West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-09-24
THE BOOKS OPENED.


An Incomplete Table OF DeGaIcation. sine.
1891 shows That the Republican Party
owes the Government Nearly Thirteen
Million Dollars
One OF the most striking chapters of
the Democratic campaign book will be
that which is devoted TO the dcfalca-
tions of Republican ollice-h holders dur
ing Republican sway il has been pre-
pared with great care and much labor
from official figures, and makes a more
damaging showing than was ever am
ticipated. The chapter is headed
Opening the Books" and vindicntes
promise long made by the Democracy
to the people of the country. It saws
the Democratic party, through its press
and by its speakers. declared for the
past ten years publicly that If it could
turn the rascals out and get at the
books they could demonstrate that the
Republican party, in its long lease of
power, had, through its various ofl
GERS, by dcfalcation in collections and
disbursements. stolen millions of the
people, money. Mr.. Tilden. i'm 1876,
claimed the amount TO be over 81, OOO.-
600. The amount will reach $40. 600
900 or more.
Under resolution of the House.
passed January %, the Acting Secre-
tary of the Treasury transmitted a let
ter To the House of Representatives i'm
which it is shown officially that the
balances now due the Government on
account Of Gcfalcations i'm disbur>c-
mcnts and collections Since 1861 is
2,s93, TO I'm this document each de-
linquent is named and the exact am
cunt due the Government stated. This
does not include the overhaulinV of the
accounts of the Post-ollice Department.
The Sixth Auditor says that the ann
cunt OF work would be so enormous TO
get up the accounts OF all tho officers
under the Post-oflicc Department. and
get ut the balances due from each of
them, that it is impossible with the
present force To accomplish il. SO II i
found from an examination Of the
books in part, showing only about half
of the discussing and receiving officers
accounts. that the balance due bv these
receiving and disbursing officers. for
which they have defaulted to the Gov
eminent, Is over $4,000. 600. The
balance due from the Others amounts
by the same ratio 10 larger amount
The foregoing statement and the table
which is hereafter inserted does not
include shortage, aS has been said. in
the Sixth Auditor, office. which has
charge of the vast expenditures of the
Post-oilicc Department. II was there
that the star route thieves figured.
Nor does it include the shortage i'm
the Third Auditors office. which
embraced the expenditures of the War
Department, where Howgatc. Hodge
and othcI kindred spirits had thor dav.
Nor does il include the shortage i'm the
Fourth Auditors Office which ha.
charge Of expenditures i'm the NAVY
Department, where the Robson gang
paid more for the repair of old shipS
than they originally cost, and had no
ships left
The records will show that since the
Democratic Administration took hold.
rs is heretofore shown in the report of
the First Comptroller of the Treasury.
an earnest effort is being made to col
lect all these balances, and with much
greater success than could have been
anticipated, owing to the long lapse of
time. Tins is simply partial peep
into the books. The short time that
the Democratic Administration has
been in power rendered il impossible
AT this time to give full exposure of
all the delinquencies and defalcations
OF the Republican e-holders who
were not prosecuted for their robbery
and plumber, but kept in power by the
Republican party. The branches of
the service in which these defalcations
occurred are shown hy the following
table: