The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-07-23


Earn Their Pay or Quit-Seoretar,
NagePs ldeas-Leeslators at SEASIDE
Resorts-Summer Gossip of the Ma;
tionaI Capital.
Washington, July 2O.-[Special. /
The feeling among congressman seems
TO be that in the coming session there
should be an investigation of the meth
DDS of appointing clerks to the CLASH
fed service and also to look into the
system under which promotions are
made in the departments at Washing
ton and in the principal cities of the
country, where so many government
employees are to be found Charges
have been freely made by some of the
most prominent and active Republican
senators and representatives that
merit is not being considered as gen
orally as it should be either in max
ing the original selections or in pro-
noting men and women after they get
a fOothold in the service. The civil
service commissioners claim that if
there is anything ''rotten" in the meth
Outstanding is that when the investi
CATION is under way some attention
will be paid also to the plan of max
ing the consular appointments, which
are supposed to be through merit
There is a suspicion in the minds of
many congressman that a few states
would not get the lions share of these
DnnSnun1t nd
strictly carried out, for it specially pro.
Vides that the states whose quotas are
not full should have the first appoint
ments.
An Object Lesson.
In the early part of June, when Sen
ator Gallinger of New Hampshire sug-
gested that the senate should have
the usual copious supply of lemonade,
the price of lemons was $3.50 per box,
Since then the duty has been heavily
advanced in the senate tariff bill, and
the senate appears to realize that deal
ers in lemons have made this action
pretext for raising the price to $3.50
a box. Whether the real situation jus
titles this jump in lemons or 1t has
ject lesson is a question that is being
argued in legislative circles. When
the duty was increased upon lemons II
was generally admitted that the price
would go up somewhat but it was not
expected that it would be in advance
of the passage of the tariff bill
Secretary NageI Cleaning House.
Secretary Nagel of the department
of commerce and labor is about the
most feared man in public life just al
present, so far as the government |
clerks are concerned. The tall Mis- |
sourian has been shaking things up in !
his department, and if reports are true |
there is soon going to be a veritable
earthquake for a large percentage OF |
the clerks under his jurisdiction. Mr..
Nagel has been under the impression
for several months that his depart,
ment needed wedding out and has
been taking steps to that end. 1t is
common talk that more than a hun.
dred clerks are going to be dropped
from the rolls shortly on account of
inefficiency, and a great many others
in the lower grades. The proficient
ones are to be advanced. The state.
ment is made also that in filling va.
cancies that will occur greater care
will be exercised in securing COM
petent men and women. The census
bureau is under Secretary Nagel, and
as about 1900 additional clerks are to
be employed in that bureau within the
next year Mr.. Nagel evidently desires
that a fine working force shall be Sc.
cured.
Slipped Away For Rest.
While the cOnferees were wrestling
with disputed items I'm the tariff bill
a large percentage of the senators and
representatives took advantage Of the
situation to visit the nearby seaside re-
sorts and wrestle with the waves. II
was really the first good opportunity
most of them had had I'm nearly three
months to leave Washington. for they
had to remain here and listen to the
scores of roll calls on this or that
item in order that they might be able
TO say they were on deck right along
while the question of revision of the
tariff was under way in the senate.
Interest In New York MayoraIty Fight.
Congressman are discussing at pres
ent with lively interest the coming
fight over the mayoralty of New York
One reason for this is that ii is with
in the range OF possibilities that
couple Of members of the house may
be put up agains each other. Repre-
sentative Olcott is being mentioned as
n candidate by the Republicans, and
fer some time IL has been whispered
that Representative Sulzer might be
trotted out by Tammany. The leaders
OF that organization are reported to
be discussing Sulzer on account Of his
strong pull with the masses. Person
ally they do not love him, but they
are said TO he impressed with his run
ming qualities. and 1t is all important
for Tammany this year TO pull out a
victory. Few of the New York pOli.
ticians think there is going to be any
fusion movement in the big city this
time. They are rather Of the opinion
that the Republicans will go il alone
in their effort TO dislodge Tammany.
CHARLES W. ARTHUR.
a Bitter Disappointment.
"when was in Paris" remarked