The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1884-08-09
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


nation governed best Il the one that
/ 10 loaat governed, then tho Ameri-
can people stand to day on the
principal Of Governmental periec-
ton. Ncther tho President, the
Vice President, nor any Member Of
the Cabinet, except the Secretary
of War, is in Washington at the
present writing. Still the Govern
ment does not seem to suffer the
least disadvantage from their alb
senee. Routine business runs IN its
we'll worn grooves rs usual, and
tho even tenor of Departmental life
is only varied when the thieVlng OF
some Government official comes to
light.
And this reminds me oftho inves-
ugatlon of the Navy frauds now in
progress, anl also of the boasts Of
honest disbursements, there are no
means in use in any of the Depart
ments by which frauds can be de-
tected in their incipienoy. When n
voucher represents lawful ex.
penditurc, it is doomed corr eet.
Whether or not such expenditure
was actually mado is not known,
But 1t is known that many of the
most honest looking vouchers sent
in for auditing and daily passed. be-
cause duly certified, represents pur.
chases that have not been made, la.
Dor that has been diverted TO pri-
vate benefit, and material that has
been stolen. 1t is only when some
laundering delinquent fails in doc.
toring' accounts that the country
gets a hint of tho possibilities OF
the situation. There are thousands
OF citizens residing IN the Capital
city, who have knowledge of more
pretty frauds OF this kind than have
ever been dreamed Of by the out.
side world. There are costly resl-
denees here that wore erected by
such methods, by using labor and
material belonging to the Govern,
ment. And among the most expen.
pensive pieces of furniture in some
of those residences are beautiful
articles made at public expense.
How many millions have been
stolen IN this way during the last
twenty years of Republican Ad-
ministration, no man knows, nor is
there any way of determining. But
the system has worked long enough.
1t is high time that this class of
thieves, and also that class which
junkets annually at the expense of
the Treasury, as 1T snow doing,
should leave at the same time.
They will leave, however, only un.
der Reform Administration.
Republican officials here still
have their heads together in an eff
fort to find out just how they
can extract "voluntary contribu-
tons" from the Government clerks
without violating the Civil Service
law, and no doubt they will devise
some plan. The committee appoint
cd to collect campaign funds from
Government employees have fitted
up room for their purposes on
New York Avenue. Tho walls arc
decked with gay banners here and
there. Tho furniture, at present,
consists of a desk, q counter, o wa
ter cooler, and n male attendant. A
special circular appeal to Govern
ment clerks has boon prepared, and
Is bong distributed among them.
Included in The campaign lItera-
ture sent out by tho Republicans is
speech by Representative Brewer,
which contains James G. BIaines
discussion of tho Tariff question.
This, it will bo remembered, refers
to large portion of Blaino's book,
artfully worked into the Congress
ional Record, so that 1t could be
sent free throughout the country by
franking,
The Democratic headquarters
have been opened formally here,
and campaign work has begun NO.
lively. Piles of letters lie upon tho
desks, and visitors crowd the rooms,
occupying themselves in discussing
the political situation IN different
localities.
Senator German, Mr.. Randall,
and other Members of the Demo-
cratic campaign committee have ar.