The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-21
GLIMPSES OF WASHINGTON AND SOME OBSER-
VATIONS ON OFFICIAL LIFE.
editorial Correspondence.)

this dialogue followed:
Jones: Don't you live in y
your old town in tndiana?"
Smith: mo, 1 live here"
Jones: "What are you doing here
Smith: 81 have the position in the
Treasury to which Hanna appointed
me in 1899"
Jones: care you still in office
Smith: Eyes, and id still.
While the tenure of office is not
affected as much as formerly by
change in the political complexion,
some of those officials whose salaries
are $500 and upwards think 1t
nrrdent to be id stilP' during a
political campaign.
While salaries are higher in gov
eminent employ than outside. and as
men who wish employment are for
tunate to secure a place under the
civil service, l always hate to see
bright young man take a place in
department in Washington. The pay
is good, the work is mapped out for
him, and there is not the incentive to
S~~AA
forth his best powers. In the case
of a large majority, he develops into
a capable routine clerk. by forty he
loses his ambition. and after fifty he
grows less and less efficient until the
department officials pray for a pension
law so that old clerks could be re-
tired.
When he graduated from college,
James c.. Baine came here with u let
ter to Hannibal Hamlin. then Senator
from Maine. The Senator saw in
young Blaine the making of great
leader. He refused to get him
clerkship. Blaine returned home
greatly disappointed. He became a
school teacher, then an editor, and
missed the Presidency by only Loco
votes in the State of New York.
What a lucky man Cleveland has al
ways been. The old enmity between
Blaine and Conkling gave him the
presidency!
If Blaine had gotten the depart
ment clerkship here. would he have
ever been heard of by the world?
Nearly all the able young men who
are attracted here blythe better sal
aries do not intend to stay in de-
partment work all their ives-that
is they do not when they first come
here. I have in mind now three of
the ablest officials in this city, men
who command good salaries and do
work calling for real ability. They
came here in 1898 to take jobs worth
$4,000, and positions were inviting.
But they fully intended returning to
North Carolina after CleVeland's ad-
ministration. But 1897 found dull
times, they did not see how they
could make $4,000 a year in North
Carolina, and they decided to post
pOne returning to q more convenient
season. They are here yet, doing
work of a high order. and have in no
sense sacrificed their political princi-
pies or their party fealty. The
chances are they will spend their
lives here i'm honorable and useful
service, enjoying more comforts and
getting out of life more than any out
side field promises them. 1t is a
pretty serious thing for a man to
throw over $4,000 salary with
agreeable work and go out into the
world with uncertainty as to what it
has in store for him!
1t is always pleasant to come here.
for, hospitable and likeable as the
people are, they do not have ''Nof
o..
Today / took dinner at the Seaboard
eating house at Norlina, North Caro-
lima. the last station in the Tar Heel
State. What a good dinner it was,
too-de!icious corn, new sweet po-
tatOes as yellow as the pure rays of
a North Carolina sun, fresh butter
milk, butter beans. good North Caro-
lima corn bread and a half dozen
other things. And there was plenty,
too, and the North Carolina darkey
who waited on the table had the in
sinuating grace and courtesy of the
real North Carolina negro. please
have some of this good corn" he
would say with such a persuasive tone
that you feared if you declined you
would hurt his feelings. and when
you feared you would miss your
train if you tarried for desert he
would say: PLENTY of time. Please
have a slice of this cantaloupe and
please try this good ice cream and
cakes, it's mighty good"
When you cross the Potomac you
hear no more of that and if you
should find real good sweet potato
you would be so astonished you
would hardly know what to do. "a
the restaurant here, you pay your
good money for a meal, and if you
have as great a variety as they beg
you to eat at Norlina. it "busts' a
five dollar bill all to pieces and the
waiter, who hods out his hand for
a tip with an air of demanding it,
never helps your appetite by the
persuasive please" of the Norlina
darkey. / think his name is Josh.
Here's to Josh: May he live long and
prosper and may all walters emulate
his ways! BY the way, l sat at the
table with a gentleman who said he
had haadapha and only came