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Show I ifaves 0 Office Seekers.- fl Hunqry Crouds Which Haunt tho White House. I lit miltl"1 CUtthnd Kecenil ThtmA look Inh the rtue Hook and lit I lYiiiti Ptilt"! f n,t IWiimr Office Affiliation ly thllllandifdt of I Thmi"&' eUaltiHe Action Morles of Office Sttteit and the 1'ietldent I dcltl" cad Uarrlion Comfai ed hat Cfiriton i.ald Aiont Harmon I Sct't if A""" J'lltton't Influences Itov a Hoarding I tome II oman I CoUiiUt t Hole The Tiouiltt of IVeildentt fom On la on OJjice Aeck I (, it a I tri ("""""" """' """ ""' I (iniscro-i, March n, 1893 Wash- I Illt0 l fu" f n'C! lnVm I nir iA lho ,,0,c,' ,lic)r ,me I died P ,,ie bonding houses and 1 .en meet them In llio corridors I of ite great departments and In tlic 1 erl,ill of the White 1 louse. The I (If I service rules (cent to make no difference in their demands and I'resi- dent Cleveland has to send nvvay a B Urje number of them c cry day. Ills fl experience during ills hit ndmlnlstra flj uon cmblcs him to dispose of them vv Ith H. refreshing rapidit). lie has fixed hour HI for his receptions and such as Ret past Bl die clerks and his private secretary are flj riven a short audience and are some-flj some-flj tmej turned down with a ord '1 lie HJ President does business rapidly. Ite is jHj iioodjudgeof mennnd he knows the HJ etice seeking type nt n gl ince He does JHJ cot receive office seekers until about ten Bl 0 clock, though they begin to come HI ouch earlier. The) hand In their cards flH to the doorkeepers and tike scats in HJI the ante room At about ten o'clock fljj rretident Cleveland Is ready to Invc HJ them admitted Ite moves about the HJ room from one man to the oilier and HJI often leads one of his Cillers to the HO center of the room and talks with him HJ ioiuch a low tone that he can't be hcird HJ 07 the others sitting nruund Not HJ lafTquenlly he rests himself against his HJ desk as he talks, half sitting on the HJ corner of it, and he disposes of miny HJ cues without even taking the papers jWl shlch each olllco seeker brings with mil h Ml J OFFICES WHICH WILL MS CIIANdLD. fljj I can't Itemize the number ol ofhecs HJ thlcli are open to change at the present ,fla sic The civil service rules, as rigid as jHJj &ey seem, nre cry llcxlblc If the I'resi- flH (lent wants to mike them so, and there Kj is hardly one of the 150,000 places in the WgH rovernment which could not be changed If I resident Cleveland desired It Th're Ate something like 300m cletks til lit hire in Washington, and the number Increases every veir rhi-rc Is a fit book known us the Illue Iljuk, which contains llielr tunics, and this holds as much tvpcasndicdonir),nnd it gives cverv ailirv in the government scrv I e The Illue Hook cin Ix-galteii at tliroiiKli a congressman, and It is made fr pri-v pri-v He circulation 1 ich kenator and each member his tno and there is one in the hinds of cich prominent government otliclil I undcrslind tint n prime llluo Hook his been htely published which tells nil about the offices, their silinis and their duties, and this is being be-ing iulitly distributed nbcut among those who will pi) ngood price for It It Is lirgel) mide tin from the olliciil Illue Hook. Of the llluo Hook proper there arc only about ,ooo copies ixln printed, and this book Is In proportion to the circulation one of the costltst volumes In cilstcrcc. It cost over 6 000 to ml the tpe, and It would taken good tvpesetter ten cars to set it. OPFKH SELMNO LBTTtKS Speaking of ofhee seekers, liic mall has ripldly increaseil in all the departments depart-ments at Washington during the pist month The letters of the appointment clerks arc brought In in bags and Hie othec seeking applications conic In by the tens ol thousinds The appointment appoint-ment clerk of the treasury has 11 score of clerks who do little else than like cite of tills mill, and In the pigeon holes of tills office hundreds of thousinds of pip ers and letters are now filed nway, c-ue-fully indexed and briefed and reidy for use and rcfcrcnce.ln case the men named In them get an appointment It Is the sime in Hie pott office dcpirtment, and 1 was told not long ago that there were something like 400000 npplicitions in oneoflhe depiilments here at Washington Wash-ington awaiting action. The postolhcc applicints usually send voluminous pipers, nndn hundred dolhr 1 cir Job often his more a pen connected with it thin one of the big city postil appointments. appoint-ments. The cindlditcs send In their pipers and rccommenditlons The Invc petitions signed bv the cltliens of their towns and it tikes a lirge number of clerks to put -these Into shine for I'ostmister General Illsscll When n case comes up the postnnstcr general wants 1 brief of It ready for him, and he nkts this brief with him to the White Iloiivlfil ,n nppoinumnt lint II o I le-ultnt haslorotsdci An i'ii!utu civ I smv cc would, 111 fci, largely reduc the work of the iVpnttmi nt, ml it vvill sur rise man) to know tint In omect thrulhee-s nut er tue govitti nient It rtiulis the services ol one man day in anil diy nut to open the mail. sTnnits or omcr sriMuts I'ub'ie 11 ni hut learned t know thit I resld nt C'ev eland dicidesmatlrrs lor hiimeir and the demucrutk semlnrs audripr iirnlntive-ti 1 xlnblt i grrild-nl lesi ronfi leuce than they di I eight venrs ago I rcmiinlier how in Alalinmi unle gallon railed at the W hltc llmise in IHM with n list cf npiwintrienti in their hands and thought that they would catrv iway all tlm ofllcis of lint statu at onetiMt I'rtsldtnt) levilindreciitcd them mil asked wlnt he could dn lor them I heir Wider replied ' Mr l'rasi mr ivi- have ngried upon the names ol thi ufhru fjr Alalmina We tepro sent tie miiu and we nre in perfect hiimunv We would like these inpoint menu in .l. as soon as possible, and here l the list" Clevchntl looked at the leader far a tin ri nt He then moved his ryes sLwl) around over the ret of the delegation, dele-gation, mi I s he seinned the last he said (j ntlemen if )our ntteulion has not )ct I ern cilled to the tenure of ofheeact indthcclvllscrvlceliw permit me to a'.k ou to look at it And with that lie disnii-sed the delrgillon Some ol the men rerummt-nded were appoint ed nnd others wi re not borne of the older senators and members mem-bers who hid been accustomed to bossing boss-ing their dutncts were very much ollcndcd it the way Cleveland imde his appointments and not n few of them cirry llielr resentments witli them toda). You remember h w Andrew Ci Curtin, lho fimous war governor of Pciinsjl-vanla, Pciinsjl-vanla, cilled one day on ( levclmo's assistant postmaster i.eneril. He w anted to hive ncountr) poslnitMer removed nnd he told the postal ofhcnl that he had a demoent to inpoint In tint phec. "Hut," sild the assMant postmaster general, "there are no chirgcs against this man " ' Clnrges," replied Gov Curtin, "why. he Is a republican ind I w int him turned out I wmt the ptice for 1 democrat " "Hut I can t do thit, govrrnor, I must hav 0 come other clnrgcti in tint of republicanism re-publicanism or he will have to stay out his term I have got to hive a charge mide by a reputable person ' "Well. I II file clnrges ni)self," said Gov. Curtin ' You take jour pen and write them down " I ("All rh.ht,"sald Mr Hay, and he begin be-gin to follow the governor. Thc incumbent called I'rcsidcnt Cleveland hid names ' ' llcdid'" was the reply, "why, that's bid " 'When )ou were appointed," Gov Curtin went on 'he sild )ou wcro n dunned copperhcid." 'That's worse," sild the ofhcial, laugiiingashe wrote ''And third and list he called me bad names," Slid Gov. Curtin "Now Isn't that enough? ' 'I think It is." was the reply, "and I w ill order his remoi il " This sime experience wns Ind n dosenpr inlnnii men during I IrviUmU last iidmimstrHlion, I lit many of lli.ni dil not i.et their n polntinenis as did Curt 11 CLkVIII NI)'B IIOMSTV There is cm-thing about CI velinds treatmtnt ol 1 fiice seekers 1U trier tells 11 man h Is going to give him a position w hen In has no Idea 1 f c irri i g mi his ptomise, nnd few people leave the White House with a wrong Imptcs U 11 in this rrgs rd On the olln r 1 an I, when he wiuls tsglvonnian on Hi c nnd cxpi els to f ivi r I lm he tells li 11 nnd he makes lot-Sul Mends b) si t.,ini. It was dilfercut with President Hani ami He never set med to I kc 1 1 erml nfivir, and even niter he had u 1 1, d to giv e n m in w hit ho winted In- 1 1 Id let him 1,0 awn) with the idea Hi i his ntplieaiion wnreiisrd IliKwuiiie rate with an appointment of S ntur Stanford a Slnnfoid, I am told nlkd upon the I'resi lent to urgo the 1 1 1 in mentofn Irund of I Is, but be e ! I let 110 s.itl. fiction legurdingit rint name nflcruoon the nppolutmei t wis sent into the Senile, and il Is . 11 1 th.it it had lelt the W hltc House. In f te Senator Sen-ator Snnford nnilc Ins call m ould never tell Irom Harrison's actii n ur his fice oil which shle ol n question 1 1 w He mldrd himself on the ir in nu k which hcwoic over his feeling n I he argued ngimst the millers whe 1 he most approved He bulldoi I t 1 certain extent his ciblnet, nnd lie u! man who line lho nerve to si it J 1 ut ngalrst him 011 nil occasions w is . re iiiUh Uusk, the becieturv of Agncu tun In plain liuguige Uncle Jerry w mill like i commoiiseuse view of ever) iuesllon ind he would liamniT iilnlo Hnrrivui) Harrison would fnjit him until he left the White House and then, In nine cases out of ten, would adopt Uncle Jeir) view of thcslluitun I wis Hiking the othcrdi) with 1 onfi dential cinphi)c of the l'ost Oflieetle-piitment Oflieetle-piitment about this miller, nnd he slid that this view was the same as that held li) Gen Clarkson Slid he ' Clukson got to dislike I larrlson v er) much before lie left the post olhee I lis generous uittiro and kindly soul wis the reverse of lint of his chief nnd I re member lint one d ly he came Into my ollice with n bundle of pipers in his hind. He hid been up to tea the l'rc-l dent about ionic poslil appointments As wcchitled together he picked up the f tapers and sitdt ' President I larrison t the queerest mm I Invc ever met I hive been at the White House Hiking with him about tomc offices which were to be hi veil to his friends I know thit Ihc men who were to hue th olhees weru his friends and I Ind selected them w itli that lew As ho looked ov er the appointments he found some objection to each of them andnt last I drew in)-self in)-self up In my chair to his surprise and s.lld to him. 'Mr President, )ou arc the queerest character I have ever met Why, it seems to make )on gmnt to do a fivor for a friend I don t understand It. It always make me happy to oblige ni) friends, but It seems to make oU miserable to do likewise. " IltESIDLNTS AND 01 UCK IIOLUI RS. It Is funny to note iioworTccs have I lieen gotten in the past Clrvel itul can-I can-I not he II illered very emit) hut some of jIwIksI nfhiesof ollirr adininUlntlons I hive been seeiired In tills way Audrrw I Jlflt'oti mac a grrnt inmy to loadiing office seel ers, mid i fliee seekers nre the reatrsl toi lies In existence One day during Jaiksous administration n in in rilled at the While House and found ' Jackson smoking an old cla) pipe He egan to talk of tobacco, nnd after he liao dlscuueel the weed lor a few mo menls he said I ' Mr President, I want to ask a f Ivor i of )ou ' I ' And what place la lint?" said Jack son fruivnlns; ns lie saw what he had thoucht to be n friendly call change into an office seeking visit 'All," replied Hit crlngeing office seeker, "I am not nn applicant for a position. At least not now, but my good fuller Is as fond of tobacco asvou . nre, nnd he told me when I cams to I Washington to toll )ou it would be the proudest day of his I te If he could lime I n present from )ou ot one of your I pipes " , jickson hereupon ordered the servant to bring him n fresh pipe and offered I this to Ihc visitor Thr office seeker re-, re-, fused it and said 'No Mr President, let me have the one )ou are using (ive It tome Just as it is with the ashes smoking within II, nnd you will receive tin everlasting thanks of my dear father.' Jackson handed him the pipe and the mm wrapped it up in 1 silk hindker chief and, sa)lng 'Oil, think )ou, think )ou, mid liowetl himself out Jackson wis delighted nnd when the mm s mine came before him In n few di)s niter as an applicant fornnimpor tint place In the Treasury Dcpunncnt he gave It lo him I iltlc things bid (.rcat influence with Gen Jackson nnd the )ouni:min who cwic here to get nn appointment lost his chinceb) linking Irreverent tcmiiks lo President Jackson about n sermon w hlcli the tw o lienrd together , IIOVV A CLlHk's NOtE VV S l DE COOD. The most of the government clerks at Washington nre ),uod piy nnd ) oil will not find n more reputable set of people an) w here. There are now mil thcn,huever,somc who refuse to settle their bond, and Ibis reminds me of lion Andrew Jackson fixed n iasc of this kind. I think It was a clerk in Ihc Trcisury Dcpirtment. who had run behind be-hind with Ids board bill and who, when he was some months In arrears, give a note for Its iiavmcnt I lie note went to protest nnd the womiu filled In get jii)mcnt. I Inall) she went lo Hie Wlilte House and called upon the President Old Hickory received herklndl) and as the told her story Ids c)s snipped When she was through he rrnucsteil her togobick nndgetlhe clerk's note for the entire amount that was ilut her. She replied thai his note wis not good nnd th it It would only cnlill the cost of a protest. President Jackson assured her that this time there should be- no such expense, but said tint slit must bring tht note over to Hie W hltc House blie did so and the I'resi cut took il and w rote on thu bick "Andrew Jackson " "Now, mndim,"said he, "put that In Hie bank and we vvill sec whether Hie rlrrk or I will hive lo pay you that monc) " When the clerk saw the nnteheuis stared half to death He paid It In stsnltr, nnd then went to this White House and promised Jackson that lie would reform TIIK TROUIU.K 01 IKFStnSNIS I resident Cleveland Is having less trouble with Hie (.ffict seekers than any of I Is predecessors His action during his I'usl term has helped him to dispose of them President Harrison never allow ed office see kera to Iwtht r him and the uvil service examinations have seared oft n good many. President William Henr) II ir risen was worried to death by the office seekers, and when irh Piylor was nominated a troop ol oflii-e seekers followed him on lit w a) lo W nslungton and one ol Ihrni actually i slipped his application into Zach'a pin taloons pocket without his knowing it They worried him almost lo death after he got here and il has been the same with all the I residents down to Cine ' land Garfield wis killed by an olhrt Seeker and II was an office holder who pulled Andrew J ickson s nose James Buchanan hadawi) of taking a nun's pipers and chitting to him about other suljects in such a Iriendl) iniunerlhat he was sure he wis going to get his pliee, but he never grimed siichappll rations f.meral Grant often promised apiHiintmems which were never given, and his ilralts were not nlwavs honored y his cabinet ministers I ostmaster (eneril Jewell, it is said once told nil upphcinl who brought n recommend i-lion i-lion Irom Generil Grini tint the President Presi-dent hid but little Influence in this matter, and that he was running the post ofhco depirlmcnt TOlt tORVVIN ON Oil UK KEKKINC Speaking of rccommcndilions, one of the queerest cases I ever hcird of was that relating lo lorn Corwin, who was secret iry of the treasury 1 le II id been in Congress before this nnd had given out letters of rccommenditlnn lo olhce seekers rather ficcl) Among others he give one to u mm for a pi ice in the trcisury ilcirtmrnt 1 ho mm look It, hut filled to get Ihc appointment. When Corwin wis appointed secretiry of thu treisury he bobbed up serenely and isked for a plice "Wlnt reccomnicn-dilloushive reccomnicn-dilloushive )ou?" said Corwin. "I hive this "wis the renl),nnd the mm thereupon put befirc tlicsccrcliry ol the treasur) his own Indorsement, which was signed ' Tom Corn In " "And did this not get )ou an appointment appoint-ment under the former secretary? 'asked Mr. Lorn In. '.No," wis the reply "it did not. 'Well, if it wish I strong enough to get )ou a pi ice then, ' answered the gcnlil loin, I don't think it ought lo be strong enough to glvu )ou a place now," nnd he refused to give Ihc mm Hit place Corwin alwi)s tiled to persuade per-suade )oung men from entering the goiernmeiit departments He slid they were Hie worst pliccs In thu wcild lor )oung men, and he advised one mm who called upon him while he wns secretary of Hie treausry to get an ax and nmittock and put up nlognbiii rather than take a government ofhec. Sild he 'J in a) cjvq )on a place today nnd I cm kick you out tomorrow. And there Is another mm over there at the White House who ran kick me nut, nnd the people by nml li) can kick hlniotiL, nnd so it goes Hut if you own aimers. ' of land it Is jour kingdom nnd your cabin Is) our c-istlc ouatcasovcrtljn and)ou vvill feel it in every throbbing of vour pulse nnd every diy of your life will assure me of )our thanks for this advice " It wis the sime with old benitor Chac who, when Silmun P. Chase, nfierwird rhl'l Justice, asked for n government office, told him he would Mve htm r dolhr to buy him a spade to go out md dig for n living hut that ho would not ruin him I y putting hint Into the employ of Uncle bun This is the same toihy There Is no worse (lace In the world for a )onng man thin the government olhees of W ashlngion The clerks alter l time become be-come pure maehines aril there Is less snap energy and get up nnd get inside those great government dcpirtmenls than there is anywhere hi the American rontinent outside of the West India Islands. I raxk C. Carfentkk. |