The age-herald., 1898-06-05
TECHNICS FROM CURRENT TOPICS

l flying squadrons, disease and long, weary marches over dreary. sandy wastes. There is another calamity that strikes horror to brave hearts, and makes the most dauntless intrepid man turn pale with anguish, and that is known by the harmless name of Applicant"
 This genus grows and fourishes most luxuriantly when the atmosphere is sur chargey with excitement, and the political temperature stands at fever heat.
 It increases in size, bulk and pertinacity, according to environment, but like solemn white-faced death. it has all seasons, all hours, for its own.
 The Applicant, who always has a favor to ask, a request to prefer, regards neither time or place. He, She or It (for it is of any sex, any complexion. and any age) considers no locality as sacred, no spot as 1 secure from it's intrusion. | From early morning through the hours of l the long summer day, and into the solemn watches of the quiet night, the Applicant consistently pleads for recognition, from the powers that be, until those powers in | anguish of spirit cry out for relief, and be- l gin to regard suicide as a God-appointed means to bring to them surcease> of sor- | row.
 The Applicant destroys patriotism with l mankind generally, and makes the balance l of the human race long for Chinese flood, | or the Bubonic plague; anything that might destroy portion of the surplus population. | Judging from the telegrams from Wash ington, President Mckinley is suffering | martyrdom from the ubiquitous applicant He is besieged by men who have claims to present before him who come singly, in battalions. or brigades, until he evidently needs police aid and protection. MT. Mckinley has striven In a manly. l statesmanlike way to do his full duty to- | wards the country in this present embrog- lio with Spain, but he has been so over whelmed with the applicant individually and collectively, that his health and reason l are about to succumb to the torturte to 1 which he is subjected. He is being daily l yictimized by the importunate applicant, and seems powerless to protect himself | from its tenacious grasp.
 The energy of the applicant is worthy of l higher cause. It does not sleep, appar- ently day or night, for when the president and governors of the several states are | supposed to be catching much-needed maps at dead hours of the night, the ap- 1 plicant is keeping the electric wires warm l and the messengers tired, with messages 1 begging appointments to military or civil rank.
 I
 The Applicant, like the Orge of fairy tales, always sleeps with one eye open to l opportunity, and he makes the lives of gov ernors and president @ bowling, dismal wilderness with his importunities. 1 General Oates has just stated to the cor respondents that there are only two posi- tons on his staff which he can possibly have any influence in filing and already there are more than 15O applicants for these two offices! General Oates experience is similar to that of every man of elevated ohlclal rank in the country no doubt. The l persistent energy of the office seekers has grown to mammoth proportions, and threatens to destroy the usefulness in measure of many public officers, civil and 1 military.
 
 the fact that each applicant fails to realize that he or she is one of a great and grow ing army, all actuated by the same purpose and striving for similar objects. Every ap- plicant in asking for the officials time bv a simple little sum in multiplication can ready comprehend how the hours are more than filled by this wearing process.
 
 1 Of course the exjpencies of tl,i, x,a.,., have brought about this increased demand | upon the time of stata and national of5- cials, but these public servants deserve some consideration at the peoples hands.
 They are faithful to their dutfes ,,or,,,x early and late; they are conscientions ,r, the discharge of every obligation. and tbev shouid receivei from thefr ooastituen4s . eonsiderate regard for the'r health and Tor their physical comfort. III every state in the union just now similar conditions, brought about oh ef1v | py mere thoughtlessness, exist, and it has l become necessary for the state offic. als in several instances to make certain regula- tions, which will insure them a grea,er amount of that rest which is imperatiyelv demanded because of their onorous dut es | and responsibilities.
 Governor Joseph F. Johnston, who is kept | busy with no let up from o'clock a. m to 7:S0 D. m. every day at Montgomery, not | stopping even for lunch and often working late in the night. has found it necessary to l decline to see any one on Sunday who may call on any matter of business whatever.
 It is the only day he can spent with his | family; the only day when he can secure the slightest relaxation. and he has been compelled to decline hereafter to receive | applicants, listen to applications or c-n- | slider any question of business on Sunday
 All busy people can readily appr c ate | Governor Johnston's DO ition and recognize the necessity for his claiming as his own | one day of the seven.
 l BALL. | NOT HANDICAPPED