The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-04-10


all, Is sheet anchor to the Democratic
hope for retaining control Of the next
house.
April promises 10 be a month OF some
Significance In national politics. There
is special election of Representations
in the Patterson, New Jersey, district,
where Democrats are having great aft.
6eulty in holding their own. ~
McReynoids slow to Act
Patronage delays are causing griev.
Gus murmurings in Democratic quarters.
Perhaps the situation Is most acute as
to nominations which the President ok.
poets recommended by Attorney uen-
esal MeReyholds. The latter, it
seems, is getting into hot water every
now and then with senators, who think
he is naking too much trouble. The
Attorney General, undoubtedly sup.
ported by the President Is setting very
high standards for Democratic officials
who have TO DO with the administration
Of Justice. Praiseworthy as that mhy
be, the Attorney General Is not enough
Of politician to handle the patronage
OF his department taetfully. He IL hn
office lawyer and is very much at home,
studying abstruse legal questions. He
is not quick at reaching combinations
about men. He let's District After
neyship situation get tangled baaiy,
where quick and early action would
save him and others concerned. \
The Attorney General, Of right,
ought not TO be pestered with these
patronage contests. He has enough
else TO DO but there seems no way out
Of II. Somebody must decide the con.
| tests and brief the cases to the Pres.
ident. Unfortunately, however, Mr..
MeReynolds, the while he is striving
Earnestly 10 rear high standards for
the public seyviee in his department, IL
enraging many Senators.
81 am unaware Of the special objec
ton Mr., McReynolas rnises TO my can.
didate for district attorney said 4
Democratic senator, who Is man of
unquestioned probity and leader Of the
bar in his own state. 'tHe has sent
| special agents around to make inqulr-
les. j know the qualities Of the man
| | have recommended. could answer
all the questions any special agent had
to ask more fully, perhaps, than any
body he could seek out. And ] have IN
idea that my acquaintance with the
lawyers In my state fits me possibly TO
say with more assurance than anybody
| else here in Washington who would
make a good district attorney, credit
able 10 the administration and credit
able to the state
Candidates Closely scrutinized.
Ma. ,...,,,;..4to.. ...l,;.h .,,t..ht 4 49,.
been expected six months ago, have
not been decided upon. probably new.
er before have so many officials been
| giving so much time for 80 long Q
period in sitting out the qualifications
ofcandidates and trying to obtain com.
petent men for the public service. The
process liz an onerous one. The mum
Der of high federal officials Is larger
than ever But, although criticism Of
| the administration has ragged vigorous
ly at times, there has been .eompa.
atively little said against the character
and capacity Of men President Wilson
has nominated. The heft Of work IN
making these nominations will hard y
be disposed of for-six months. ~ Y
No one knows with any particular &c.
curacy how many people get their liv
ing by working for Uncle Sam. The
question is frequently asked OF the
/ civil service commission and Of officials
at the Capitol. There are government
blue books every two years, but they
by no means tell the whole sto<y. These
books give the salaries, place of birth
and a little other kindred information.
But thousands upon thousands OF gov.
eminent employees are not listed there.
/ Rough estimates are made that there
are over 100000 persons on the govern
ment pay rolls, which does not Include
about 900, 600 pensioners. The force re-
CURED to operate the postal system il
now approaching 500, 600 people. The
need of some accurate roster il much
felt and various propositions have been
advanced for getting IL. One Is 10
authorize the civfl service commission
| to prepare il. A card index of en-
/ ployes could be gathered without great
I difficulty, If congress would only give
the authority TO do IL. During the last
fifteen years, Il is believed the mum.
Der of Federal employees has doubled.
An old timer 1T the Capitol recently
recalled that Thomas A. Hendricks, af-
terward Vice President, made a pcani.
paign in the 'TOs emphasizing, as a
criticism of the Republican admins,
tration, that it had I00,0O0 persons on
the government pay rolls. y" D."
Special List Suggested. "A
One OF, the suggestions for furnishing
information TO the public is that there
should be printed in a'bool lbiennially