The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-06
is IT UNCOMMON =!

1nC universal NeTulcI Ol tue press anu
| the people is that the country is humiliated
and di5graced by the fall of the secretary
| of war. Words can hardly be found strong
enough to express Indignation for The
crime, contempt for the criminal What
is the crimc2 An exceedingly vulgar one.
A high official Of the government, having
at his disposal Il place where large pecuni-
ary profits can be made, coufers it on one
who will and does divide The profits. The
post trader at Fort Sill, one Evans, retains
his place. or is reappointed to it, because
he pays TO Caleb p. Marsh a certain fixed
sum, quarterly in advance, Marsh agreeing
to pay and actually paying a moiety there
of to William W. Belknap, secretary of
war.
This is the first case of the kind which
has been traced to q member Of the cabi-
net, but, after all, is it an uncommon
crime: Ii there a state in the Union in
which this crime is not Of common occur
renee? From the comments OF the press,
one would take it thai something new in
the catalogue of crime had been discover.
ed. We all feel the humiliation, shame
and disgrace. but is it because of the crime,
or OF the exposure, and the personnel of
the criminal? The secretary of war APP
points post trader, and in consideration
of the appointment, receives a fixed sum
annually. He is TO be punished therefor
by fine and imprisonment. A state official
let's public contract, and 10 consideration
thereof receives commission on the con-
tract price, and this is regarded as simply
a venial offense. Wherein is the differ
ence? The secretary of war has not de-
frauded the government. The state official
has. The secretary Of war spent his i'll
gotten gaiss in riotous living. The stale
official does the same. Where is the moral
difference between the two?
We need not go to Washington, to New
York, TO Pennsylvania, to Ohio, to South
Carolina or Alabama to find this trading in
offices and places. A gentleman in this
state, now deceased, was approached
within two years, by c state official with
|
He was informed that certain other party
would pay the state official ten per cent
on the contract price. but that, If he would
pay commission of twelve and a half pei
cent. the contract should be awarded tc
him. This gentleman, man of honor
anu cnricuing inc oinclal and the contrac,
was awarded TO the party who, The Official
said, had agreed TO pay len per cent com.
mission thereon. We have the story from
the lips of the gentleman to whom the pro.
position was made. Is 1t too much to pre-
sumo that the official received his ten pei
cent, and that the contract was awarded
at such q sum that the contractor could
well afford TO psy it Wherein is Belk.
maps crime, in its moral and political tur.
pitude, any greater than this ?
If we are correctly informed, this is no,
a solitary, isolated case. Common rumol
hath it, tbat this same official has long been
in the habit of disposing of the contracts
under his control in the same manner. l,
might lie well for the next legislature to in.
vestigate the manner of letting contracts,
even, in Vermont, whether they are lei
with or without bids. And while upon the
subject, We would suggest another enquiry.
1t is said, and we believe it can be proved,
that certain state officials have bad habi,
of carelessness. Perhaps they cannot help
it, but it is exceedingly unfortunate that,
the day before the bids are closed, the then
lowest bid should be lost out of an officials
pocket, dropped ia public street, picked
up by one of the Understand one of the
highest.bidders at that--a new bid made by
the finder, and the contract let on this new
bid. 1t is unfortunate, but such is the
fact. II might be well TO INVESTIGATE this
too. II Bellnaps crime and exposure
shall so arouse the people that they will
unearth this petty, contemplate corruption
or carelessness demand careful instead of
careless, officials frown down bride takers,
whether the bribe be small or large and
secure the election and appointment of
only honest men TO office then The humi-
\ iation and shame can well be endured.