The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-01


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Robeson's Ra,cahty.
No single act of the corrupt Secretary OF
the Navy develops his true character
moro strikingly than the recent Oruer put
ting on furlough all the officers, without
exception, who had borne testimony 10
his yenal administration OF the depart
mont or exposcd the falsehoods by which
he attempted to deceive the country Ill
regard 10 the condition Of the navy. The
pretence that this reveugeful act was
prompted by obedience TO the law, or was
rendered necessary by the appropriation
4 not only false, but i deliberately false
i'm every aspect, as VIII now be shown by
the Official records
RoprsoN SAYS IN this order THE oStt-
mates mado for 'pny of the navy for the
current year were 81, 600, 000," upon n basis
of 100 men. How much value Is to be at
toohed TO this estimate may be Judged
from the fact that in his first report Of
December 1, 1909 he said
"Tbo estimates for the fiscal year ending June
No. 1871, are based ON u force OF twelve thousand
men Ian increase of onc-thirdl az the very small
est with which the present navy can be operated
TO advantage, and are as follows: Pay OF Omcers
md seamen Of the navy, S1,8OO,OOO.'
At that time portion OF the pay was
greater than 1t now Ia, and the cost OF
living was fully twenty per cent. higher
But RonEsoN asked a., 600, 600 for navy Of
t,rclrc thousand mon III 1871, as last winter
he asked q. 100000 for navy of eight thou
sand frc hundred men. If the first esti-
mate be Mt all reliable. then the second Is
fraudulent, for three thousand FIVE hundred
men have disappeared between the two,
and are not taken into the account at all.
He thus stands convicted of making
demand on Congress which, according TO
his own showing, is cheat of nearly two
and q hnlf millions of dollars when
reduced TO figures, being the difference Of
my for three thousand Ave hundred men,
not included in the estimates for 1915 20
But this is not all, by any means.
In the last Congress he made the usual
estimate OF $1,000. 900, upon basis OF $500
mon, for tho fiscal year which expired on
the Both OF June. But Congress voted him
only s0,250,O00, or sl,350,O00 less than he
claimed to be necessary. Now, If the csti-
mate was even approximately correct, the
Appropriation was entirely too short, and
must have resulted in hardship Instead
of that, there was more money granted
than was really needed no officer was fur
Laughed, and not muIInur was lisped OF
reduced allowance.
How is IL now Congress applied it,
economy to the number of men in the
navy by reducing the aggregate one thou
sand That Ia to say, instead OF eight
thousand five hundred, the number Is now
seven thousand Ave hundred, and for this
reduced force II voted s5.550,00O. Or THIS
1870 ................... $500 msa. 1920 ool
NfV-II.......,...- ~. Z oJJ men. ofo"'Vl
Difference ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. t5ooOoC
50 that there Is really u difference Of but
half million OF dollars in the two years
which are thus contrasted side by side, ant
this difference is more than absorbed II
the reduction OF force. The pay wa
not touched at all, though II Nigh
have been with great propriety, as
part OF the general policy Of reform.
The appropriation be fairly distributed, !
Is more than sufficient to pay every office
IN the navy, rating him even on the active
list.
II will be asked, then, why was the orde
10 furlough issued, in presence OF thes'
conclusive hguresi The question is easily
answered. RoBHsoS had three objects il
view. First, to help the cry that the
economy of the Democratic House ha'
been reckless, and thus excite the preju
dice OF the navy and its friends Secondly
to punish n large body OF officers who re
volted at RoBEsoNs corruption and job
berry; and thirdly, to cover up gross mis-
application OF the public money.
1t 10 OF ofiicial record that RoBEsoN dre'
IN the first quarter Of the last f1fcsl yea
C3044, 094 e., or more than half the appro
priation for the entire year, which wa
%, 10000 The proportion OF the quartz
was s1,5e2, 800. Herein lies the whole stor
in q nutshell. robson diverted two mi
lions OF the pay illegally, and has never re
burned it, He was forced to admit durin
The Investigation, for the bureau account
proved the fact, that the public none
had been transferred at his pleasure, ali
especially when he propped up the tottei
ing and rotten bank Of JAY COOKE Il c.
In 1873.
II Is thus made manifest that this ful
Coughing order was fraud on the couI
Try, and IS only part of the system
which the Navy Department has been ri
inco 1859, IN the interest OF JoDbers, PIN
derers, and common knaves. wi en- Coz
gress shall meet in December, the reason
FOR impcaching RoBEsoN Will have IL
creased, for the Indebtedness which
eontryed TO cover up temporarily Il
kltiug bills from England and by 9TH
devices. cannot longer be hidden fro
view Retrenchmcnt will force out n
truth, and serve TO convict this CORFU
and iobbing Secretary, who must soon 10
low his late colleague and confedeIat
BEI.KNAP, into disRraceful exile.
French Railways.