The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-10-11
CAPITAL AUT0CRATS.
OFFICIALS IN WASHlNGToN WHOSE
ONLY LAW Is THEIR WILL.

A Striking Example Is the First Comp
troller of the Currency, Whose Decisions
Cannot Even Be Vetoed by the President,
Who Has the Power OF Removal.
Among the most remarkable features
of 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
ters 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
countersign warrant for the payment
Of big claim out Of the funds Of the
treasury. president summoned him
| and said:
"You must sign"
~ will not, Mr.. President" replied
the recalcitrant official.
"Then l will compel you to do SO, y said
General Grant.
"You have not the power" rejoined
the comptroller coolly and respectfully.
1--WE will see about that" said the
president. ~ 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 Diminishing him
and appointing another man. All Of the
accounts of the government, except those
which relate to customs and the post
| office department, are settled by war;
rants countersigned by the first comp
troller. Without his signature the pay
ments cannot be made.
| There are two autocrats in the post
Office department. One of them is the
assistant attorney general. 1t is his
function to decide whether matter Of
fered for mailing is immoral or not. He
acts as censor for tho people. Whenever
postmaster in any city Is doubtful re-
garding the morality of q publication
that is sought to be mailed, he forwards
a 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, in
which case he turns 1t over to one Of his
clerks, who peruses it and marks any
passage which he considers indecent
Thus the law lord has simply to glancs
over the selected tidbits Of impropriety
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 general
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 advertising
purposes primarily are not allowed
those rates. On account of the "Kreutzer
Sonata" a whole series of books, of which
1t was one, was shut out of the mails.
Publishers commonly get out vol
umes in series, because in this shape
they go second class as periodical publi-
cations 80 long as they are issued at
least four times year. The decision
against that work did not actually ex-
clude it from the post, because 1t could
be and was sent at first class rates,
sealed, so that nobody could lawfully
open the package and find out what was
inside.
The autocrat of the department of
agriculture is the chief of the bureau Of
animal industry. He has authority to
kill any animal he may choose anywhere
in the United States. When one of his
inspectors reports that such and such
cattle are afflicted with an infectious
disease, he orders them purchased and
slaughtered. The value of the beasts is
judged by two appraisers, one chosen
by the owner and the other by the bu-
reau. II they cannot agree, they ap-
point third person to decide. In case
man refused to have his live stock
thus disposed Of, the police and United
States marshals would be summoned.
The payment adjudicated Is made by
check. The chief of the bureaus author
ity in such matters is absolute over the
territories and District Of Columbia.
For operations in any state he must have
the consent of the governor, but the gov
ernor's consent cannot be withheld be-
cause he is in position to coerce the
state. If he chooses, he can quarantine
the state, preventing all animals from
going into or coming out for an indef-
mite period.-St. Louis Globe Democrat