St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-08-11
National Policy and Jobbery.

National Policy and JObbery.
The defense of the star route thieves
and of the river and harbOr .jobbers is
identical. They all clamor for the pro-
lection of infant industries and infant
states. In his bombastic speech last
week Col. Ingersoll, speaking for the
gang who have robbed the treasury
and whose divisions of the ''swag"
among themselves are open and nOto-
rious, waved the American flag and in
dulged in the usual amount of fustian
about extending the area of civilization
by granting liberal mail facilities.
This is precisely what the river and
harbOr men claim for their schemes.
They assert that the digging out of
creeks, the dredging of swamps, and
the macadamiZing of trout brooks is all
done i'll the interests of infant com
merce. To develop the resources of
the country, and to make commerce
flow where none was known to exist,
and to induce people to settle on the
frontiers of the Republic, it is thought
wise TO appropriate millions of money.
1t is not necessary now to inquire
whether the advantages secured are
1t is not certain that it would not he
better to spend the money asked for III
some downright fashion for the direct
encouragement and emOlument of
those whose interests are supposed to
be indirectly fOstered by the lavish ap-
preparations for what are termed pub
lie uses" 1t is clear, however, that no
public interest can be subserVed by Il
policy which maintains fraud and theft
And it cannot be denied that the mon
ey expended in the river and harbor
appropriations, and in the extension of
the star route postal service has been
largely diverted into the pockets of
private individuals.
In reference to the impudent propO-
sition of the counsel for the defense in
the star route cases yesterday, Judge
Wylie very clearly showed that the eX
pediency of ''pOlicy" had nothing
whatever to do with the guilt or inno-
cence of the accused. These men are
charged with increasing the mail ser
vice in certain states and territories,
for corrupt purposes. 1t is alleged that
they took hold of small and insigniii-
cant posta! routes and made them
large, important, and profitable routes;
that the service was not required, and
that the profits were great and out of
all proportion to the cost of the work
done. To meet these charges the de-
| PENDANTS call upon Senators, Repre-
sentatives, and other public men to
prove that the policy of granting lib
eral mail facilities to feeble communi-
ties is wise and beneticent one. On
this point Judge Wylie says that the
policy of Il government is to be found
in its laws. The recommendations OF
Congressman have nothing to do with
the policy of the Government, nor with
the alleged bribery of the Second As
sistant POstmasterG General. The pol
icy of that official may have been very
cOmmendable and praisewOrthy in it
self; but suppose it shall be shown that
he received bribes for carrying out that
policy, what becomes of the pretense
that he was not actuated by selfish and
corrupt motives? ? In certain dispute
relating to racing matters, it has been
admitted that Il person accused of IT.
regular practices has been in the prac-
tice of hiring Il horse jockey to win /
race. In his defense it is urged that
the jockey should use every endeavOi
to win; the sum offered him would on
ly be an extra inducement to do hi,
duty. Granted that Mr.. Brady's desir,
to run a daily mail where only semi
weekly mail heretofore supplied the
Infant States" was wise and patriotic
how does this justify his receiving
money for the execution of Il policy ST
statesmanlike and wise?
BuncOmbe is of great value in al
schemes for drawing money from tn,
public Treasury. Three great job,
have disgraced the Republic durin.
er and harbor job, the arrears of pen
sions job, and the star route job
About each one of them hangs Il certain
degree of plausibility, even Il certain
degree of merit. The artful men VIII,
have been engaged in initiating ant
pushing these schemes have made til,
best Tor worst possible use of the at
tractive phase of the general question
The soldiers should be rewarded fOl
services and sacrifices, commerc,
f should he encouraged and afforded al
possible facilities, and the settlement
of the frontier states should be quick
ened by extending over those distan
regions means for cheap and ready
communication with the older portion
of the Union. No candid man can tax
exception to these general statements
: But when the Pension bill becomes al
: cXtravagant measure for the benefit q
claim agents, when appropriations fo
the nominal Improvement of water
: ways are diverted into corrupt chan
uels for the benefit of Congressman
and the extension of mail facilities
used as cover for the enrichment q
|. |. officials and manipulators of contracts
the policy of the Government no Ion
ger cuts any figure i'll the case. job
berry, pure and simple, jobbery tina
cannot be defended by stump speeche
about the duty of the Government,
found concealed behind the fair seem
ing of those who prate loudest of
wise, patriotic, and generous nationa
pOlicy.-[N. Y. Times.