Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-09-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
rsrECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


PRACTICAL APPLICATION-Sec-
retary Gage has seen his way to doing
an act Of justice which his predecessor
studiously avoided. This is the promo
tion of George Simmons to be chief OF
the stationery division of the treasury
department. This is a practical applica-
tion Of the merit system which meets
with universal Commendation in the
department and among outsiders who
have to do with that part OF the depart
mental business. Mr.. Simmons was
second in command at the time that
Logan Carlisle made his first test case
in getting rid of the "indispensabl bles'
by summarily dsmissing Mr.. Sturte-
want. the veteran chief of the stationery
division, without a charge against his
record for uprightness or efficiency.
The case attracted national attention
at the time. Carlisle had personal
crony whom he wished in the place, but
the decent press of the country made 1t
so hot for him that he changed his plan
and induced Samuel Roads of Massachu-
setts, very reluctantly. to come here and
take 1t, so as to carry out the pretence
of having had no Interior motive in dis
missing Sturtevant. 1t was represent
ed to his father, the secretary at the
time, that if Logans purposes We're
honest. and he had dismissed Mr. Stur
tevant for the good of the service, as he
pretended, his best way of proving it
would he to promote Mr.. Simons to
the chiefship, where his practical ex-
perience and efficiency would be guar
anty of the good conduct of the govern
ments work. That was too much of a
concession to the spirit Of civil service
reform to suit young man who had
made up his mind to try conclusions
with the friends of good government at
his first opportunity The confidence
which Secretary Gage and Assistant
Secretary Vanderlip feel in Mr.. Sim
mons is shown by their turning over to
him the handling of the special force of
clerks employed in connection with the
new bond issue. His promotion will rot
interrupt this detail, but when he goes
back to the treasury building he will go
In with new dignities. 1t is of interest in
this connection to know that up to the
present date, with all the miscellaneous
assortment of clerks employed on the
bond work, no irregularities have been
T., ported. In one division nearly three
quarters of million dollars in legal
tender money, sent in by subscribers for
small shares of the loan, have been
handled without the loss of a penny, so
thorough has been the system of checks
and balances, and so careful has been
tha official supervision. Charles Lyman,
who has been chief Of the stationery d.
vision since Mr.. Roads resigned, has
been transferred to the vacant Office
of appointment clerk in the absence OF
Ma jnr Rrackett, who goes abroad as
secretary to the Paris exposition COM
mission. Mr.. Lyman, il will be recalled.
was for several years member Of the
civil service commission. Probably no
person in Washington has better gen
oral acquaintance with the personnel of
the departmental service. and this is a
great advantage to him in his new post
of duty.
AN OHIO JOKE-There was some
thing bordering on the humorous in the
report that was telegrsphed over the
country the other night stating that
John r.. Mclean of Ohio was to succeed
General Alger as secretary of war. Mr..
Mclean is tolerably we'll known through
out the country as fighting Democrat
whose newspaper. the Cincinnati En-
Gurer, represent about everything In
politics that the Mckinley administra-
tion does not. In fact. it would be difti-
cult to name a prominent man in the
whole country who would rot be sooner
considered in connection with the Nc
kin'ey cabinet. The inwardness of this
It port is now revealed by the announce
nent that the Democratic state conven-
ton is assembling in Ohio. and the foes
Cf Mr.. Mclean concocted this tale on
tho eve of the convention, with view
tn making 1t appear that Mr.. Mclean
was a base traitor to his party and had
gene over to the enemy after the flesh
pats. That is the sort of political tao
ties they resort to in Ohio in great emer-
gencies.
OLD CAMPAIGNER GONE-Colonel
Isaac S. Tchenor. 50, an old and we'll
known resident of this city, is dead. He
was born at Trumansburg. N. Y, but
had lived in Washington since the close
of the civil war. He enlisted in the army
in 1861. and for distinguished gallantry
at Bull Run. Chantilly and other battles
was promoted to various grades until at
Fredericksburg in 1862 he became a
colonel of the Thirty-fifth New York,
At the close of the war he was appointed
to the third auditors office Of the treas
ury department, and i'm 1882 he received
an appointment as auditor and con-
troller Of the District of Columbia. He
served in this capacity until the begin
when his place was given to Demo-
crat.
SECRETARY LONGS FAITH-Sec-
retary Long presents what may doubt
less be regarded as the opinion Of the
president and generally of other men,
bers of the cabinet when he says that he
not afraid of "imperialism" His mean
ing Is that he has faith in the unbound
ed common sense Of the people Of the
United States and confidence that the
results of this war; in territorial acquisi-
tion and in what may be called colonial
responsibility. will rot sweep the coun-
try away from the funda mental princi-
ples of it's government. The new prob
lens to he presented will not be beyond
the elasticity of our national intelli
eence to solve. The faith Of Secretary
Long will be justified by our works.
what the Children Might Do.
Smith, the Good Father--When l
H.