The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-07-01

the public service. and shows how 4 Nv
been protected In the highest Quarters
, Under reg liar estimates. CONGRESS ~
propriated half = million Of dollars n
! round numbers for furniture. fnel .ar
I pets. wagons. books. horses. toiIcf ,r,;.
cie> and other so-calIed CONTINGENCIES
} for the Treasury. from 1877 10 1850 N.
elusive: Formerly the practice was for
each Of the Bureaus TO make is own
purchases Of these articles. and direct
responsibility for any extravaganza OF
collision was thus fixed in every ease
his check WAS abandoned. under the
present management. and clerk named
y. L. Ptney, became ne General Pnr.
chasing Agent. and the custodian N
this PROF erty. His accounts were sub.
lect % the approval Of the Chief Clerk.
then J. n. Upton. who was promoted
by John sherman to be Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Treasury.
After Cpton's promotion he retained
the authority 10 approve Pitnev's Avn
counts. and when CHARGES were mazda
( against the latter, he protected him N
the face Of testimony showing fraud
With the power 20 buy what he pleased
IN the limits Of the appropriation. and
practically 70 verify his own purchases
Pitney had full swing. and 4 rin0 ~
/ plunderers was organized inside and
outside the Department, consisting 81
officials and OF favored contractors
The old story Of iobbcrv. extrava0ance
and corruption was repeated. ana TIA
whole Of the appropriations Was ex-
hausted IN this organized rascal;fv.
Cabinetmakers and other mechanics
are employed regularly in the Depart
ment for this branch ii the service and
they we've utilized in manner that dis
graces members Of the late Fraudulent
Administration. and strengthened the
hands Of the thieves.
John sherman has grown to 1 hand
some fortune upon the economic. Of his +
salary As 4 member OF Congress and Of
the Cabinet during twenty-five wears.
he entered the House OF Representa-
tives poor in 1855. and he retired from Y
the Treasury q millionaire II 1891. bav-
ING ~ The period between these two ex-
tremes no other vocation but politics.
MS prosperity seems 70 have begun
unen ne was Chairman Of the Finance
committee 81 the senate and Jay Cooke IN
".s me manager Of the public loans
NJ Sherman is large owner Of
real estate IN Washington. few
wears ago ne had built . block OF some
lofty houses, and last year he INDUCED
himself with line mansion. adjoining
ms former residence. in the fashionable
quarter q the capital With all his
wealth Az Sherman i thrifty and
Pennfious person lie knows that
money y power, and he lever parts
. rom dollar without getting - least >
lu!I e Equivalent Tor T.
Nr. sherman found i cheap and
convenient % make Pi'ney, the head Of /
re purchasing rng a the Treasury,
Az agent ior the collection Of rents and |
l1entIon 70 his property. Pitney Was
oo glad % ho'd that relation. and 10 |
'ase T. known ~ The Department, BE- .
'auSe i served As passport in the nc 7
bunting Office and <ilenced the busy I
ongue Of scandal and II envy among 1
who knew OF his dealings I
Thus fortified. Pifnev detailed cah;- !
let makers and other mechanics ~ q
'eantify Mr. Sherman's new mansion !
o do work for Mr.. Evarts. ANA II \
dorm his own residence. and CHARGED 2
heir time and the material used to dif- {
erent Bureaus 81 the Treasury: Backed d
y the Secretary and the Assistant see /
etarx. the latter Of whom certified The v
ccounts and j. believed 70 have shared >
the spoiIs. this custodian Of public i
property and trusted disburser Of con- :
lngent fund Of one hundred and twenty .
've Thousand dollars per annum pnr- ,
ued his vocation openly during the
.hoie term q HAYES. While the Fraud
lent Administration was canting about
'ivll-service Reform, this sort oi THEW
~ was encouraged by tile highest OIL !
ials. who themselves were its benefi- 4
iaries With such examples before 7
hem. 4 was perhaps natural that