The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-04-29
A xoDEL REPUBLICAN LEADER.

The late discussions of the naval appropria-
ton bill in the house at Washington have CIV
en- new interest to revelations that were made
several years ago In regard to the admlnlstra-
ton of the navy department by Grants famous
Secretary, Secor Robson. 1t will be remem-
bered that during the seven years he had con.
troll OF the navy he spent $13S, OOO,O 900, besides
sale of abandoned vessels and hulks, and at
the end of his term, tor this enormous ex.
pendlture, he was able to report the L. ,. In
possession of 80 old ships, rated as ships OF
war, not one of which was ever able to fire a
gun, and, except fourteen iron,clads built dur
ing the war, the U. s. navy vas without ship
that would dare to 60 into battle. Another
curious revelation of the Whlthorne Investiga-
ton with which the memory of the house was
refreshed last week, to its no small diversion,
related to the extensive dealings of Mr.. Robe
son with the old clo' men. In the lnvestlga-
ton In question Mr.. Paymaster Cutler, chief
of provisions and clothing, had teslfied,-"We
have about $1,300,000 worth of clothing on
hand. About 100000 worth Of this is stored
in New York. We owe about 100000 on
this clothing. We have recommended re-
duction on the price of this clothlng-about
sixteen per cent which cuts off $15S000.
This is dead loss to the government. ltwas
all bought by open purchase; no advertise
ments, (which was contrary to law. MIR.
Robson was required to advertise for propos-
ais in all such cases. The revelations of the
paymaster were so curious that the committee
asked him to make out table showing for
how many years ahead the navy had been sup
Piled with clothing by Robesons forethought,
at the average rate of yearly issue. The table
made out pursuant to this request shows that
of pea jackets Mr.. Robson had accumulated
enough for % years; Of monkey jackets
supply for IS years; Of blue cloth trousers
sufficient to last years; of canvas trousers
enough for 8 years; of white duck frocks
enough for ID years; Of blue flannel shirts for
years; blue flannel undershirts, AZ years;
blue flannel drawers, 81 years; and, lest this
supply should leave our gallant seamen bare,
lac Ania Al ouNhsAoAoAiJ ~ JSoAo supply VA oAue
satlnet and years of blue flannel, besides IA
years supply OF thin flannel, years supply
OF duck, boots enough to last 10 years, and so
on to the end of a long list
How big per centage Mr.. Robson had
levied on the old clo' men from whom he had
made these enormous illegal purchases the
was unable to tell, but the Inference
was that no doubt 1t was something handsome.
Yet this mar is today the most influential
man in the republican party, the trusted leader
of the house, whose nod passes or defeats every
measure IN congress, who made
Speaker Keifer and rules him like a spaniel,
and to whom the president and cabinet must
do obeisanee. Is it strange that so prominent
q republican as Wayne McVeagh should be
forced to the admission that the party is little
else than band OF robbers when 1t accepts
and obeys as its great spokesman and leader
convicted peculator and thief like Secor
RObesOn?