The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-10
THE HOWARD INVESTIGATION.

The investigation of the charges preferred
by Fernando Wood against General Howard
is still progressing, and if some of the news
paper reports of the proceedings are reliable,
damaging disclosures have been made. 1t
would be unjust to the distinguished head of
the Freedmens Bureau to give full credence
to the allegations of his enemies bef ore he
has had an opportunity to defend himself,
but as the case now apparently stands it will
be no easy matter to maintain his
reputation for official integrity. The Howard
University seems to have been a pet project
with the General. He not only lavished upon
it his careful attention, but an undue amount
of the money of the people, and it is asserted
that he permitted a considerable portion of
these sums to find its way into the pockets of
his especial friends and partners in business,
if not into his own individual custody. This
pet University is an educational institution
incorporated by Congress, nominaly for the
instruction of loyal refugees and freedmen,
to be located in the District of Columbia,
and it was founded on the idea that
while the Government was to liqui-
date the whole expense of the edifce,
it was to belong to the trustees or incorpo-
rators after it was finished. The taxpayers of
the United States are now paying an annual
rental of $4,000 for the use of the University,
and $4,000 for the hospital. 1t is alleged that
public money and property valued at nearly
nine hundred thousand dollars was contri-
buted, partly by direct Congressional Eappro-
priation and partly by the orders of General
Howard to create the institution which the
people must now pay rent for, the bulk of
this money and property being taken from
the Freedmen's Bureau fund. OF $263, 900
appropriated to aid schools for refugees and
freedmen throughout the whole country,
Howard University obtained$ 10, 900, or nearly
three-ffths On the University and Hospital
buildings more than $500, 900 of the Freed
mems Bureau money was expended, and
lands, barracks, aAd farms were freely con-
verted to the use of this favorite institution.
Public money, however, has been lavishly
spent heretofore on other projects; and if
General Howard had honestly disbursed all
the sums in question, it is doubtful whether
he would be censured by Congress. The
worst allegations against him are that the
University project was converted into
private speculation for his individual benefit,
and the enrichment of his special friends; and
we need not say that if these charges
are true he deserves condign punishment. 1t
is alleged that extortionate prices were paid
for some of the materials used in the building,
and that General Howard, being interested in
Patent Building Brick Company, insisted
that the edifice should be constructed of this
new-fanged material, which proved on trial to
be so worthless that portions of all the build
ings fell down, and that sundry other specu-
lations resulting in a serious loss or increased
expenditure to taxpayers and in pecuniary
gain to General Howard and his special friends
were authorized by the head of the Freed
mems Bureau. If these accusations can be
explained away we shall be very glad to
record such explanations, but if not, the
people should insist on the rigid application
of the old doctrine that ''if our kings will do
such things they must be made to smart.