The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-09
sECRETIvE OFFICIALS.
Difficulty in Obtaining information Concern
ing Public Business.

Difficulty in Obtaining Inform alton Concern
ing Public Business.
.pecial to the Indiauapolis Joprnai-
WAsHINGToN, Sept s-By degrees the
avenues of public information in the depart
ments have been closing during the past two
years, until at present it Is almost impossible
for pm outsider, an ordinary patriotic private
citizen, to procure any information whatever re-
lating to public business. Under previous ad-
ministrations there has been no diiiulty what
ever for anybody to procure any character Of in
formation, except that procured by detectives
and held inviolate on account of its very secret
nature. and the books and the archives have
been open to everyone. There were no dscrim-
nations; Democrat. a negro, a Jew, o.
Irishman could procure information as correctly
and as quickly Republican politician The
services of all clerks werc at the disposal Of
American citizens, and everybody was treated
with uniform courtesy, without question. Short
ly after the present administration came into
power An order was issued at the Postofice De-
partment TO permit no one to have this informa-
ton or that information, and gradually
the avenues which had been for 80 many
years open to the public relating to the
appointment of postmasters. the bonds Of post
masters, changes in locations of postoffices,
movals, appointments, and so forth, were closed
aud were Theoretically sealed. Then there was
an order-prooably verbal-issued ct the Treas
ury Department which was of a kindred char
acter. It was only the other day that your cor
respondent went to The office Of the Assistant
Treasurer Of the United States and asked for
one OF the last monthly statements issued under
the Arthur administration. The Assistant
Treasurer is a very courtsous gentleman, but
he perforce compelled to decline the re-
quest, saying that no one was permitted to give
outside Information except the Secre-
tary of the Treasury. The Assistant Treasurer
was then reminded that the information re-
Quested was simply in the form of public state
ments which are given to the press and to the
people without any hesitation whatever, as they
were required by law and the Oldest rules OF the
departments; and yet the Assistant Treasurer
repeated that he was sorry to be disoongine,
but he did not feel at liberty under the rules OF
the department at present to grant the request
The same Is true in the Office of the Supervising
Architect. That officer will not even say that
contract has been let or that a special agent has
been sent on public mission without a special
direction from the Secretary OF the Treasury.
In the Office of the Commissioner OF Customs
the same condition Of affairs exists In the In
terror and other departments one encounters
similar condition of affairs
new order has been issued by Assistant
Postm aster general Knott who has been uni
formiy obsequious to his superiors and DISC
bliging TO his interiors and the public, whereby
clerks in the department are not permitted to
give out any information regarding contracts or
movements OF agents, or aoy information, in
fact, which has heretofore been Ublic property.
1t has come to pass that it Is quite az difficult
for any one in Washington who is not in official
authority TO procure information of the most
ordinary character IS it is 10 secure official favor
It is even a difficult thing for a member of Con-
gress to procure information which only four or
five years ago a coal-heaver or hod-ca. rier
cocld get by simply asking. There two reasons
for this strange condition of business. In the
first place, the administration Ia determined that
nobody shall procure any information which can
be turned to the political advantage Of the oppo-
site party III the second place, the employees,
whether they be Democrats or Republicans are
suspected OF being dishonest. The superior
officers are afraid TO trust their assistants.