The Republican journal., 1874-02-12
Another Bad Smelling Branch of the
Government.

And now it is John d. Sanborn John
was strictly loyal and being so, was con
tracted with by the Secretary OF the Urea
sury to look up leaks, wastes, &c, in the
tax department Of the Treasury This
| branch of the business was in tact tarmed
out to him at a per centage. John saw
| at a glance that the more delinquencies
there were the greater would be his pro
fits. SO he proceeded to arrange matters
III such way that corporations should
not render unto Caesar the things that
were Caesars, but unto the scizer As
Sanborn and those associated with him
were to have fifty per cent. Of all moneys
collected, it will be seen that the thing
was a pretty big one. SO outrageous
were the proceedings of Sanborn in set
ting traps for railroad and other compa-
MES, and then fleeing them under cover
Of the law, that District Attorney Penney,
Of Brooklyn, procured his indictment for
fraud; and now Congress has called for
the facts from the Treasury department
The Washington correspondent of the
New York World says that enough is
known to warrant the assertion that I'M
der this law allowing the Secretary Of the
Treasury to make contracts for the collec-
ton Of certain taxes not regularly collect
ed, a secret revenue service has been or
ganized covering the entire country and
employing a great number Of persons.
The fact that the law limited the number
Of contracting parties to three rendered
the organization of this inquisatorial ser
vice more efficient Sanborn and his
partners took the contracts, with the
agreement that they were to have 30 pen
cent. of all moneys collected, and pro-
ceeded to employ the regular officers of
the government at their own expense 1t
is stated that Sanborn organized the New
England branch of his secret revenue SER
vice inside of the Boston Supervisors Of
flee. 1t is said that the number OF men
used by Sanborn IN New England mum
bered thirty or forty. The railroads are
their tavorite field of effort. They We're
enabled to work entirely in secret and
under course Of law, SO that persons and
interests attacked would ottentimes, it is
presumed, prefer to submit to heavy pX-
tortions rather than to attempt to grapple
with such tremendous power The
question to be settled now is how far these
operations have extended The Treasury
Department is anxious for concealment
on the ground that it does not want to
uncover the names of the mon whom it
has allowed to be heeced, and because
publicity would interrupt all the opera
tions now going on. But the House will
insist on the facts Gen. Butler is strain
ING himself to secure postponement or
reversal Of the resolution calling for the
information. He went before the Ways
and Means Committee with an adroit re-
quest of this sort, and in order to furnish
scented evidence of frauds which have
been committed at PASSPORT, Maine, TO
show that this sort Of secret prosecution is
necessary to enable the Government to
collect the money which is due to it. As
a matter Of some interest it may be stated
that the law of May 8, 1872, under which
this business was carried on, was SNUG
gled INTO an appropriation bill by Senator
Sawyer of South Carolina. now Assistant
Secretary Of the Treasury, and warm
friend of Buffers