Lincoln Story Book, The

<h3>OF TWENTY APPLICANTS, NINETEEN ARE MADE ENEMIES.</h3> <p>Hampered, harassed, and hounded by office-seekers, the President once opened his confidence on this irritating point to a conscientious public officer. He wished the senators and others would start and stimulate public sentiment toward changes in public offices being made on good and sufficient cause--that is, plainly, never on party considerations. The ideal civil service, in a word. Nine-tenths of his vexations were due to seekers of sinecures.</p> <p>"It seems to me that such visitors dart at me and, with finger and thumb, carry off a portion of my vitality," was his saying.</p> <p>His hearer laughed at the image, but the other pursued earnestly:</p> <p>"I have made up my mind to make very few changes in the offices in my gift for my second term. I think, now, that I shall not move a single man, except for delinquency. To remove a man is very easy, but when I go to fill his place, there are twenty applicants, and of these I must make nineteen enemies."--(Authenticated by Senator Clark, of New Hampshire, to whom the confidence was imparted.) [Footnote: Secretary Blaine, out of his similar experience, reiterated the sentiment thus: "When I choose one out of ten applicants to fill an office, I find that nine have become my enemies and one is an ingrate."] <br/> <br/> <br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />