The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-02-03
The WAY the Money Goes.

Fleeing Uncle Sam is proceeding very much
in vogue in these days. If there was ever a
sufferer from being skinned, 1t is Uncle Sam.
Yet how compacently he takes it ALL allowing
himself to be gulled and skinned without groan,
or scarcely so much as q wriggle Now if you
undertake to skin an eel alive, it shows symptoms
Of not relshing the operation making decided
objection to parting with its outside garment
But spectators give Uncle Sam frequent turns
and relieve him of q few hundred thousands or
millions of dollars and he suffers the process
without wriggling. The sharpers, and the
"Harpies" are forever hanging around him,
seeking every convenient opportunity to pounce
upon him and carry of prize. It is aprivilege
that they all seem to take from the highest off,
cial IS wen as private, TO the lowest. Does
Uncle Sam want some work done, some mater
isls furnished, some supplies for his army; there
are plenty of men to "boss " the jobs; but look
ont when the bills come in. If the bills are not
Ave times as much as they ought to be, the con-
tractor would be considered rather green, with
a conscience too circumscribed, and stomach
too weak and altogether unqualified to partake
OF the rich government pap.
Sometimes however it happens {rarely it is
true) that the guardians of Uncle Sam do make
some show of looking after his interests. We
observe that recently the committee on military
affairs In congress have been looking into claims
reported by government agents alledged TO have
been contracted in the Indian war in Oregon and
Washington territories. 1t appears that the
claims reported by government agents amounted
to six millions of dollars; the committee however
who have investigated the matter reported that
about one million was Justly DUE The claimants
made slight mistake or mscalculation in their
accounts They only charged six times too
much, which after oil ID very moderate consider
ing that the charges were against Uncle Sam,
and that he as general thing, will stand every
thing. To give an idea Of the charges, pistols
are charged $55 each, muskets at 1925, oats IS
q bushel and hay $3.50 ton, &C., and then
probably not half of the articles were ever fur.
nished at all, at those rates Uncle Sam would be
good customer.
We have only mentioned this case to show
how government is wronged and Gefrauded.-
Corruption follows in the wake of nearly every
contract neither cabinet or congressman are
exempt and consequently we see the humiliating
sight of committee after committee appointed to
investigate the grossest frauds, the rankest cor
ruptioRs, by government officials, and the cor
ruption and bribery of members of congress. 1t
is humiliating fact that measures are no long
er passed by congress according to merit, b ut
IS the friends and opponents Of the measure can
bring to bear the most powerful lobby or out
side influence Thus it is in matters of legisla.
ton. But in government contracts the engin-
cry of corruption is more open and is scandal
upon our fair government, and he who could
cleanse it from corruption would perform great
er labor by far, than any of the far famed labors
Of Hercules.