New-York tribune., 1875-08-07
WASHINGTON.
COMMISSIONER PRATT AND THE INTERIOR
DEPARTMENT.


DEPARTMENT.
RCMORs THAT HE Is TO BE CHOSEN SECRETARY CT
TIE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. WHICH He HAS
BROKEN UP IN THE INTERNAL REVENUE OFFICE.
lfRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or ME TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Aug 5.-Among the rum0rs afoat
in Washington is one that Mr.. Pratt. Commissioner
of Internal Revenue. is soon to resign, and it has
also been added though what authority is not
known, that he is one of less than half dozen
persons from whom President Grant is likely to
select his new Secretary OF the Interior. Mr Pratts
administration of the Internal Rcyenue Once has
thus far been very successful. lie has shown a
greater independence Of the politicians than any ot
his predecessors during President Grants Admins
traton, and. what is of at least cqnal importance,
ne has made his suborlinatos-tAe Supervisors and
Revenue Agents-undcrstand that they are TO be
governed by what he consider, Iie!t, proper, and
honest, and that threats of re i9nation or OF ap-
peal to The President if their accounts eat down
or diSallowed are of no avail
One OF the first abuses which Mr. Pratt reformed
had been repeatedly expos 4 in Tue TRIBUNE within
the past two years. Previous 20 the appointment of
Supervisor Haw!cy OF NewYorl;, Supervisors and
Revenue Agents were not allowed 90 include their
board bills while duty ut their Offices. nor their
expenses while travelling between their offices and
the Government. The principle was that if a nan
accepted an Office in Washington. New-Yogk. or
elsewhere he was expected to reside in the place
whcry that clfec was; if il L. more convenient fer
him t. live elsewhere the Coz -nment ought not to
be required o pay tho e.ira c%pensc incurred. SUI
pcryis faw,ey y.d u BuliHlo bht liz olTi e was
in NeX-York. When he rendered his FIRST account.
after his appointment, he included his hotel bills in
Now-Ioyh and lis expenses IN travelling between
New-Iork alL ButllO when lc went 20 the
latter place to visit his family. These tens
disallow,d by tn, Auditor. and ,syc Iise 70 ONE Dis
cussCl in The Department G"n. iiawlCy's next aC-
com. contained similar i.ms, bnt when objection to
passing them was made the Audi to1s attention vas
called 30 an order which had bc,n issued w the
Commissioner changing The Supervisors htad-
quarter, from Ncw-York 10 Buffalo. This change,
of courso was only nominal since al Of tac business
was transacted in Ncw-York before; bat it aid
make Cen Hayley appear on the records OF the De-
par;mcEt to hc away froia lis Office on Government
business, vhcn he was in NeV-ioI,5 and the ac-
counting officers Of the Treasury Department were
not supposed to know anything about the .tu@.icn
of his office except from those Iccols they Lad to
allow lis bills in full.
As soon rs il was discovered ny other Supervisors
that Con- Hawlcy wa, drawing his subsistence from
main Ter of them made snilar charges IN their ac-
counts. and finally the practice extended 70 te Rev
cnuc tgants. and even to some of the clerks en-
ployrd by the SrperysoTS. For instance Supervisor
Tuition of Philadelphia resides ShHTt distance ont
of town Going in daily TO his business His accounts
contained charge oi H2 for each trip and an addi-
tonal charge for lis dinner in the city, and 1t j. sad
that once when an attempt TO di:aiow thoee .,enis
was made he ,fcatcd il by threatening 70 resign.
sr joyce Of t. Louis clerk IN the Office of super
visor NcD rald. Goth Of them have recently been
removed fYr completely Va thc WHISKY Ring, and
indicted in the United states Court at 81. Louis
lived at the Planter, Hotel; he is reported to have
Inade arrangements with tie p,3prie aboard nm
self ard wife at the rae charged single udHie AZ
guest and 10 mention only on pcr5 N the O.h.
This bill vas sent to Washington as voucher, and
was allowed and so Joyce 20, not only his own sub
s.tcucc bat also that of lis wife, out Of the Govern
ment.
When Mr. Pratt's attention was ca.ed to these
praciocs he at oice and without hesitation ordered
al such items as have been Go,cli bed 20 Zoe stricken
ont OF the accounts Of Supervisors and Revenue
Ao.nt- and that none Of them he allowed. Under
the present administration of the Treasury Depart
meut any objection on the part of Hose persons = o
no avail and The Government = thds aycd .dr-e
annual expense that was clearly Illegal.
f B.. only fair (, say that ouperyis Ha|,ey and
Tuition are very efficient officers Tie former
rendered excellent sery zee in the West IN assisting
~ YORK M ;he ease against the Whisky Ring. and
fine record of the latter in correction with the Sar-
bor, contracts WAS very honorable one. Iae
salary which they are pail--3, 900 year-Inay not
he adsuuatc but il Is TIE amount that Congress nas
fixed. and ther, are plenty Of good men who stand
r,qdy 20 take the places at the legal salary.