Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-10
MUSIC IN THE TREASURY.
RAUAI AND LAWRENCE AT LOG
GERHEADS.

| RAUM AND LAWRENCE AT LOG
GERHEADS.
A Deadlock for the Court Of Claims to
Break - Naval Smuggling -Esthetic
Sea Dogs-SeVen Hours q Day-The
Wearied Clerks Kicking-A Reformer
Fallen from Grace.
WASHINGTON, March s.-They are having a
little music in the Treasury Department. By
the way the band often plays in that depart
ment. Raum, Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, and Lawrence, the First Comptroller,
are the chief musicians this time. Raum is
a man who don't like folks TO tread on his coat
tails officially or undo without just and sufi-
clent cause his official acts. Lawrence aspires
TO be known as watch dog OF the govern
ment. He passes finally on all accounts. If
there is any possible way by which
he can SIT down upon any account he
always takes his seat there. Under the law,
officers of the government who are upOn
official business bent have their travelling ex-
penses paid out of the public purse. A short
time ago a number of special agents who
served under Raum were sent out on short
trip for business purposes. They sent in a
statement OF the money which they had spent
Raum examined it and gave his approval
The accounts went to Lawrence. He also ap-
proved of all that had been spent except
sixty-siX cents. The party of officers had
bought lunch and the siNty-siX cents
was an amount in excess of what the bill would
have been had the lunch cost twenty five
cents head. Lawrence faid The law down
that no government emplOye should pay more
than twenty five cents for lunch. He deliv-
cred an elaborate opinion on this subject
which he had duly printed at the expense of
the government. Raum was mad but made no
demonstration Just then, But along came an
other clash. Mr.. Rodgers, the Deputy Com
missioner of Internal Revenue, went over to
q InU arurhf
hours. He put in a. bill of So 30
for expenses. Raum approved it
and in due course of time it went to Law
renee. Here it was disapprOyed and an
other able decision delivered and printed at
the governments expense. Then Raum got
very mad. He to-day sat down and wrote to
Lawrence. lie said that he was an honest
man. lie certainly would not approve of ac-
counts that he had not carefully examined
beforehand. Lawrence, he said, in disap-
proving these accounts both reflected on his
manage his office properly. He said
also that Lawrence was trying to make
little cheap nOtoriety hy pOsng
as wall of defense between the Treasury and
those who want to get their hands into it lille
gally. Why did he not exercise some of that
diligence when he was passing upon the ac-
counts OF Congressional junketing expeditions,
where thousands of dollars were spent for
liquor, wines, cigars and other luxuriesg
Why had he approved of the travelling barroOm
that the late tariff commission tOted around
Win u! IL Is sall tnat Raum Went so far as
TO ask Lawrence how many hundreds of times
more the printing of his two picayune opin-
ions amounted to than the total amount of the
bills which had been presented To make q
test case OF it the 1888 80 account of Deputy
Commissioner Rodgers will be taken to the
Court OF Claims.
NAVAL SMUGGLING.
A case of smuggling by naval officers, the
details of which have just come to light, will
again attract attention to that practice which
shame hppOma ali an
universal one in the navy. The case |
refer to is now told to me by an employe of
the Washington navy yard. You will re-
European station, brought over TO at
tend the Yorktown Centennial the
French guests of this nation. When
the Trenton arrived at Yorktown 10, 600 fine
cigars which were on board here were distri-
buted among the different officers of the fleet
there assembled. They were regularly con-
signed TO these officers; but of course no duty
was pald on them. The government tug Tai
lapO0sa hove alongside the Trenton. TO her
were transferred case after case of merehan-
disc. There were silks and all manner of ma
terial for womens wear; many other articles
of wear and for the toilet were there. These
cases were brought TO the Washington navy
yard, where they were landed on
a government dock. The dock looked
as If the navy yard were regular commercial
port. The foreign marks on the cases were
removed and they were distributed to their
various destinations. Lieutenant Emory, a
here, got many Of them. or course no duty
was paid upon any of the goods. This is an
other exposure OF what seems to be q regular
system of fraud upon the government, prac-
tlced by its own officers, who, it would be eX-
pected from their honorable positions, would
be above such things. While upon this sub
lect, | VIII give an extract from report made
by Mr.. +. w. Clark, Chief of the Revenue
Marine Division OF the Treasury Department.
''While stringent regulations are maintained
and enforced against the smuggling of mer-
Rnn
arriving at our potts from abroad, not only
their baggage but even their persons being
subject to search by the inspectors, no certain
means exist of reaching the personal baggage
of the naval officers returning by their own |
ships. No oath or certificate is required of
them that they have not in their effects dutia-
bic goods in fraud of the customs revenue. |
Enjoying such immunity there is no check or |
restraint upon them beyond that imposed bv
sensitive conscience. Statesmen, Judges
tradesmen, and others of the general public
are not exempted from the search, but naval
onlcets may escape II. a casual inquiry
into the subject Covering only the period !
OF five years, beginning with 1878 and ending
with December, 1882 shows that five naval |
vessels returning from foreign stations within |
that period have been used by naval officers in |
violation OF section 1924 of the statutes, as
transports for the importation of merchan-
dlse, ana that the attempt was made to land
such merchandise without the payment of the
duties prescribed by law. The value of goods !
appraised by the naval officers themselves at !
a nominal price IN many cases. thus unaw- |
fully imported and landed is over seven |
thousand dollars. The number of officers of |
the navy directly concerned in this business |
was over fifty. FOrty-twO packages were |
seized at the express Office where they were |
being shipped beyond the reach of customs |
officers. Some of these packages were address |
ed to naval officers, others to families of naval
officers, and others still to private citizens. |
One package, containing two hundred and |
eighty eight pairs of kid gloves, was addressed |
to merchant in New York city, In this |
connection must ee noted the remarkable fact |
that these scandafous infraetions of law and |
the naval regulations seem not to have been |
visited with discipline. -
SEVEN HOURS A DAY,
The legislative, e%ecutiVe and judicial bill |
as 1t finally passed contains a provision that |
the heads OF departments may in their discre-
erection, require seven hours labor o dav from |
the government clerks. The clerks work |
seven hours day during the winter, but only |
SIN hours during the summer. They don't |
want to work seven hours this summer. They |
are organizing in some of the departments |
regular movements to bring arguments |
to bear upon their chiefs to show |
that there is no reason why they |
shonld not be lep Qut ats O'Clock during the !
hot SPELL Some Of the very prettiest female |
employees are most active in these movements. |
Doubtless most OF the heads of departments |
viii exercise the discretion given them by |
the bill, and let the clerks and clerkesses of |
from work at O'Clock in the afternoon during |
the summer.
ANOTHER EXPEDITION.
The revenue cutter Corwin will make an |
other eZpedlEi0n 70 AlasSa this summer. |
leaving nom san Ffantisc6. The Object OF |
the expedition viii he 10 inquire into and af- |
ford protection II necessary TO our interests |
IN that country, and also to gain further in |
about Alaska and the adjacent |
waters. This is one of similar expeditions |
which have been made, and all Of which have |
proved profitable TO the government in their |
results.
IQoKIEf AFTER MS RELATIyEs.
Like Keller, Senator Mitchell it appears |
looked litter his relatives interests Just at the
close Of the session. Mitchell is anjindepend, |
ent refprmer from PepnsyI3ahia. He is chair |
min Of the Committee on Patents. On the |
last day Of the session he discharged the clerk, |
assistant clerk and messenger to that commit. |
tee. These men had done the work OF all the |
session, and were looking forward to a long |
rest while they drew their pay as "o''''', a.,
SSI.:: ...... PAGES he appointed a relative !
OF ms wife, his fifteen-year old son and a /
fennaylyania constituent. These three gem /
tiemeh won't even be In Washington during |
theentre recess. Their pay, however. win |
be sent to them once month. PoTOMAC.
Destructive Fire In Vermont.
BELLoWs FALLS, W., March IA fire !
IRE this morning caused losses as follows, |
On the building owned by the Bellows |
Falls Canal Company, $4,000, no 1insur- |
ancp. OapOOn A. RapEar Incc eEO nnO =,