Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-19

snt''~".S WAVING sutiT TURN ever since.
Inc testimony reported TO the Senate by
the committee Of which Mr.. Allison ,v,s
the chairman. made March IS, 1882, IL 30
iuii Of suggestions Tor reform that the
wonder Is attention has not been given 1,
Had there existed the honest purnos, 3,
reform anything II would have reco,yed
attention. The fact IL, that in tho pl,ce a,
such purpose the report and the iestlmo.
ny, making more than twelve bundreI
pages, were systematically suppressed
QUA OK existence, destroyed-so that n lin.
tied number Of copies are In existence. and
they mainly. II ~ probable, In the hand, Of
those who have an interest In suppressinc
the facts.
Many Of the facts brought out by this tea.
hmony bear strong resemblance 10 trans.
sctions that are being brought 10 brht at
the present time and for that reason nos.
sesSes a positive interest.
SOME TREASURY FRAUDS.
No one pretends that the service has he.
come purer or bonester since That investI.
CATION. Present developments lead back.
ward . number OF years and work up TO-
ward the present. Let us dip into the tes.
timony taken two years ago, showing how
IL was then; how the money was spent and
whist was the state Of official responsibility.
morality. and economy then. Let II be I'M
gerstOOd that this is the latest insight that
has been obtained. II may be taken A
suggesting how il Is now, not scientifically
perhaps, but in ways that serve the same
purpose.
And first. as 10 sOapand toilet article, for
the uScOf the Treasury Department. a bill
for single month was as follows: II dozen
COudray IS white rose soap, $500; 8 dozen
German soap. 1890; - dozen Lubin's
soap, S163.20; q dozen spermaceti SOAP,
s39; 3 dozen Slyeerine soap, Sli.40; 81
dozen glyeerine soap, S9S1i; 81 dozen
ilvgieniquc Sansodeur, Sl1J.20; II dozen
Hygieniquc dulcifer. $500; dozen vio-
lei du parne. Sl6.S0; dozen feurs de
Nice. S11.40;G dozen Lubin's small, s.7;
dozen No. 20 combs, Sc; dozen No.
10 combs. ST. 4 dozen No. 2 combs.
SIP; ] dozen No. 80 combs, 50;
dozen Imperial. $3.50; | dozen celluloid.
rs; rs Gozen har-brushes, ranging from
$3.50 10 S2l per dozen; dozen Col
gates violet water, Sl0 per dozen, $50.
This bill amounted TO S19S.9S.
IL was shown that the practice was to pre-
sent memorandum bill first. which would
be- sent back from the department with d.
rections how to divide il up. Then part
would be made out to miscellaneous ac-
count part TO " horses and wagons" to
"lucl. ard so on.
Let Us dip into the soap business for
another mon;h-viz.: 80 gross clycerine
soap, 1853; so gross honey soap, $50;
5gross elderberry soap, S69.7J, I gross
maybiOSsom soap, Si3.20; gross oatmeal
soap. S4S.60; . gross olive palm SOAP.
S67.50; gross vaaelinc soap, S1G2 gross
violate soap, S2lG; gross geranium
soap, S2lG; ) gross palm soap. Sl3j;
l gross pOncine, $1,000; ! gross turtle oil,
SCf so; 10 boxcS-4O0 barS-English ca,
tile soap, -. This transaction amour q
to Sl,9Jl.6J.
ANO1UEE SOAP TRANSACTION.
About the same time there was another
transaction in soaps and toilet articles as fol-
lows. Ten gross extra toilet soaps, Sjsi 20;
y dozen toilet combs, 5000; - dozen
hair-hrushes, Sl29.Si; , dozen cloth
brushes. $50. This little transaction
came 10 S1G9.1j. As specimen brick, these
viii suffice for the present. II should Joe
bone in mind that these transaction. wcIo
four yeas ago. that they came to light two |
years alter. How are things going now
II is a fair question. l. any one taking in-
tcrest enough to find ont!
in the Navy Department II is being a5ccr-
tanned that great number OF bills were
rendered and paid about the time these
soap hills were created. for which nothing
was delivered. Some OF them are much III
tie line OF the above. There is no proof
that the soap and toilet articles were no.
delivered to and used in the Treasury De-
partment. Considering that only "a very
small part OF all the soaps bought for that
Department appears in these purchases,
and judging on the principle that ceanli-
ness is akin to godliness, that Department
should be as absolutely pure Is ii is posi-
bic for mortals TO be. But. viewed in the
light Of the facts obtained from yariou,
sources. the soaps could not have been
used in,ide the building. or else TIE pro-
verb IL = lie.
NO TRACE OF THE ARTICLES.
Inquiry fails 10 prove that soaps and
toilet articles OF the kind mentioned in the
above bills were ever seen, except by the
favored few, in the Treasury Department.
1t would not much help the matter we've
The case otherwise, for on what ground can
such an expenditure OF the public money
lie defended such articles as are enumcr-
ated in these bills are generally for the use
Of women, not in the departments, but ut
their homes. Perfumes and expensive
soaps, with other toilet articles to match.
are not Reeessares in the public service.
They sro not purchased with any such idea.
They are records OF kinds Of soaps bought
for the employees. In one Of the above bills
!, an item OF four hundred bars OF CASTLE
soap which went 10 them. The high
priced soaps and other articles went some
v here else-ii they were ever delivered.
In the Navy Department they are finding
vouchers OF similar kind by the score that
are false and fraudulent. A detective de-
clares he is ready to put the War Depart
ment on the track Of similar Transactions.
The above bills may contain a suggestion
SIS to the Treasury Department. At any
rate they show what is inside the public ser-
vice, and they are mild to what is TO come
out.
LISA good time for the Senate commit
tees to begin their work; that j., il they
will prosecute il only with the unqualified
intention OF getting at the truth.