Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-05-15
THE OTTUMWA COURIER
:. y 1911 Wnsa ! T g aai.ar.
An EXPLANATION.

tween the back pay OF McCrary, OF the
First District, and Walden, of the old
Fourth District, stating that, according
to our Interpretation Of the law, the
was taken out Of the extra
pay, and that if this was correct il |
would make the mileage of Mr.. Wal |
den Sl.424.4O, and that of McCrary
*s72.D. We asked gentleman who
resided in Washington, n. C., at the
time of the passage of the bill. and
who was prominently connected with
the press, if he could give us any ex-
planation. and he said he could not. |
We were unable 10 solve the question. |
Ii was occasioning much comment Or
ally in public and through the press.
and 40 far US we had seen not single |
members back pay fell below $4,000,
exccp, that of Mr.. Walden's. Mr..
Walden had not given any informa-
ton upon the subject, though the same
papers were publishing his back pay |
AT $1,000 and McCrary's at S4,127.SO. |
We stated the ~se plainly and in the |
most kindly and gentlemanly manner,
closing our article as follows:
"lf We are wrong in making the
foregoing statement we shall be glad
to correct it. and will take the first or.
portunity 10 do SO: but il we are right,
then We humbly beg to have it ex-
planned how SO radical discrepancy
appears in the amount Of the mileage
OF these gentlemen
In Mr.. Waldcn's paper, the Citi,en,
OF the 9th inst, he gives the following
explanation:
+" McCrary being a member of the
Forty-tirst Congress. was entitled TO
mileage for only two sessions of the
Forty-second Congress, while men,
bers elected 10 the Forty-second re-
ceived for three session.
This is his entire explanation: and
while il may not be very easy for the
general reader to understand VIM such
should be the case, we can now see
what we did not before understand,
viz: that, accepting Mr.. WaIden's ex-
PLANTATION, his mileage might be what
we gave it above. and therefore we
frankly admit that while we would
have desired clearer explanation for
The general reader. still, as we now
understand 1t, ii is sufficient to satisfy
US in the premises.
Our interrogatory, however. in re-
gard 10 this matter, has seemed to
arouse the ire Of the ex-Congressman
We had supposed that we had done
him favor, and we really think we
have, III calling out this explanation !:
but he comes back upon us savagely,
Alter the few words of explanation
above, be uses this language:
Are You enlightened. If the Gov
RIER desires TO enter upon a series Of
mathematical calculations. il might in
terest itself by figuring mp the amount
Of money which the COURIER gang an
nually are filching from the public
Treasury, for services claimed to be
performed by them, including the
$5,O0O to General Hedrick. with mile
age aud perquisites. and the -, 100 for
Major Hamilton, with ct cete,us.'
Filching from the public Treasury is
pretty strong term to use, Captain
Walden, and it is better that we ex /.
anime it a little.
First, let ms take up the case of Gen.
Hedrick. He is the owner of one half
the COURIER. He is not editor.
nor does he in any manner perform
any labor about the Office. He has.
during the time he has been Super.
visor. attended solely TO it's duties, and
has hired and paid stipulated salary
himself to r. IL. Warden to take his
place npon the COURIER. Captain
Walden was a member of Congress
from March 18th. 1871, to March 4th,
1873. During that time he was owner
Of the Centerviile Citizen He paid a
person to run ii for him, yet for large
portion of the time he was at home In
Centerviile, Iowa, having very little to
do. If anything, as member of Con-
gress, and, we suppose, looked after
the interests of his business. Including
the Citizen. rs any other man would
do. He received during that time $ll,
424.4O pay from the public Treasury.
General Hedrick was engaged i'm the
duties Of his Office during the whole
two years. and absent from home more
during the year OH such duties than
was the Captain, and reed about half
as much: But, says our astute menu
Der Of Congress, the General was filch-
ing from the public Treasury. Pray
tell US, Captain, applying the same rule
to yourself, what was you doing:
But again, take the case Of Major
Hamilton. He, too. according to the
brilliant Captain, is filching from the
Treasury. Well, let us see how this
is. Among the last acts of the Captain
as member Of Congress, he procured
the appointment af n. II. Brainayd, of
iowa City, eaitor..of the Repu11icoa of
that place, as postmaster. Now. If
Major Hamilton is filching from the
Government. because he is all editor
and postmaster, certainly the same
rule would apply to Mr.. Brainard /:
and, therefore, the Captain assisted
Mr.. Brainard in tilching from the Gov
ernment. The same rule ought to
he applied, also, to the Captains late
postmaster and editor, James Better,
OF Pclla. The same, also. with Need.
ham, Of the Oskaloosa Herald also
postmaster. Again. the same of Mr..
tlarksOn, postmaster ut Des Moincs
and editor OF the Register, the two
latter being also the political friends
Of the Captain.
We admire the Captains pluck, but
would recommend that he obtain
somebody TO supervise his articles be.
fore publishing them. SO as to avoid
IL Il 4 4