The Washington times., 1911-04-13

Jobs to the right of them, jobs to the
left OF them, but not a name on the
Government payroll. Such Is the pa
thetic condition of the Democratic SIX
Hundred Million, who marched on
WASHINGTON at the close of the Sixty
first Congress, anticipating an early dis
tribution of the slnecures on the po-
itical pie counter of the House of Rep
resentatives If there Is a more dis
gusted band of citizens in all the
United States than those to be found in
every nook and Granny OF the National
Capitol said band has not been heard
from.
When the election returns were all
In last November Democrats through
out the country began looking over the
Government payroll in Washington with
a view of annexing a soft Job. Having
picked out his job, each Democrat wait
ed impatiently for March 4, the date on
which Republican control In the House
died a lingering death, each hungry
Democrat hied himself to Washington
established himself in boarding house
and went up to the Capitol to look over
the furnishings of the office he had de-
cided to occupy for at least two years.
That was on March 4. The Demo-
Gratis are still hanging on to their board
ing house quarters; they are walking
to the Capitol now instead of patroniz-
ing the street cars, and they have be-
come thoroughly familiar with the fur
niture provided.
Some Started Work.
In many instances these Democrats
have actually installed themselves In
offices and are shaving away at Gov
ernment business for the purpose OF
making themselves thoroughly familiar
with the work they expect to do.
Sad as 1t may seem, and pathetic IN
the extreme, these willing workers are
performing a labor of love, for the Re
publicans over whom they had come to
gloat, to oust and ridicule, these self
same Republicans who have been sign
ing Governmental vouchers for sixteen
long years are still signing vouchers
drawing down the pay checks without
doing the work, and the Democrats who
had come to jibe are being jibed.
As the patronage situation In the
House stands today the Repupncan
hold-overs drop around about noon.
putting on a good cigar, asking the
volunteer Democratic workers how they
are getting along, so out and eat lunch
and then go out to the baseball game.
The grief of the Democrats who want
to get on to the pay roll and the Joy
of the Republicans who make 1t impos-
sIble for them to do so is caused by
the inability of the Democratic Leaders
TO settle the patronage question: Every
one thought 1t was settled at the nrst
Democratic caucus, but 1t wasn't. as
Democratic members and Democrauc
constituents well know.
Doubling Thomases.
When the caucus was over it was ar
nounced that there was about S,n
worth of jobs at the disposal of every
majority member. That s.. 100 has now
simmered down to about $500. and every
Democrat has half dozen hungry con-
stituents on his trail, each looking for
goodly portion Of the $500, aud nore
believing the member who talks $500 to
him.
The special committee appointed by
the caucus to deal out the patronage
has been having as little luck with the
members of the House, as the members
have had with their job-hunting consti-
tuents AS result of this unhappy
situation is has been impossible to deal
out the patronage in accordance with
the instructions of the caucus. A move
ment is now on foot to have the caucus
rescind dts action, and to put the whole
proposition up to the Committee on Ac-
counts.
This may be agreeable to the MEM
bers. but it does not satisfy the constit-
uents. In the first place it means that
lot of fellows are going to get lost
in the shuttle. In the second place II
means a prolonged delay, and in the
third place It means that the Republi-
can clerks will go on drawing pay for
work which the Democrats think should
have been turned over to them long ago.
In the meantime the Republicans arc
gleefully enjoying the situation; the
Toor unfortunate Democrat is rolling up
an enormous boarding house bill on the
strength of his prospective job. and sad
dest of all Mr.. Member has reached the
point where he grabs his pocketbook
and hides behind a tree every time he
sees his constituents in the offing. The
daily Democratic touch would become
monotonous were II not so serious
The sad plight Of the Democratic