The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-28
Double Paw,

An interesting fact has been brought
out by the congressional committee that
is investigating the alleged armor plato
frauds of the Carnegie company. 1t is
that naval officers who are drawing their
support from the government are also in
receipt of large salaries for acting as
ordnance officers of the Carnegie com
pany and the Bethlehem company, both
of which companies are making armor
plate.
One of these officers was on the witness
stand a day or two ago, and admitted
that he had been acting as ordnance Off
GER of the Carnegie company for three
years. at a handsome salary, though he
had only recently been placed on the re-
tired list
1t is not to be understood, Of course,
that there is anything crooked in the ac-
ceptance by these officers OF employment
from the armor plate companies The
navy department is aware of what they
are doing The one who was a witness
said that Mr.. Tracy, when Secretary of
the Navy, desired him to accept the posi-
tion he has in the Carnegie company, be
cause it was thought he would assist the
company in making good armor plate
But it may be considered as rather re-
markable that this officer of the govern
ment did not discover that imperfect
plates were being made, or at least that
all the requirements of the government
in making the plates were not complied
with. There may be those who are so un-
charitable as to insinuate that the salary
he received from the Carnegie company
made him blind to defects in the plates
that some of the Carnegie workmen saw
With respect TO some of the questions
asked by the investigating committee,
this officer was not particularly frank in
answering. II is reported that he fought
shy of questions which tended to bring
out the fact that certain requirements
were not complied with, because by not
complying with them the Carnegie com
pany was saved good deal of money.
After all is it exactly right for naval
officers to accept employment and high
salaries from the companies making
armor plate for the government If the
government wants the benefit of the
knowledge of these officers in respect to
armor plate, why does it not station them
at the armor plate works, strictly as gov
eminent officers2 If they received moth
ing from the armor plate companies they
would feel under no obligations to them,
and would be entirely free TO do whatever
they thought necessary to protect the in
terests of the government
The gold reserve in the treasury has
fallen To about 500, O0O,O That is a
much smaller reserve than the treasury
has held since the gold reserve was estab b.
lishcd The banks announce that the
treasury must supply the gold demanded
for export They declare they viii not
furnish any of it. A New York banker
said Wednesday: The government will
have to shift for itself, and I have no
doubt it will have 10 issue bonds to make
good its gold reserve. Heretofore when
the banks have been generous with the
government. there have been reasons for
being so which do not now exist" The
banks seem TO think that the Secretary
of the Treasury did not appreciate the aid
given MIN by the banks when he needed
il.
There seems % be a growing impression
that the South Carolina gamDaiUu is "A