozen perhaps.
There are many hardships incidental
to the Presidency, and OF these not the
least is the office-seeking nuisance.
At the beginning OF the present ad-
ministration Mr.. Cleveland made q Ia
mentable outcry about that annoyance
declaring that he eagerness of q cer-
tain class Of American citizens to Sc
cure situations in the governments
employ was shameful and indecent.
Apparently, he forgot that he himself
lLdl pScIL 81 leCtully VII OIlCt-Scchck
and successful one. After the White
House had been subjected to q siege
for several months he put q stop to
the whole business by referring all
place-hunters OF whatever description
to the heads Of the executive depart
ments. During the first three months
of Mr.. Cleveland's present term 5000
letters q day We're received at the White
House. They did not bother him to
hn hull ~ hon
were handled by his clerke, and he saw
only those which he wanted to see.
The President though he never sees
them, gets an immense number Of let
ters from lunaItics of all persuasiOns.
There are thousands Of them on the
so-calledl 'crank file" at the White
House. Some of them contain threats.
More than half Of them are from peo-
pie who have gone crazy over religion,
and these are usually quite incoherent.
Some Of the religious cranks keep up
a regular correspondence with the White
House year after year. If the lunatics
were satisfied with communication
through the mails there would be no
harm, but they are apt to start right
away for Washington whenever they
get out Of the asylum. Some Of them
object to the Presidents occupancy Of
the White House, because they say they
own it: others are proprietors of the
whole United States and want the
Chief Magistrate to take the territory
In trust for them: yet others have pa
tents to exhibit, and occasionally one
turns up with a gold mine to sell.
Women are the most persistent office
seekers. They have two methods-fas-
cination and tears. The former is en-
ployed only by young and pretty ones:
hn Inff ix, th., nj
Not infrequently they wear mourning,
In order to elicit sympathy. They are
willing to da anything-even scrub, II
required. Once having succeeded In get
| ting employment, not thirty days
elapse till they ask for more pay and
extra leave. Well they know mems
weakness in their regard. Old Jerry
Rusk once said: People usually con-
sider me a hard-headed. practical bus
mess man, but / am a id fool where
petticoats are concerned. Men address
to me the most piteous appeals of EN-
ployment, and I coldly refuse; but @
little woman in Il black dress will
come into my Office, flop over on my
desk, and the first thing l know I am
hustling around to find q position for
her with a comfortable salary"
Presidents, like Princes. are frequent
ly accused of ingratitude to their
|
rule, If such it be, was Mr.. Pierce.
After his election an application was
made him by William T.. Colcock for the
place of Collector of the Port of Char
| lesion. All the congressman from South
Carolina We're opposed to him. Never
theless it was asserted by Mr.. Venable,
Of North Carolina, that Colcock would
get the position simply because Pierce
never went back Oh a. friend. Pierce
nd hul In 'nno fn-
gether, and, according to a story told
by Venable, they We're going home at
| night on one occasion In company,
when they were obliged to cross a.
| stream known as Goose creek. Pierce
got over all right, but Colcock fell in
the mud and shouted to his companion
to eXtricate him from the bog. II can't
possibly give you any assistance" re-
piled Pierce, "but II it will do you any
good, I will go back and sit down In
the mud with you" True to Vsnable's
prediction Colcock was appointed to
the Collectorship.
The plan of appointing employees un
der the government by competitive ex-
animation is sometimes referred to
sneeringly as the Chinese system
1t Is true that the Chinese have pur-
sued this method since time immemor-
| lal. lHe eAeCutlNe departments dt ! chill
open at noon and close at 8 p. IN. Cooks
are regularly hired at he Emperor's
cost to supply them with meals The
clerks are not on duty every day, but
are divided into squads which report
for service alternately. Salaries run
from $500 uD, and are paid quarterly.
partly in silver and partly in rice.
| CLEARED HIS CLIENT.