The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-08
WHY GROSvENOR is so HOT.
TALKS TO PLEASE DISAPPOINTED
OFFICE SEEKERS.

Reform Law-COngreSsmRn Adam
son Takes steps for the Benefit of
HIS COnstiuentS-Incren In Mex
lean Pensions Asked.
Washington, Jan. 6.-The army of office
seekers stranded in Washington are the
most interested and consistent listeners to
the general debate on civil service now in
progress in the House of Representatives
1t is pitiful to note. in many instances. the
amount of comfort and consolation some
Of the members of the army derive from
the buncombe speeches. made by the op-
ponents of the existing civil service law.
These poor devils, who came to Washing
ton expecting to secure employment UNI
der the present administration are stH
here in great numbers. and they haunt the
white house day after day s.in hoping
that the President may give them that rec
ognition, which they We're innocent enough
to expect would be meted out to them when
Mckinney presided over the executive
mansion.
II you so to the white house any morn
Ing after $3.50 O'Clock, you Will ind the cor
rdor just outside OF the Presidents office.
crowded with men and women, many of
them poorly clad, wearing anxious faces.
and patiently, but hopefully. waiting for
an opportunity to pour into The Presidents
ear their tale of woe 1t is a rare instance
now when the casual office seeker secures
an interview with the President In the
early days of the administration the Pres
idents door was open TO ali Corners. and
he gave the glad hand to all conditions of
callers without regard to the nature of
their business. Even Private Secretary
Porter is less get-at-able in these days of
the new year He seldom remains in his
office, which adjoins that of the President.
He seeks the seclusion of the long narrow
room across the corridor, in which the
telephone and telegraph instruments are
located. There he has dainty ,tttio desk
at which he attends to his correspondence
free from the annoyance of office seekers
and persons desiring to consult him about
arranging interviews with the President
In the meantime the messenger outside of
Mr.. Porters door informs al visitors that
Mr.. Porter IS not in his Office at pres, mt.
but will probably return soon. Mr. Por-
ter usually remains in seclusion uatiI the
hour is passed for visitors to be admitted
to the upstairs Offices so the weary place
hunters leave the white house and wend
their way down Pennsylvania avenue to
the capitol, where they are gaid to crowd
into the warm galleries and listen to
Messrs. Grosvenor. Pearson, and other al
.eged opponents of civil service reform
lombard that much-abused law.
These speeches have just the effect upon
the office seekers they are intended to
have. All the applause is given to those
gentlemen, who assume great Indignation
ana shatter the atmosphere with rhetorical
brick-bats because the civil service Jaw
blocks the way of the political spokesman.
1t is amusing and at the same time pa
thetic to observe how the hungry place
hunters drink in the utterances of the anti
civil service speakers. 1t was while Mr..
Grosvenor the champion of the crusade
against civil service, was maxi
ing one of his characteristic
speeches, that / overheard some of
his colleagues seriously question his
sincerity in this connection. 1t was sug-
gested that Mr.. Grosvenor, as the orizi-
nal and only authorized statistlcian and
predictor of the Mckinley movement. OK
pected to have powerful influence and
control large amount of patronage un-
der the present administrations His
friends and supporters in Ohio and else
where expected great deal more of him
than he has been able to give them Ii
would never do for him to confess that
he was aware all the time that the supply
of federal patronage is limited to very
small scale, and that there are others
who have claims upon the administrator.
Such an admission might reduce the es-
innate of his power and Importance ac-
corded him by his followers. Now having
received his share of the spois and placed
it where 1t would do the most good. he
proceeds to try and make himself solid
with the disappointed and disgruntled
members of his party by organizing a
windmill battle against civil service re-
form. The crafty old fox eudeavors to
placate the pie brigade by telling them
that if it was not for the existing law
he would be able to give every mothers
son of them a job; and many of them be-
lieve him.
Representative Adamson has opened up
the new year with a number of PROPOSE
tons for legislation In the interest of his
cons tituents. He has introduced a bill to
pay the war claim Of S. III. Hill, Of Column
bus, which amounts 10 $l,2.0 This is mer-
itorious claim, having been passed upon
favorably by the committee on claims, and
also passed the Senate. There are crcum-
stances surrounding this claim which in
duce Judge Adamson 10 feel confident that
he viii secure favorable action upon il be-
fore. the present session terminates.
Although Judge Adamson is not a pen
sion grabber,' he feels that under existing
law his constituents are entitled to fair
deal in the matter of pensions. He has.
therefore Introduced a number of bills pro-
vidng for increases in the following Mex
ican pensions Hershal r. Watkins, Of Car
roll J. l.. Strickland of Troup county; r..
II. Woods, of Coweta; ]. II. Jones, Sr., OF
Chsttahoochee.
Judge Adamson Is also looking after the
extension of certain mail routes in his dis
trict with view TO securing increased ia
cilities. Although not able to have a voice
In the distribution of the postoffice pat
ronage. he is very popular al the postoffice
department. and there is a disposition to
assist him in obtaining improved mail ia
cilities In the Fourth"
THE BLOW AT BILLY PATTERSON.
Who Struck Billy flight on His
tOric Incident.
From the Punxsutawney News