, 1881-09-17
Howgats's Haul

II was commonly urged by the demo.
cratic press and. orators last year, $ q
reason for chsnge OF administration,
thu; the Republican. hsd been in charge
Of the government long enough to be-
cume hopelessly corrupt, and tbs. the
amount OF their ro5bcries could never be
ssoertained nor the stealing prNcess stop
ed until complete political revolution
should open the government; books to the
scrutiny Of unfriendly eyes, and place
suihority over the suhordiDstes Of the
various departments IN unfrisndly hands,
Thst there was good deal oi truth in the
allegations aboatstealing in some branches
OF the public service has already been
proved an the exposure OF the star-routs
rCbbers and the partial revelation Of the
ways and means Of p!underng prse'ieed
by tbs custodian Of the treasury, These
discoveries have been nstle aud the s:sas-
ing ineasuresbly arrested by republican
administration, without democratic ss-
sistsnce; but there are reasons ior sus.
ps cting thst vast mines ef official rascali-
" remain to be explored, aad for urging
upon the heads Of departments the duty
Of proceeding with that lab.,r in some
d,r- e,icns little more ensrgetlcslly thsn
E
No complaint can be isirly made, how
ever, OF the manner IN which the new
h, sd Of the atber bursau is pushing
the dhcnrery sud exposure al the mons
rous system OF stealing esis5lished and
maintained III that bureau by his suhoid-
nate, Howgste. 4 few Gays $50, eri-
,ience having been fund 1hst thus officer
had appropriated considerable amnun'
/ yoverru ent funds TO his own use, he
vas promptly arrested. The court f1so
bis bail 81 Gao, 900, which af,er some de-
lay he furnished. But while Howga
was looking fo7 boud-men, his chief con
tinued searching The bouks, and such evi-
d, noe vas found ths. slnoat "a soon a,
the accused WAS released from iail / re-
arr est was order, d, aud hail 10 the amount
of $50 0G0 is now demanded. The evi-
dcnCe shows, according to tho rep r,
hat HpwgtJe has stolen st least Sl25,
600, and il Is believed that the accounts
Vet ~ be examined will increase the sum
80 Sio0, 600 The plan pursued by III.
'hi-i seems 10 have been somewhat
complicated one, involving forgery, per-
jury and Conspiracy. He was trusted sb-
soiut.ly with the disbursement of the
fund. sgpropria ed for the signal service,
no provision being made for the eIsInin-
alton OF his books CT accounts, and only
the cllnsiest work in raising" dupli
eating, or forging vouchers 6ss needed to
avoid de,ee ion.
The manner in which this business vas
.lluwed to bs conducted suggests the he.
cessity for most rigid and comprehen-
STE investigation of every branch OF the
gorernm, ut IL is not TO be supposed
thst, while robbery iioUrished unchecked
and slmos: without IN attempt at conceal
lnent in tbs weather bureau, in the pest
Office department, and under the very
eyes of the secretary III his own Office in
the treasury building, the rest of the ad
mnislra.ion wa pure and honest. So
much has been done and discovered that
it will be impossible now 10 stop. II the
present heads Of departments will not
hunt the rrscals down, they NAV rest
assured that the people Will ON the Grst
opportunity make provision for putin,
the work in other ana more willing hands.