Morning journal and courier., 1883-05-12
SournsI auO Courier.
SINGLE COPIES THREE GENTS,
Saturday, May 12, 1858.
AN UNPLEAsANT HIATTER,


 Some Baptist missionaries have, it appears, had one of the phases of the gre eat silver question illustrated to them in a decidedly objectionable way. It is said that the Amer ican Baptist Missionary Union has been in the habit of paying the salaries of it's mis- sionaries in the East in silver rupees instead of American gold, which the missionaries wanted and expected. This has been going on for ten years, or ever since silver began to depreoiate and the missionaries figure out loss to themselves and 3 gain to somebody else by this process during that period of over $5O.O00.
 It appears from the papers submitted by the complaining missionaries that within the past eight years there has been great de- preciation in the value of the rupee, yet they are now paid the same number of ru- pees as when the amount of their salaries charged against the Union represented much larger value. For instance, a mission ary is allowed by the Union $1 200 a year. That $1 200, say ten years ago, purchased certain number of rupees. Since that date the rupee has largely declined in value, but the missionary, as the complainants charge,
 
 then, while the Union is charged now, as then, with the $1 200 salary to the mission. ary. The compliments desire to know what has become of the money saved by this pro- cess,. and allege that even up to the date of the last report no mention is made of it in the treasurer's statements. Rev. Dr. E. B. Cross, said to be one of the most dis tinguished missionaries now in the East, wrote to a friend I give you the sums which think you cannot find accounted for in the treasurer's report as saved from the missionaries' salaries. On the rate fixed up to 1879 per year they saved 29,952 rupees, and on the rate as fixed last year they saved 9,36O rupees. This saving of 20, 900 rupees per annum in Burmah alone, not to mention India or other countries where the rupee is used, would amount in five years, from 1874 to 1879. to $50, 900 not accounted for in the annual reports of the American Baptist Mis-. sionary Union.
 The Baptist anniversaries occur the last week of this month in Saratoga, and it is said that the matter will be brought up then- The publication of the facts given above and others has naturally caused some stir. The Rev. A. T. Rose, returned missionary now living in Providence, Rhode Island. has been interviewed. When he came homo he sent a communication to the Rev Dr. Seymour, secretary of the Board, asking what had been done with the money which had &C., crued by savings in salaries and other appre- priations for the support of the missions. This was shown to Dr. Murdook, corre- spending secretary, and the Rev. Mir. Rose was afterward invited to make an examine ton of the books, which he did. The say ing was admitted by Dr. Murdock, but when asked as to it's disposition. of which no &C., count was made upon the books the doctor replied that it was all right, and had been expended in an entirely legitimate way. He was then asked by the Rev. MT. Rose why it did not appear on the treasurer's books, and replied that the account relating to savings was kept in the private books of the Finance committee. He further explained that the amount saved l annually reduced the sums appropriated for the following year, yet this was not shown by l the books. as the appropriations remained l the same The doctor also stated that he did | not understand the matter himself, but was | convinced that the money had been expended 1 legitimately, which explanation Rev. MT. Rose 1 accepted, and signed paper stating that he | was satisfied that the savings had been prop l erly expended, and asked to be allowed to | withdraw his petitions.
 Dr. Murdock has also been interviewed, | and declares that the charge that any financial | officer of the Union has misappropriated | money is utterly without foundation. The l whole matter is very unpleasant one, but there seems to be good reason to believe that l the missionaries have not been treated fairly. l They evidently ought to have had more | rupees.