The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-03-04
OFFICE SEEKERS
GETTING IN LINE
Day OF Democratic Good Things
in Washington Is Now
About to Dawn.
By Ernest G. walker.
(Mail Special to The Advertiser

inaugural vanguards are already in
Washington. Although it is a little
more than two weeks before Mr.. vii /
son takes the oath of office as Presi- |
dent, numerous interested persons are
arriving on the scene. Now and then |
it is one from the rural regions who
comes with an ancient gripsTek in hand.
He recalls to the oldsters types of |
Democrats who "showed up' twenty |
years ago when Cleveland was inaugu
rate for the second time.
Office seeking is not quite the kind |
of occupation it was back in those days. /
Men are not coming to Washington as
eagerly as they did after the election |
of 1892, but some of these "sooners'
now walking the streets of the Capitol !
and hunting down their congressman on
the hill are men who were after the |
jobs in 1928. Writing and telegraph
ing do not satisfy them. They believe |
in the efficacy of appearance in person |
and of camping on the ground till there
is final answer. Many an unknown |
Democrat, without any unusual endorse
ments, came to Washington when Cleve
land entered the White House, obtained |
an audience in some manner, looked |
well to the President IS eye, and was
started upon career of prominence.
Presumably President Wilson will not |
hand around jobs on this plan, but |
there are Democrats who propose to
come down to Washington and find out |
for themselves. While President Cleve-
land was very discerning and could |
"size up" an applicant rather quickly, |
the more modern way is to get his rec.
ord at home and judge him rather by
what his business and political asso.
ciates say of him. The office seekers
are generally aware of that nowadays. |
In the story books they come down to
Washington, carrying a roll of bills, |
stop at first at the best hotels, and |
make their application. Then as the |
money gives out, they get cheaper ac-
commodatiOns, and eventually land in a
boarding house, glad to accept a job |
as Washington street-car conductor. |
1t makes beautiful story, as empha.
sized in "The Texas Steer,'' but offices
are not won or lost at Washington that
way in these modern days. Most of
those who visit Washington on such |
errands make their soiourns brief. They |
hunt up their "influence," ascertain
the prospects and return home to
"hustle up" more endorsements and to
lombard their Congressional friends
with communications.
An important Gathering.
The meeting of the Democratic ma
tional committee here at Washington
March will interest the seekers for
official place. One subject of the meet.
ing is to discuss methods for bestowing
patronage. Before they leave Washing
ton the nationa ! committeeman will
want to know how much authority they
are to have. AS Chairman McCoombs
enjoys the confidence of Mr.. Wilson, he
should be able to give the committee
men some very definite information on
that point. In Alabama or other solid
" Democratic States, where there is
complete quota of Democratic represen-
tatives and Democratic senators, the
members of the national committee will
probably have very little say about
patronage, because they are members of
the committee. Outside of the solid
South, which means in about two-thirds
of the forty-eight States membership
in the Democratic national committee
may mean a great deal more during the
next four years. That should be spe-
cially true in the few States that have
none, or almost no Democratic repre-
scntation in congress.
A Patronage Board2
Accounts from Jersey that national
referee board to dispose of routine
patronage are not much credited here.
There would be such a roar of protest
that no President could stand out
against it. Democratic senator's and
representatives will insist upon dictat.
ing local patronage themselves and the
Democratic senate can he depended
upon to obtain for them that privilege.
In the old days Presidents depended
much upon the national committee
chairman, whose judgment about gen
eral appointments to Office was often
accepted as final. 1t was not altogether
a bad practise, if the national chairman
was the right kind of man. The
President was relieved of distasteful
tasks in listening to delegations and
their opportunities. But the chairman
of the national committee became of
small influence in patronage contests
under Roosevelt and likewise under
Taft.
High Court Of Appeal.
Some are looking for a restoration
Of the national Craftsmanship TO its for
mer importance under President Wilson.
Whether Mr.. McCoombs goes into the
cabinet or not, he may become high
court of appeal 10 advise the President
about the fitness Of persons for a wide
variety of ordinary federal Offices. He
might also perform very useful ser.
vice for the President in aseertaining
who could properly be- rolled upon IN
many States There viii be- great need
Of such men, both from the standpoint
Of the general welfare and Of the party
welfare, during the months that the
neW administration H. getting upon iis
fest Ia fact there IL as due au op
p0HunitY for "A eiiairmhn If ihf nH
ilonal committee 20 serve ne President
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