Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-06-30
The I,rKLL1erscER Oh .Pxs,rosxp PA.


rEEs."-Tbe National Inteflig,pcer, a paper
which has been aptiy described as diving and
breathing only upon public plumber" this
morning undertakes the neighDorly task of
mi<representing the amount and character of
the Government advertising received by its
city cotemporaries; and IN doing so quotes a
Senator as asserting that the Chronicle and
STAR have received $4,000 apiece for this class
OF advertising. Now, the IntetfgeRcer knows
PERFECTLY we'll that the Senator was mis-
taken, and that not one quarter tie amouat
st1tSd had been Teceised by the papers in
question: the InteHigeHcer knows this fact per-
1eetly well, for NO paper is better posted than
itself in regard 10 Government advertising
And yet with the knowledge that the whole
amount received by these papers is but a frac.
non OF that stated, II goes on TO declaim voci-
1eTously about extravaganza" and the sswas,e
OF the public money without benefit to the
public This, coming from the LsteiligsRccT,
rs certainly the sublime Of impudence. Mil.
lions OF dollars of thepublic money, the hard.
earned taxes of the people, have, first and last
been squandered 70 sustain that rotten con-
Germ There never has been a moment in its
existence that il has not hadit arms in up to
the elbows in public plumber. Its histor v
Is one string of jobs, Jobs Jobs; book
Jobs, printing jobs, advertising Jobs,
whisky Jobs, appointment Jobs, II is
4 notorious fact that, nj this moment, with
out law and against law it gets more adrertisi,ag
7dy from TIE Government Treasury than either Of
IN papers designated by Congress 10 do this adrer-
usif9' And yet, in the faee of these facts, the
IHtethge"eer has the eifrontery to talk about
waste of the public money in Government ad
vertising, The outrageous case of the ten
thousand dollars Of the public money paid by
some Departmental hocas pocus to the
InietiiSeHcer, without law or authority,
or the slightest excuse, for reporting
the Arsenal Trial is specimen of the
way the people OF the country have
been taxed TO support that prof igate journal
Any other paper might, with the same proprie-
~, have sent IN bill TO the Government for
publishing, as news matter, the report OF
This uIal; but the InteIIigencer, with ITS keen
scent for any source Of plumber, terrene or sub
teITane, put In its modest little bill of Sl0oH,
and with that good fortune. which is said to
be- Intimately associated with sscheek," got il!
The outery Of the IHfeHiqeacer, in regard to
The Congressional advertising, Is quite evil
othtiy designed to divert attention from
the manner in which II is so industriousIy
bleeding the public Treasury without color of
law Inc Government advertising prescribed
BY Law n very small matter. II amounts as
been reported. This fact can be easily settled
ny inquiry at the different Departments, If
There Is any doubt about il. As regards the
question OF advertising contracts IN Washing.
Tor papers, We hold that the Government
would be the gamer by having all its proposals
advertised officially at the seat of Government
HE contractors throughout the country would
ihen nave central point to ascertain what the
Government wishes 10 purchase, or has to sell
suppose there is proposal tor army supplies
IL Texas, or army stores 10 b. sold in Texas IS
Al 10 the advantage OF Government to have the
fact announced only in some obscure paper in
Texas! This would suit the Texas Spectator
exaC lily, IS II would secure him from outside
comP6 titioR, but IL the advertisement appears
conSpleDously IN papers published al the seat of
Government, the attention of contractors all
over the country is attracted to it at once and
the Government Is the gamer through the wide
competition afforded. The same is true in re-
gard to Government advertisements of other
classes tor any locality. That the En,elIigen,er
should undertake TO be-litLle the advantage TO
Government Of advertising in Washington
papers, shows that IT allows Its malice 10 wards
ITS neighbors to carry it 10 great lengths indeed
We 90 not believe IN this cut-throat business
amongst newspapers; and the LuteRsqescsr is
welcome to all the reputation it can gain by il.