The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-11-29
Capital AutOcrats.

pf this government by the people is the
extraordinary authority vested in certain
subordinate officials at Washington
For instance, no man in the United
States yields such power in money mat
tiers as the first comptroller of the cur
rency. He is entirely independent Of
the secretary of the treasury, and even
the president has no means Of coercing
him, as the following story shows:
When Grant was in the White House,
First Comptroller Taylor refused to
eountersign a warrant for the payment
of big claim out of the funds of the
treasury. The president summoned him
and said:
"You must sign"
81 will not, Mr.. President" replied
the recalcitrant official.
"Then will compel you to do so, said
General Grant.
"You have not the power" rejoined
the comptroller coolly and respectfully.
eve will see about that" said the
president IL will consult the attorney
general"
The attorney general, on being con-
suited, stated that the comptroller was
right-he could not be forced to coun-
tersign the warrant. Next day the pres
ident summoned Mr.. Taylor and said:
81 find that / cannot compel you to
countersign the warrant. However, /
can get another first comptroller"
Every well, Mr. President" replied
the officer you can have my resigna-
ton, but not my signature"
In fact, the only way in which the
president can override decision of this
powerful official is by dismissing him
and appointing another man. All of the
accountsof the government, except those
which relate To customs and the post
Office department, are settled by war
rams countersigned by the first comp
t.uii,r, Without his signature the pay
u"lts tunuot be made.
Iht.e arc two autocrats in the post
Office department. One of them is the
Il, I>j&nt attorney general. 1t is his
function TO decide whether matter Of
tered for mailing is immoral or not. He
ucts rs censor for tho people. Whenever
postmaster in any city is doubtful re-
gardlng the morality of publication
!
d copy of the suspected work to the third
assistant postmaster general, by whom
it is referred to the assistant attorney
general.
Very likely the latter may be too busy
to investigate the subject personally, il
which case he turns it over to one Of his
clerks, who peruses it and marks any
passage which he considers indecent
Thus the law lord has simply to glance
over the selected tidbits of improperly
and pass on them. The assistant attor
ney general also determines what mai
matter shall be considered fraudulent
and be excluded as such from the post.
The third assistant postmaster genera
is himself an autocrat. He has authority
to exercise his own discretion in depriv
ing periodical publications of the ad
vantage of second class postal rates
Publications intended for advertisins
purposes primarily are not allowed
those rates. On account of the "Kreutze
!, Sonata whole series of books, of which
it was one, was shut out of the mails.
, Publishers commonly get out vol
, umes in series, because in this shap
they go second class as periodical publ
cations so long as they are issued a
5 least four times year. The decision
1 against that work did not actually ex
clude it from the post, because it coul'
be and was sent at first class rates
| sealed, so that nobody could lawful,
open the package and find out what wa
L inside.
The autocrat Of the department o
agriculture is the chief of the bureau O
animal industry. He has authority t
kill any animal he may choose anywher
In the United States. When one of hi
inspectors reports that such and sue
cattle are afflicted with an infection
disease, he orders them purchased an
. slaughtered. The value of the beasts
), judged by two appraisers, one chose
~ by the owner and the other by the BIT
q reau. If they cannot agree, they ~
n point third person to decide. In cas-
: q man refused to have his live stoc
v thus disposed of, the police and Unite
d States marshals would be summoned.
n The payment adjudicated is made b
il check. The chief of the bureaus autho
o ity in such matters is absolute over I'll
q territories and District Of Columbi;
# For operations in any state he must hay
= the consent of the governor, but the go
d ernor's consent cannot be withheld b
10 cause he is in position to coerce IL
4 state. If he chooses, he can quarantiI
a the state, preventing all animals fro
u going into or coming out for an indet
III h.