, 1874-02-27

RG0A1A2As
The proceedings: OF the Board Of Railroad and
Warehouse Commissioners with respect to the
charges against the Chief Grain Inspector are
not Of character to inspire confidence in the
Board or restore It in the Inspector. The
charges we're not trivial, nor were they anony-
nous; they were not obscure nor indefinite =;
they we're distinct and clear in tho accusation
that tho Inspector had speculated in grain, and
that be had used public money for that purpose.
This distinct accusation was made upon tho
erence WAS made by date and page. Ths Com
miez,oners had nothing to do but to examine
the bocks. II tho facts stated were true,
then the Inspector waa guilty; it the
facts we're not as stated, then the
charge should be publicly dismissed.
The Commissioners made. their report to the
Governor upon the charges against Inspector
Harper. It III said that the report Was returned
to them BY the: Governor for amendment, and
that, having amended it, they again presented
it to the Governor. In the meantime the Com
1nissione1s refuse to make the report public.
Why2 49,
That our readers may understand Whist the
charge iB, and what it rests on, ne recapitu1ate
the statement Of E.. ". Smith, Harper's chief
clerk: That from the 22d Of September to the
11th Of December, 1878, Harper checked out Of
the funds Of the Office, mainly to his personal
order, shout $4,000. ''None Of these checks
we're drawn to pay tho expenses OF the Office. u
Smith gives the dates Of all these checks, and
declares that during the time covered BY them
t'the Office WIS earning over double the amount
Of the expenses." He alleges that the official
cash account OF the Inspector shows thst there
ought to have been, but toas not, a cash balance
On hand, Sept. 80, OF s8, 398 Oct. 81, 913, ,618
Nov 30, s2o,612; Dec. 81, s21,656. He dec1area
TINT at these dates these amounts TeEe not On
hand o. IN bank, yet Mr. Harper had certified
that the account WIS truo. Smith further a.
leges that, in November, Harper purchased An
entire now set OF records and put him to copy
ing the old ones, emitting all entries OF these
transactions. This last allegation Mr. Harper
answered, by stating that Smith had kept the
Original feE0Iu LII 8uCA hOReA4y u44ut6l tL11t
he had employed the sa1e sloyen to make new
record. Nevertheless, clean or unc1ean, the
copy did not agree with the original, and the dif
ference was in the omission Of sll reference to
transactions which Smith declares 1elated to
Hazper's use Of the State funds for speculation
in grim.
There La nothing inferential in this accusation.
It is pointed and direct The date and amount
Of each check is given the old and now books
are in existence, and their differences can be
discovered Mr. Harper can show the amount
Of money on deposit On any day, and how much
ought to have been. It is plain aud direct re-
cita1 Of alleged documentary evidence. Il the
statement WIS tue, Harper Was guilty; it Ms
not true, he should be publicly acquitted.
The grain trade is matter Of too much I'M
portance to be regulated and governed BY party
e1igencies. The State Of Illinois has taken
charge Of the inspection OF grain in ordar to
made It honest. Is the State Inspector specu-
lstr and dealer IN grain ? That is : question OF
fact to be dsternined hy the Warehouse Com