, 1876-04-01
AN OLD STORY.
One Of the :, scandals OF The Indecent
Press -Four Years Ago.

Ono Of the - Scandals OF The Indecent
Press Four Years Ago.
WAsEISGToN, February 18th, is72.
Army officers stationed at posts IN the West
complain of the e1tortions practieed by the
post-traders, and of the gross abuses practiced
under the law which authorizes theiI appoint.
ment. These traders are given the exclusive
privilege of selling goods npou the military
reservations to the officers, soldiers, emigrants
and Indians. The privilege is SO valuable
that ii is obtained by political or family in
iuence at Washington by men who never 70
to the posts or engage In the business, but
farm ont the privilege TO actual traders FOR
sums amounting, in some eases, 10 SIC, 900
or Sl2 900 year. The traders occupy re-
lations 10 the army similar TO those the suit
lers held during the late war, with this ex-
cep,ion. that the suffers were under the con-
troll of the post commanders, and the soldiers
were protected against their rapscity BY the
power of a council of officers to fix a tariff of
prices at which goods should be sold; where
as the traders are appointed by the secretary
of War, and, having no competition, and be-
ing under no control, charge any price they
please The suffers We're abolished at the
close VI the war, and the commissary depart
ment was required TO furnish the necessary
articles formerly kept by the suffers, and to
sell them to the soldiers at cost price. This
law the oOmmissaries found irksOme, and
they have always managed to evsde it. Soen
after it went into effect the adjutant general
issued an order allowing any one TO trade at
a military post who should show fitness to
the department commander. This was great
advantage for the troops, for it gave them
the advantage of competition, but it did not
suit the traders who have always sought ex-
elusive privileges. 1t lasted until the sum-
mer of 1870, when, on the recommendation
of the secretary of war, e section was put int
the army bill authorizing the secretary to
appoint one or more traders at each military
post IOE lne convenience OF em lStdnIS,
freighters and other citizens. The section
was pIausibIy worded and passed without oo-
jeetion. Under it the secretary appoints but
one trader at each post, and refuses to appoint
more, SO that this single trader, having
monopoly of the business, plumbers the officers
and men by charging them outrageous prices.
There is no escape from this rapacity, be-
cause the officers have no control over him,
as they had over the sutler. There is good
authority for stating that traders privileges
are Systematically farmed out by those who
obtain them from the war department.
Marsh, the nominal trader at Fort Sill,
IL understood TO b. a special friend Of the Sec
retsry Of war. This friendship. It appears.
enables him 10 live at his ease at New York
Gu an income of SiS 600 year, which is ex-
sorted from the soldiers aud officers AZ the
fort by the actual traders, t. whom he ''farms
OUT the privilege the secretary has given
him. These traders, to make the enormous
suu they pay to Marsh. i'll addition 10 pro-
tit for themselves, must OF necessity charge
prices which are little less than robbery The
facts stated in the above letter are vOuched
for by another officer Of high rank, whose
name is withheld because 1t would be unjust
to force upon him a quarrel with the war de-
partmeut-N T. TJJss7e