Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-08-13

Fraud Absolutely Unchecked and the
National Finances at the Mercy
of Thieves and Robbers
The New York Star of July 9th,
printed document which deserves the
thoughtful consideration of every citi-
zen, no matter what may be his politi
cal predictions. 1t is the report of
the Congressional Committee Of which
Hon ]. NJ. Glover was Chairman,
which Committee was empowered to
investigate the affairs of the Treasury
Department and its numerous ramifi.
cations, including the Secret Service
and the Printing and Engraving Bu-
reaus. Republican influence Of the
strongest character has been brought
to bear on the members OF the Com.
mittee and upon Congress itself to pre-.
vent publicity being given to the
history Of the shameless mismanage-
ment of the National finances which
the Committee discovered. The re-
suit was that Notwithstanding Demo
cratic activity the report OF the Com.
mittee was suppressed in Congress,
and every effort to bring il to the
light has met with the most violent
partisan opposition up to the present
time.
The record OF iniamy and corrup-
ton in the National Treasury and its
various bureaus, under the manage
ment Of John Sherman and bis imme
date predecessors, is startling one,
and has been fully laid bare by the
Committee. Millions upon millions of
dollars of the peoples money have
been squandered and stolen the De.
partment has been made a tool for
most infamous purposes secret issues
of money have been made to carry.
elections for the Republicans all ave.
nues that might lead to exposure have
been closed, and honest, conscientious
officials dismissed the Southern peo.
pie have been shamelessly plundered
by Sherman's Treasury Ring the
mints have been mine for official
thieves, spectators and defaulters, and
the country has been flooded with
counterfeit paper whenever such a
course served the purposes Of the Ring
and its dependents. The report, more
ever, shows that there is absolutely no
check or safeguard against the perpe-
tration or repetition of the greatest
frauds in the National finances under
Shermans management, and closes
with recommendations which cannot
but be deemed necessary under the
circumstances.
The report in substance is as follows +:
The document opens by stating that
Rule 1903 of the House, adopted dur
ing Madison's Administration, directs
this Committee to inquire and report
whether the expenditures of the Treas
ury Department are justified by law ;
whether the claims satisfied are sup
ported by vouchers establishing their
justness whether the moneys dis.
bursed have been so paid in accordance
with appropriation laws, and whether
any and what provisions are necessary
toprovide more perfectly for the proper
application of the public moneys, and
to secure the Government from de-
minds unjust in character or extrava-
gantin amount toreport from time to
time whether any and what retrench-
ment can be made in the expenditure
of the Department without detriment
TO the public service; whether any
and what abuses exist in the failure
to enforce the payment Of moneys due
the United States from public default
ers or others !. whether any offices in
the Department have become useless
or unnecessary and to report on the
expediency OF modifying or abolishing
such offices. Under this rule little was
done for long time, and when Mr.
Glover was placed at the head of the
Committee in 1877 the gathered
wrongs Of years had TO be inquired
into. The Committee had been habit
; ually packed by Speakers Colfax anc
Blame with do-nothings. January IL
1878, the House instructed the Com
mittee to proceed with its duties
(Which II had sometime before begun)
and empowered it to send for persons
and papers Compel attendance of wit
nesses and production of document
needed as evidence and to pay the
attendant expense), and TO examine al
the affairs Of tho Treasury foi sucl
period as the Committee might deem
necessary for its own guidance or th'
protection of the public interests
and the exposing of any frauds OF
abuses. The necessary authority t
pay clerk and experts was, however
by the intrigues Of interested parties
, delayed till March Z, when the session
was more than half gone. Neverthc
less, the work was pushed as fast ant
far as circumstances would allow.
The Treasury at Washington con
tains over thirty bureaus and divislonI
equivalent to bureaus, charged will
important functions and the Oversight
Of more than 10000 employees. Th'
scope of its powers extends from New
Brunswick 10 California, from the Mex
lean Gulf TO the Polar Ocean, ant
those powers are In their exercise oitei
despotic 10 a degree that admits OF thu
suppression of proof of official mis-
, conduct. Besides these thirty ode
bureaus at Washington the Treasury
Department contains sub.treasuries n