The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-11-16
what Are star Routes. and the
Method by which the Government
was Defrauded?


The st. Louis Republican answers
these questions for one of its correspon-
dents, and we have no doubt that some
of our own readers having seen so much
about the Star Route villianies, have
been induced to desire light on the
subject. Thereupon we have borrowed
our able contemporary's, explanation
/ The routes which are expedited-that is,
those upon which the service is increased
by the department. after the letting-for
mere clerical convenience, are marked with
a star or asterisk, thus = The terms has no
other significance so far as the books are
concerned 1t has come, however, to mean
those routes on which the government IS
defrauded. The methods of robbing the
government are various, and it would be
tedious to explain them all. But as an ex-
ample: A contract is let for carrying the
mails between the points A aud B-weekly
service. The sum paid is $4,000. Sys-
tematic complaints are manufactured on
the line that service does not meet demands
of the citizens alleged to be interested.
Petitions pour in to have the route expedl-
ted, and daily service given. The service
is increased from a weekly to daily mail,
and the compensation raised from $4,000
to $4,000. These demands for increase of
sevice are for the most part fraudulent, and
the increased work is done at small increase
of expense. Some of these routes were not
needed at all, and it was not of sufficient
consequence to anybody to see that the ser
vice was done, or how it was done. These
expedited routes were generally those on
which the contractors were the friends of
certain senators and postoffice officials.
There is at least nominal competition at the
letting of the original contract. But the addi-
tional service is ordered without this check.
Mail routes are also established On naviga-
blestreams for points which are not on the line
ofrailroads, and large prices are paid for the
delivery of mails by boat, which cost the
contractors nothing, the service being gener-
ally of little or no value to the people
These routes, too, are expedited" and the
increased pay is almost clear gain. The
postal service thus becomes stupendous
enginery of fraud and robbery.
1t might have been also stated that
in order to carry out their schemes the
expediCors have secured the assistance
Of members Of Congress by admitting
them into co-partnership in the division
of the spoils. One effect of the invest iga-
ton, it was hoped, would be to uncover
the unfaithful stewards of the people
who have betrayed their trust in the
manner charged. 1t is said that Brady
has preserved all the evidence of this
character to shield himself; and it is
scarcely possible thorough investiga-
ton could be had without exposing the
guilty parties. There are some notable
examples of Northern public men who
have become millionaires by participant
ing in the jobs they have helped to put
through Congress. John Sherman went
into Congress as poor as church mouse;
and so did Blaine; they are now worth
hundreds of thousands of dollars. The
DeGolyer contract, which figured extern
sively in the last Presidential election,
was model scheme of the jobbers. 1t
was the luck of the Colfax, the Chris
tian statesman, to have been caught and
he fell like Lucifer, to rise no more; but
where one falls, hundreds have escaped
anything worse than suspicion, and
Haunted their gains as the harridan does
hnr painted oL.ap,.,s, aofiorrtIy in the
face of the public. We will see what will
finally come of the Star Route Expe-
differs; but it begins to look as if their
sins are so plated with gold that the
strong lance of justice will not reach
them.