The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-01
She SaiIg Arsns.
Thursday, Nay ], 1879.
THE VIENNA SCANDAL.

THE VIENNA SCANDAL.
1t seems impossible for Grant or his
party to make an honest appointment or
do any public business without trying to
get Hdivyy' out Of it,---so blunted and
corrupt have all that set become. The
latest and one sufficiently Illuminating, is
the reputed sale Of places on the American
Commission to the Vienna Exposition.
Who has pro6ted by this is not yet made
known. At the latest advices this scandal
was the topic uppermost in Vienna-the
papers were full of il, and an investiga-
ton was in progress. This must be very
trying 10 American Travellers who will
keenly feel the disgrace of their country,
Heretofore we have been able to wash
our dirty linen at home, and the scandal
of the exhibition was confined in a great
measure TO the nation whose garments re-
quired the ablution The Credit Mobilier
business the doings Of Pomery, Harlan,
Caldwell and the rest of the uncleanly
crew, attracted comparatively little atten-
ton abroad, because they had nothing to
do with foreign affairs, and foreigners,
therefore, felt no interest in what were as
sumed to be merely the eccentrites insep-
arabic from Republican institutions. Now,
however, we have transferred our tub Of
soapsuds across the ocean, and inaugurated
n washing under the very nose of Europe,
The performance, though scarcely begun,
bids fair to achieve all the notoriety that
could be desired and furnish a sensation
which will not expire with the events that
originated it, The ST. Louis Repu6IicoH
says
The papers Of Vienna are full OF un-
savory revelations. disgraceful rumors and
miserable stories connected with the action
of those persons who were selected TO rep
resent the honor, dignity and power Of the
United States and no matter what's
rotary Fish and Minister Jay may do in
the premises, an ineffaceable stigma i
already fastened upon the national eharac,
ter. The NeiH Frsie Presse-which is
supposed TO obtain its facts from the min
lister himself-boldly asserts that large
sums of money were paid 10 the commits
sioners before leaving this country by var
iOus parties who expected % gain thereby
important concessions in the American
department of the exhibition. These pay
mentS were made under the pretext of
building model school-house, and
two German restaurant keepers are
mentioned as having contributed one
thousand dollars each 10 said schoolhouse
for the privilege we presume, of dis
pensing solid and liquid refreshments from
the precincts Of that seat of learning
Another party who held n refreshment
contract was called upon by a commission
err, or assistant commissioner, 10 favor
him with small loan in consideration Of
certain privileges TO be granted hereafter I;
and the same confidence game was played
by the same individual upon other unsus-
pecting vendors of food and drink. In
short five may believe what we hear from
Vienna, majority Of the commissioners
appointed by the United States govern
ment are nothing better than dead beats
who procured the position for the express
purpose of levying sort of black mail
upon exhibitors and the public generally.
This, at least, is the way in which the
whole thing is regarded in England and on
the continent and this is the burden we
must bear in spite of all our protests, and
in spite Of all we may do TO repair the
damage
Here, then, we have a magnificent illus
tration Of the very evils which President
Grant promised u reform and did not.
These commissioners are, for the time
being, part aud parcel Of our civil service
and during their official existence occupy q
more important place than any except the
highest grade Of diplomats Their func-
tons are 10 be exercised, not in some out Of
the way corner where incapacity and cor
ruption can be seen only by the few, but
literally in the gaze of assembled Europe,
where every act must of necessity be no
ticed and criticised IL was the duty of
the President 10 select the very best meu
the country afforded men of high stand
ing ut home, familiar with foreign usages
thoroughly conversant with the rules and
regulations Of the enterprise they were ex.
pected tO asslst-men Of unblemished in
tegrity and acknowledged ability men of
whom the nation might justly be proud
From all appearances the selections must
have been made hap-hazard-at any rate
they could not well have been worse. The
result is that the American republic is dis
graced in the eyes Of the world turned in
10 % laughing stock for European monar-
chists, and pointed at a. an example To be
Stunned rather than initiated We dc
not envy those Americans who visit Vienna
this summer aud are consequently com
PEELED tO face the reputation prepared foi
them by these eOntemptible commissioners
The show must be- splendid, indeed I,
compensate them for the ordeal which
that reputation viii inAict.