Evening star., 1934-01-14
Fifty Years Ago
in The Star

The Star Of January Is, 1884. prints
an interview with a lately retired As
=, sistant Secretary
Uouble-Crosslng of the Interior.
the Applicants. tsms Wno ras ,es had III the
main burden of the dispensing of pa
tronage giving an interesting closeup
view OF the way in which congressional
influence was exerted in behalf OF de-
serving partisans He said:
"I have had a member Of Congress
call upon me and introduce a con-
stituent. He would say, Mr.. Blank,
this Is Mr.. Brown of my district, and
I want to tell you he is the best man
in 1t. without him our party couldn't
carry the district. Now want place
for him, and I must have it. He de-
serves 1t, for he has done more hard
and effective work for his party than
anybody know Of. have never asked
you for much, because ! wouldn't try
to put man on you unless he was en-
tirely worthy. and I think that when
you consider Browns claims, backed by
my earnest request, he ought to have q
place. have promised him something,
and I am determined he shall have it.
Now II you will just Ak him up, prom
ise not to trouble you again for q long
time. All want Is to see Brown well
placed, so that he can bring his family
and he has nice one, too-here with
him.
"I would listen," continued the ex-
official. "and say: Well, Mr.. M. c., l
can't promise you anything just now,
friend I'll look around and hope to
be abls 10 find something for him. De-
light would shine upon Browns counte-
nanca He would begin to feel that he
was VIZ near the object Of his desires.
The M. q. would shake hands cordially
with me and leave, urging me to act
promptly. Within half an hour, or less
In many cases, the NJ c. would come
back alone and, drawing q chair up
near enough to talk In q whisper, he
would say: Look here, you mustn't think
was serious in what I said about
Brown. He and his friends have both
cred me so that I have just been forced
to promise to do what could for him
do want a place, but I've got q man.
Smith, that want to put in 1t. II I
had told Brown I couldn't do anything
for him he wouldn't believe me, 50 /
want him to think I am doing all
can and he'll be just as well satisfied
IT have had that done with me, not
once but scores Of times, In the many
years of my public life. And there's
another class who come in with con-
stituent or perhaps without him, and
soy: Mr.. Jones. Of my district insisted
upon my getting him q place, and I
had to promise to recommend him. He's
fair sort of man, as men 60; writes
q pretty good hand and perhaps would
,I4 svH onl
of a man of that sort you might take
him. Now have done what I prom
ised. Good day. They damn the man
with faint praise, and then tell him
they have done their best for him.
"A large proportion Of the troubles
and annoyances Of Office seeking and
Office giving grow out Of the insincerity
of public men. OF course, the man
whom I have designated as Brown.
believing that his member Of Congress
Is sincerely working for him, feels hope
full of success. He remains in Wash
ington on expense all the time, think
ing that he will get q place. His MEM
ber must keep up the deceit he Is prac-
ticing by encouraging Browns hopes.
He will say: You heard what said to
them at the department, and you know
they promised to find q place for you
II possible And after weeks or months
Brown goes back home, disappointed
and out Of pocket, and probably de-
nouncing the head Of the department,
entirely ignorant Of the duplicity his
member has practiced upon him. II
Congressman and department officers
would only deal frankly with applicants
for ONCE o great deal Of trouble and
disappointment would be avoided. But
they won't, and I suppose never will"