The advocate., 1892-07-20
HOW THE TREASURY rs ROBBED.
Millions Paid Out for the Redemption Of Du-
pllcate Coupons and Greenbacks.

WAShANGTONg Ml&ECn --Au0 OuCoES
Of the present administration are very
quick to discover the shortcomings Of
their predecessors, and numerous sug-
gestions are made by them Of much
needed reforms, not only In regard TO
civil service changes, but In the manner
Of conducting the routine Of business,
so as to secure greater economy and pro-
lection against fraud upon the govern
ment. A prominent treasury official said
to-day that the method Of keeping
books and files and of conducting the
general Office business in the depart
ments had not kept pace with the times,
but 1t Is the same of that in vogue when
the government was organized. No mat
ter how inconvenlent, the old methods
have been transmitted from administra-
ton to administration, while the methods
in private business have been constantly
improving. Some Of these methods have
cost the government millions Of dollars,
not only In the way of involving greater
expense, but because they give oppor-
tunity for actual fraud upon the govern
ment.
For instance, as Gen. RosecrAns, the
present register of the treasury, said today,
no precaution whatever is taken to pre-
vent the duplication of bonds or treasury
notes should the plates fall into dlshon-
est hands, and he says the government
has paid millions Of dollars In the re-
demption of bonds and notes which have
been taken from true plates. In 1871
duplicates Of coupons on bonds amount
ing to over thirteen millions Of dollars
were discovered, and as they bore the
signature Of Jay Cooke & Co., they were
paid by the government. These coupons
were undoubtedly taken from the true
plates. A record ls kept of the redemp-
tion of bonds by number and designation
and Of their cancellation, but no record
is kept Of greenback notes, consequently
there Is no way to prevent the redemp-
ton Of any number of copies Of the same
bank note.
When private bank contracts for the
printing Of Its notes the contractor Is
made responsible for any duplication,
and II a duplicate Is discovered the con-
tractor is to pay for it. But the govern
ment has no recourse. The general sug-
gests that the present administration
shall issue new series Of notes, with all
the modern improvements as to paper,
style and form and precautions similar to
that adopted by private bankers against
duplication should be taken.
But this seems hard matter, and as
the case stands these scoundrels have
everything to suit themselves, as they are
certainly backed in their nefarious work
by some person high In government
favor, and 1t seems almost impossible TO
unearth this bold and successful scheme,
or even to get the slightest clue to whom
they deal with and how long the fraudu-
lent issue of greenbscks has been going
on is hard matter to say, as they carry
on their work with such secrecy that
there is no chance Of bringing them to
justice. As the the work is 30 perfect 1t is
q proven fact they are in collusion with
the engraving department, and this ac-
counts for the millions Of greenbackS
that have been issued without the knowl-
edge of the government. Thousands Of
dollars of this spurious issue has been