Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-06-01

tant Secretary of the Treasury, of conduct
for which he could be impeached and re-
moved. and Judge Maynard, as is well-known,
Is very close to the President and was APP
pointed ~ an act Of personal friendship and
recognition. We may add that Judge May
nasd il not the sort Of man to violate any Law
OF to encourage its vioixtion. Only the i'm
perative necessities and orders of his master
could make him 60 into this sort of business.
Wh1t were the facts disclosed by uncon-
tradicted and abundant evidence! DIR. Ed
ward Sherer, a chemist and an educated man
Of standing, who had helped the Tariff Com
mission in preparing the system for testing
and classifying sugars, was surprised by the
announcement made to him by Appraiser
McMullin, on the latter's return from an
interview with Assistant Secretary Maynard,
that the latter insisted on his removal, the
pretext being certain improved charges. DR..
Sherer courted investigation and went to
Washington and saw Maynard, but the only
satisfaction that he could get from Maynard
was that ''when man had been a long time
in Office it was best To make change" DR..
Sherer-wbose ability and good character
were abuDdantly proved by good Witnesses
found that Maynard was acting on this theory
both az to himself and as to his brother.
Then comes Assistant Appraiser Daniel j.
Moore, who testifes to Sherer's character
and qualifications, and also as to his own
efforts to prevent DR.. Sherer's removal.
Moore swears that Appraiser McMullin had
shown him Maynard's BLACK list" of fifteen
supposed Republicans whose places were
wanted. Moore frankly informed Maynard
that II these men were to be removed because
they were Republicans he was with them
every time" but If on charges they ought to
have chance to defend themselves.
The policy of Maynard and of Maynard's
master was clearly exposed, when the former
promptly crossed off from the ''black list
the name of brother of ex-senator Jacobs.
The fact of this saving relationship was not
known to the maker of the list. How care
lessly the list was made up this simple and
disgraceful incident shows. Even Appraiser
McMullen, who has been an appraiser since
1852, and who declined to submit the letters
between himself and his superiors in these
cases, testified that the "black list was not
made here but In Washington, and that he
told Assistant Secretary MAYNARD that the
black listed men "were able and honest en-
ployes. / knew of no interest of the gov
eminent that would be advanced by their
removal. | mentioned the Sherers in partic-
ular, because | had unbounded confidence in
their ability and integrity"
Does Mr.. Curtis want a clearer or stronger
case than this, to satisfy him that Reform in
the Custom House is slaughtered by Mr..
Cleveland's personal representative in the
Treasury Department?
Not only is reform" thus betrayed by
orders from Washington, but it is openly and
wantonly sacrificed to the "Solid South" tina,
Mr.. Cleveland has so openly courted. Mr..
John V. McElwee, one of Appraiser Moore's
sugar examiners, was removed for drunken.
ness and characterization on the latter's re-
port. When the news got to Washington
there was great CONSERVATION in official
circles. The disgraced and discharged man
was the son of Confederate surgeon The
solidity of the South for Cleveland was
threatened and the fortunate Southon was
ordered to be reinstated and the peril
thought to be averted. But when the Civil
Service regulation as to reinstatement came
to be investigated it was found that even Mr..
Cleveland could not get the drunken McElwee
back, by direct personal orders, because the
certificate had to state that the reinstated
man had been removed without cause
Then followed the most remarkable result,
of all, which clearly required the very
highest sort of official pressure, for it was
no less than the change of the form OF
certificate, by the Civil Service Commissio =,
so as enable the late Southern Confederacy
to win a fresh and posthumous triumph in the
New York Custom House!
In all the annals of Custom House investi-
cations there has never been anything like
the disclosures already made by the Senate
Committee, under Senator Spooner's lawyer
like and searching methods of inquiry. The
scope of the disclosures is not limited to the
local Custom House authorities. In fact,
yesterdays striking developments locate the
seat of war against Reform very near the
White House--so near, in fact, that to those
who know the relations between Mr.. Cleve-
land and Judge Maynard there will seem to
be no chance for escaping the conclusion
that the President is back of the "black
list" business and of the absurd and disgrace
full reinstatement of drunken and disorderly
official. Only to oblige the President would
the Civil Service rules have been amended
so AS to enable certificate of reinstatement
to be made out for a disgraced and unworthy
official Since the rebel flag" incident no
such display of Executive subserviency to
the "Solid South" has been shown and no
one else would dare strain so much for so
small and contemplate an object.-.N Y.
Nail and Erpress