The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-04
THE INFLUENCE OF A RING.
Civil Service Reform ns IL IL Prnctised In
the Department of the Treasury.

the Department Of the Treasury.
WAsHiNaroN, Sept. "a common trick
Of the Washington Ring 10 to tlke up every
popular demand for reform and, by schoing and
seeming 20 further It, msleai Congress and the
country and obtain for themselves advantages
no other course would secure.
A few years ago tue Ring that controls the
Treasury persuaded Speaker Blaine to appoint
a. Chairman of the House Committee on Reform
In the Civil Service Stephen W. Kellogg Of Con-
necticuL MIR. Kellogg, passing by the many i'm
portsnt matters wherein the civil service need vd
reforming, such as the wholesale op preston aud
blackmaing OF citizens by officials OF both
branches of the revenue service, tho refusal to
pay just claims against the Government and the
ready payment OF unjust ones. devoted himself
to drafting aud carrying bill TO "reorganize
the Treasury Department" Scarcely any one In
Congress, except few o< the Rings confeder-
ntes. knew enough aoout the workings OF that
vast, intricate, and mysterious machine TO
understand the real scope snd force of tue bill,
while tue Treasury Ring supplied him with in-
form ation aud plausible answers 10 Ill ooJec-
uOns.
The bill was passed by the Forty-thrd Con-
Rress, and under 1t the Treasury IA now WORK
ing. one VI ITS provisions raised tue pay OF
clerks who have charge Of divisions in the dif-
ferent bureaus TO t2,sOO and 500 year. Tnis
would De well enough II greater efnciency IN
this misconduc ed deDartment could he thus
secured, but the politicians have crowded IN
political services even forcing out the few re II
capable and honest men the Ring had allowed
TO hold slch posi- ions. since tue passage OF
the kell ~ bill the heads OF divi.i ms who be-
fore mad 10 work like Olher Sl,eJJ clerks, nave
not pretended to do any work themselves. They
nave made the Government supply them with
handsome desks, costing 800 anu upwards each.
aud all they have to 10 Is 10 III IN the miudle OF
the room, look on while Others work, write pri-
yate letters put their Initials on the corner OF
| every ,fhclal letter written by their suoordi-
| mates. ana look out ior clvyies oh claims.
har "a mi mn al Il Ia n W.
class clerks for THESE positions. even though the
pay has now been somewnat cut dowu; and all
sorts OF intrigue ana tIickory are empioyed 10
get into them. When Boutwell, was Secretary
| the King had full sway and everything WAS
| pafily indepenaent OF the Rna, and some Of
! these places became vacant. lie learned that
the king consisted OF three or four men In eacn
Bureau, one of whose purposes was TO control
| all the apDoin tments of the ireAsury without
| regard to merit. hut with reference TO the views
| Of outside claim agents. who divided fees with
them. lie appointed committee, including
Internal Revenue Commissioner Pratt, Auoitor
Mcmahon. Solicitor Robinson, SUPERINTENDENT
| Porter and others, to inquire into the efficiency
| OF the several bureaus.
| THIS comuittee's report caused tho dismissa al
| of Third Auditor Rutherford, Second Comptrol-
| Ter BrOdhead, Deputy Comptroller Curtis. aud
otuen from Their orices. Such is the power OF
the Ring, however. tnst the Chairman (Coinmis
sioner rr IT. has now been turned out Of orice.
auu the deliuqusn,s (Brodnead and Curtisl have
been quietly put Ia again; ButteIntld, mead ~
once, insisted on having friend Of his put
into a 324UO place, vacated by one OF
the cnnspirators In tue Sugg Fort and
Nitkowski frauds, whereupon Bristow dis
CHARGED MIN. Tue Kiog, however put him
| back at once without Bristow's knowledge
and paid him from tue Registers once. A man
named Thomas was placed over II in Butter
neld's stead, hut the latter had all the claims
| taken away from Thomas's division and settled
them himself In another room. BTlstow Al last
found this out, and at once discharged Butter
field again but within 4 week he was In once In
another part Of the treasury. and at work on his
claims again, being paid this time out Of the
all. bit House fund" and there he remains.
Deputy Comptroller Curtis on being Ieinstatod
| by the Ring had 81, 800 place made FOR him In
| the face uf an order TO reduce the force OF the
| once. Boss Shepherd and Brodhead were
manly Instrumental in getting MIN Restored
Wnen Secretary horrill saw his appointment hs
| remarked, " Ii Is one tbat should not nave been
made " and sucn Is the Rings ability TO control
| Secretaries that he signed the appointment
order. Comptroller Carpenter also made no re-
| sistence, though he knew Tho mans record
| Carpenter, by The way, ID occasionink much
| trouble aud cOmp aint by delaying and avoiding
decisions upon cases that are before b. IN await
Ing settlement. 1t Is Understood In the Treas
ury that ne expects To DO nominated Tor Con
gress from his district IN Iowa, and desires Ia
leave the ma king Of decisions to his successor
| In other Tespects his management is dictated
by two OF three members Of the Ring who are
| bis subOTdiuates, chief OF whom is a member oi
| the IAN Gus DelanO tribe, who has been con.
| cerned in several transactions which would
| htye caused his uismissal long ago but for the
| influential support he has behind him.