Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-08-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.


| LUIS w tne Dcst Governments Tue WORM
ever saw tor purposes Of pfunder, and the
plunderers know II. They seem TO have
taken Il for granted that Governments
and this Government In particular-are
instituted among men TO enable the lew
upon the inside 10 whack up between
themselves, and for tlis are the Offices
disseminated. don't know the exact
period in the life of this Government il
there ever was such y time when public
officials begin 10 steal and get caught at
IT,, bnt II WIS ns loug ago IA 1889 that
Swartwout with million Of dollars OF
Government muney in his pocket, put his
thumb to his nose and gyroted Ina fingers
nj Martin Van Buren and The Government
Just Va Tweed did at the New York public
thirty years afierward, As time has pass
ed away, the plupdeiing has gone on with
more aud more bnrefnced audacity until
stealing is actually looked uron M one Of
the privileges Of Official existence. And
the Government in all this time has never
learned how to keep its books, nor never
looked after the state Of ils cash account
20 as 10 know when, where, who, or how
long its trusted employees had been steal
ing, or whether they Ind been stealing at
all. There was postmaster F0wler's lar
cenies that covered an aggregate Of $515,-
900, and n period OF peculation extending
through nearly four years, yet the Gov
| y. Ia. 81. .,,f
office were kept so loosely (or rather were
not kept nj ally that Fuwler's disappear
ance was the first inklng That the ac-
counting officials received of any sort of
crookedness F! The approaching trials Of
Swain aud Morrow and Burnside will de-
velop with startling completeness the
wonderful facilities afforded aud the terri
bic temptations TO steal that comes Of our
system of Governmental bookkeeping.
Two days ngo paid witt TO the Doc
ument room of the House OF Representa-
lives IN search OF an item. i, is not the
busy place just now that 1t il when Con-
gress is in session, but it is quite curios-
ity-shop in It's way. Slowed away in
pigeon-holes and tied up in bundles are
the copies of all Documents printed by
order OF the ii ouse, and all bills intro
duced. The familiar inscription which
Dante put over the entrance of the infer
nal regions, "abandon hope all ye who
enter here" might well be written over
the doors Of this room. 1t is indeed a
burying ground for this kind of literature.
OF the 1000 bills which entered there
during the late session, less than 200
emerged in the shape Of acts. OF course
the great majority OF bills and resolutions
introduced never had any chance to be
come acts, and sad would haze been the
tate OF the country il they had. Many of
those kept in the background, owe their
death to the vigilance of certain member.
among whom Holman, of Indiana, is the
chief.
Much has been written about "the great
oljecior" as lie is called, and many have
doubtless conceived the idea that lie is n
stern cross grained and mUrose man. Bu
9 such il not the case. Those who are fa-
milar with his private lie, know that he
has M kind n heart as ever throbbed
against waist-coat. 1t was he who had
the provision for the salary of Jennie NJ
Hunt, cripple in the Dead Letter Office
placed in the Legislative Appropria tior
, bill so as to secure her against di, charge
: And through him the little wan-faceo
hunchbi ck who sits at the door of The
l Appropriations Committee room, got hi
: place. This boy, whose name is Willie
Howard, Is the support OF his widowed
C mother. He used to stand on the Capitol
steps and beg, where he was allowed L
r remain by the policemen whose hearts
were softened by his appeals and finally il
stormy weather lie got place by tn
elevator where lie often performed littl,
services for members. Holman becam
d interested IN him, and got 4 resolution
e through the House authorizing his ap.
poinlment as an additional page. So The
:, boy is fixture, and makes himself usefn
in keeping the committee room in order
s Strengthening mp the papers and books
n and doing errands Tor the members.
One OF the last nights of the session
there was scene that would make
striking picture on canvas. The Confer
il ence Committee on the naval bill were II
= session There was Logan, the Republi
-, can candidate for Vice Pre- ,ident; Hale
= of Name, and the stalwart Beck, repre-
" sentlng the Senate, with Randall, Holma
n and Calkins, representing the House. Fo
- several hours the committee debated AN
N wranged; a good deal of hard talk bein
y heard from all sides. But through il al
n regardless oil the fate OF the new cruisers
& curled up in great armchair, sleepin
# M peacefully M kitten on hearth
% stone, lay the little hunchback, tired on
e with the cares of state. After the com
'e miltee adjourned in IL passionate disagree
a ment, Holman noticed the boy, woke hin
"a up AZ tenderly as a mother would, an
told him 10 go home. DON PEDRO.