The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-12-31
sNtisfenatttdds.
BLOCKING THE WHEELS.
from the New York Sun }

nv NeN@~f -
While Boutwell,, Richardson, Sawyer
Banfeld and that set ruled over, the
Treasury and its bureaus, jObbery was
rampant and corruption had full swing
The Jaynes and Sanborns representing
important Influences in Congress, ,roamed
about the department with the conscious
ness of power. gave orders, made con
tracts, and filed their pockets with the
peoples money,
Syndicates were created with enormous
commissions and allowances, to do tbs
work for which regular agents were al
ready employedand furnishedwith clerks
and assistants maintained in Europe with
large salaries at the expense ofthe Treas
ury. as we'll as with other cOnyeniencei
free of charge. Behind these syndicates
were secret partners in the profits al
Washington. who had long practised the
rogues' maxim Of Addition, Division and
Silence.
Mullett planned public buildings by
the hundred for all parts of the country
colluded with members Of Congress for
APPROXIMATIONS, purchasedsites.made con-
tracts, and audited his own accounts for
millions. He awarded all the immense
plumbing, gas-ftting fixtures, and patent
roofing to Boss Shepherd at at his own
prices, excluded all competition, and
would not permit any inspection of the
accounts.
Babcock speaking for the President
sustained every demand Of the Ring, ST.
lenced the objections Of accounting Off
GERS, vodched hlsemeasurementsandfa fab
ricated charges, and carried them through
the Treasury without disallowance.
One of the last jobs of the Richardson
regime has RECENTLY come ITO light Az
though millions of dollars have been ex-
pended in organizing and perfectipg the
machinery for prinHngthe Bonds stamps,
and cur. .en0y of the United States, and q
special bureau is attached to the Treasury
devoted to that special object, large
part of this work was executed in New
York, In order to make the system oi
checks more perfect, as was alleged.
Covetous eyes saw the chance Of vast
gain in this business, with a properlodg.
meRt in the Treasury The Ring chief
took the matter in hand, made a secret
bargain, and the Columbian Bank Note
Company was established in Washington
as the result, with a capital Of threeyhun'
dred thousand dollars, of which only d
portion has really been paid in. They
secured an illegal contract for six years
which enables the company to pay q
Credit Mobilier dividend of over sixty
per cent. annually on the capital.
This contract was procured through the
Shepherd-BaBcock Ring, and the besI
lproof of that fact is found in the sale oi
Shepherds building ON Pennsylvania av.
enue to the Company for ninety thousand
dollars, which is assessed at twenty.nint
Thousand oh the books Of the Collector
The. margin of sixty-one Thousand wal
the premium paid for the service. In
order to work this valuable placer under
the changed composition of the next
House ofRepresentatives and the proba.
bility of ynew Administration the com.
pany recently placed a so-called Demo
crat in the Presidency, and sprinkled the
direction in the same way. YFY
With view ofconsolidating all the EN-.
craving under the eye of the Secretary
Mr.. BriktoW, in his report to Congress
says:
Careful consideration of the manner
ofpreparing the bonds, notes, and stamps
issued by the United States, has led tC
the conclusion that the work can be more
satisfactorily and safely done in the
Treasury Department than elsewhere.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
is now supplied with the best machin-
cry, which has been acquired at great
cost, and the most skillful artists are EN-.
ployed'by the Government without diff.
Guilty. The system of checks now in use
in that bureau, together with the special
paper heretofore adopted by the depart.
ment, furnish all proper and reasonable
protection against duplication and other
frauds"
This recommendation is Just and sound
and if adopted, must necessarily produce
a large saving. To keep up a Bureau of
Engrayingand Printing at great cost with
every appliance to meet the needs of the
Government, and then to distribute this
work to corporation in sight Of the
Treasury, is an act of spoliation without
a pretence of reason to support il. y.
This subject is now before the Commit
tee of Banking and Currency,and all sorts
of appliances have been set in motion TO
prolong the existing systeman and to defeat
the proposed reform. Mr. Maynard, the
Chairman, is of course in close sympathy
with the Ring, of which he has been a
consistent champion. His position gives
him power for evil, and he will not be
slow to use it,
Thus far Mr. Bristow has in the main
resisted constant pressure to. use the
Treasury for the profit of an organized
band of pluhderers who are in the high
est favor of the White House He has
yielded to the President in a few instan-
ces when stern opposition would have
been ereditable. The most serious trouble
in administering the Treasury honestly,
comes directly from the President. But
for hisintervention personally or through
his confidential secretary, this disgrace
full system would long ago have been bro
ken up.
Mr.. Bristow is the only obstacle to the
plunder heretofore pactised under his
Immediate predecessors. The Rings are
combined against him and demand a
more pliable Secretary for their use.
Hence the unfounded report of Judge
Swayne's retirement from the Supreme
Court and other riimdrs Of like character
intended to provide a vacancy for shelly
ing BristOw. Let him persevere, and the
people will sustain him. Ma OVp 40