The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-09-20
VOLT
a Republlean Boomerang.

public officials is an unsavory one at
best, and it's Introduction as an ele-
ment OF the Republican aggressive"
campaign may also appear to have
been indiscreet, ip the light of the
speech in Washington OF Congressman
Post, portion Of which he printed OK
cluseively on Friday. The speech
furnished aclose analysis of the gilt
tering bnt dolusiye Figures supplied
by SECRETARY McPherson and Assis-
tant Secretary of the Treasury Coon
for strictly campaign purposes. BY
this analysis it is shown that even dur
ing the present administration-csr-
tainly the most favorable that could be
selected since Lincoln's-the defalca
lions among public officials have
amounted 10 81 b5O, 800 27, instead of
$5,864 90, as certified by Messrs. Nc
Pherson and Coon; and this state
ment, being based on the certificates
of the First Comptroller of the Treasu-
ry, cannot be disputed. Congress
man Post very properly includes furth-
or among the stolen sums which he
cites the amounts Of the star route
frauds and the Burnside, Morgan.
United States Marshall Hall and Ma
val Medical Bureau frauds and defal-
cations, making in all the sum of $5,-
OO4,S00 "a stolen during the present
administration, or nearly one thous-
and times the amount set down by
Mcpherson and Coon.
There is little history connected
with ali these figures which is not un-
interesting, On February 8, 1876, a
resolution introduced in the United
States Senate by Senator Davis, of w
Virginia, and referred to the Commit
to on Finance, was brought up by
Senator Sherman, who, under the di
rection OF that committee, reported il
back with n substitute. The origina
resolution called for an investigation
of "the books and accounts of the
Treasury Department, with reference
to discrepancies and alterations in th'
amounts and figures that have beer
made in them," with view to show
the customary practice OF making
false entries, forced footings and bal
Rnces, which have been charged Il
that department. The substitute re
ported by Senator Sherman. directed
the .Secptary Of the Treasury to furn
iah to the Senate statement Of "bal
nnccs due TO the United States iron
public officers, and all such balance
due from other parties no longor il
thu public service, &c." and in hi
guisc the rsuhstitutG passed. IN thi
foundation n table WAS prepared con
tanning substantially, 80 far as it went
the material out of which the presen
McPherson-Coon statemont has bee
made. w Eg
This table, whichs showed the situs
tion from the Republican standpoin
to June 30, 1876, was employed as
campaign document in the. Presider
tial election Of that year, In 1880 tn
alleged comparisons instituted weI
extended to June 30, 1879, and wer
widely disseminated for campaignust
in the Republican interests duringtf
Garfield campaign. This year th
Ramo interesting aggregate of false d
ductions from delusive premises
made TO do service in the interest
james @. Blaine, Of Maine, g7
But the incisive and unanEwerab
showing of Congressman Post turn
the Republican missile into o boom
rang, The McPhersoh-Coon stat
mentshowed an alleged loss 30 tt
United States from the rommenc
ment of Washingtons administratic
down TO 1861 of $24, AL ,S29 80, all I
defalcvtion oipublic officers, and e
tending over period Of scventy-ty
years. The statement of Congres
man Post. based on the reports of Il
Solicitor of the Treasury, and cove
ing twenty-three years Of Republics
administration, exhibits grand total
sums stolen from the United States
public officers amounting to $45,52
CPS 81, 1t is significant incident
the construction of the ingenious
BILE of disbursements and losses oils
that these are set down as "exclusi
of Post Office, which receives and d
burses its own revenue" When it
remembered that this exclusion W
made thel last year OF the sHayest
ministration a reference to "star ROT
frauds" may not be inappropriate.
III considering the enormo
amount Of the stealing under the /
publican administration of the Unit
States Government, and particula
those 81 recent-years. it should be
membered that the vast revenues
tho government, with frequently
heavy surplus in the Treasury, wQ'
naturally suggest and Offer facilit
for Wholesale ROBBERY. But stealing
the rate Of two millions year, adj
tn tn,,asfafullnoss-ae IN 1hn NAVY