The Evening critic., 1883-02-22


Mr.. BELTzHoovER belted away yestcr-
day at General Hazen in true slugging
style. The General being an Ohio man, of
course the members from that State rallied
to the rescue right readily. When was it
that an Ohio statesman would desert an
Ohioan who held a fat office? The COM
plant being made that Mr. Beltlhoover
had had his speech printed in the Record
without delivering it in the House, he pro-
ceeded to formulate his charges as follows,
and made them part of his speech
First-The administration OF the Signal
Service Bureau under II. W. Howgate was the
most corrupt, pronigate and dishonest which
had ever existed In the annals Of the Govern
ment.
second-Howgates methods were character
lied by the employment Of the whole Signal
Service force who had log.rolled to influence
Congress to pass legislation for the bureau.
Third-whi'e apparently expendlng the full
appropriation and keeping up the efficiency OF
the Service, Howgate was stealing hundreds
OF thousands Of dollars. The amount Of his
larcenies reached 100000.
Fourth-While this corrupt and felonlous
corporation was in progress, Howgate was
surrounded by a number of educated and
well-paid employees, who were either marvel
Flfth-That no investigation OF any kind had
been made TO ascertain the character and ex-
tent Of these frauds, nor had the perpetrator
been brought TO trial. There were some
reasons for this, which some persons around
the Signal Bureau knew better than anybody
else.
Sixth-General W. B. Hazen had never
brought Howgate TO trial, but had left every
employe of Howsato's in control of the bu-
reau.
seventh-That Hazen not only failed to bring
Howgate to justice but adopted precisely the
methods Of Howgate In using the employees of
the bureau to influence Congress through
boards OF trade and newspapers.
Eighth-That Hazen had made false pre-
lenses to the War Department to secure do.
tails OF regular officers to be used for that pur-
pose.
NInth-That Hazen had been running up
the ext endltures of the bureau t, double
what they were under Howgate.
Tenth-That Hazens petty frauds and pecu-
latlons were more bold and infamous than
Howga,e's.
Eleventh-That Hazen was found guilty OF
base and ignominious cOwardlce and most dis
graceful dupllcity.
Twelith-That Hazen's management of the
bureau had not only been prollgate and ex.
travagant almost beyond parell4i, but also
without adequate results.
In addition to Mr.. Beltzhoovers charges
Senator Logan made another even more
serious. 1t is that the editorials published
in the various papers throughout the
country were written in the office of the
Signal Corps and paid for out of the public
funds.
These are serious charges, and can neither
be met by sneer nor carelessly ignored.
General Hazen displays no desire
to ignore them, but he was ex-
ceedingly unfortunate in his method
of meeting them. Being an Army officer
it would seem that when charges such as
these, seriously affecting his official con-
duct, were publicly made by so responsible
a source as member of Congress, he would
have Immediately demanded Court
Of Inquiry. His request that the
matter be investigated by Sem
ate Committee is looked upon
as an attempt to have the matter calci-
mined a Ia Sherman and the whisky ring.
All this is bad for General Hazen, and the
only way he can escape public condemna-
tion is to establish his innocence through a
Court of Inquiry composed of his fellow
officers, and the sooner he demands it the
better it will be for his reputation.