The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-16
7 hirty Years OF Congress
By SMITH D. FRY.

That message contained the names
OF the proposed members OF the cahi-
me- The senate immediately went in
10 executive session. and confirmed
the nominations without reference to
committees, because the committees
had not Yer been designated The
nominations were:
James G. Blaine, OF Maine, 10 be
secretary OF state.
William Window. of Minnesota, sec
rotary of the treasury.
Wayne Ncyeagh. OF Pennsylvania.
attorney general.
Thomas L James. OF Mex York.
postmaster general
Samuel J. Kirkwood. OF Iowa, sec
Telary of The interior.
Robert T. Lincoln. Of Illinois. sec
retaTy of war
It was cabinet of viriIity Ali OF
then we're young men. excepting Sec
retaTy hirkwood, but he was a man
Of wonderful physical and mental
power although 6S years of age.
Secretary Lincoln was only .. years
old All of them were beginning affili-
atoms with an administration which
was doomed TO be brief. three of
them were destined particulars 10
regret their alignment with the admin
istration. for three of them. Blaine,
WINDOW and kirkwood. gave up the
most desirable political positions in
the United States; that is membership
IN The United States senate. In the
place OF Senator Blaine the legislature
OF Maine elected VIM. P. FRYE, and he
has been continued in the senate
ever since he took his seat there,
March. 1881 The governor OF Min
nesota appointed 4. j. Edgerton in
place OF Senator Window. The gov
ernor OF Iowa appointed James W.
AcDiH in place of Senator Kirkwood.
mus we're the places OF the senator's
who resigned filed promptly. They
never came back to the senate.
All but one OF the members OF the
cabinet had achieved distinction in
one way or another. Secretary Blaine
nad been senator, speaker Of the house
OF representatives and a prominent
presidential candidate. Secretary
WINDOW had been chairman of the
committee on appropriations of the
senate Secretary Kirkwood had been
q senator and was distinguished as
war governor of Iowa Attorney Cen
eraI McFeagh had won distinction at
the bar as superior lawyer, and had
also been minister to Turkey. Post
master General James had been post
master Of New York City, and was
regarded as the best posted man in
our country concerning postal affairs.
Secretary Hunt had been attorney
general of Louisiana
Attorney General McVeagh ante
dated the pennr-countfng econ
oEnists OF the present day. Ii was he
who first discovered that the govern
ment clerks are easy picking. and de-
serve 10 be treated as shirks and dis
honorable persons. Attorney General
McNeagh began saving pennies for
The government by paving salary to
man 70 count the number of pencils
and eraseTs, rubber and steel. used
by the clerks: also to mark time on
them, lest they steal tine and uten-
sis All of the clerks IN the depart
ment OF justice combined in crime.
could not have stolen $1,000 worth
OF goods in q year: but that amount
was paid in salary to the watch dog
OF the department Ever since that
beginning Of system of persecution
OF government clerks, under mask of
alleged economy. the narrator has
been viewing with amazement how
easy it is TO fool al of the people all
OF the time The people applaud
cheeseparing economy at the ex-
pense Of q splendid assembIage of
clerical workers: but they overlook
wholly the needless waste OF millions
OF dollars annually in other ways.
Suaye but forceful Sergeant Dins.
more guarded the stairway of the
white house leading to the presidents
reception room, and he bufTered of
the crowd of office-seekers who daily
thronged the great East Room. and
the immense entrance corridor. One.
Of the local newspapers on March s.,
1881. printed the following.
Republican senators of influence
are undergoing a steady pressure for
assistance TO obtain office, thar is
perhaps as heavy as that of the presi-
dent Senator Conkling is particular
y besieged; and at the capitol some
times an office seeker is pouring an
application into each ear of the sen
ator At the same time Senators Lo-
gan, Cameron. Allison are also impor
tuned persistently .
There were "lame ducks a-plenty
in those days. One of them, formerly
a representative, was quoted as say
ing
= am wiling to take anything in
sight. from cabinet Office to an
indian agency. am willing to scale
down"
On March II. Captain Loeffler. vet
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