Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-22
Some Cases in Which Disastrous Re-
suits Have Followed.
OFFENSES AGAINST THE PUBLIC
Instances for the District Commits
sioners to Consider.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

furtner Win their newly ADOPTED pONcy Oh
trying to keep the public in the dark re-
specting the transaction of the public's
business, would d. well to consider results
that have attended the same policy when
applied by officials of a higher grade to
matters of national consequence. There
have been two cases in point within the
past year where a prominent officer of the
government. who. as events showed. had
no reason to hide anything, was for a time
the object of severe attack because of a
useless effort on the part of other officials
to withhold from the public particulars
| respecting important transactions.
The Tariff Bill.
The first of these cases grew out of the
preparation of the tariff bill. When the
Wilson bill reached the Senate, and the
democratic Senators decided TO lay tax
on sugar. Mr. Jones of Arkansas, who was
at the head of the subcommittee charged
with revising the work of the House. went
to Secretary Carlisle to consult about this
particular item. This was entirely natural
and proper. for two reasons: In the first
place, Mr.. Carlisle was recognized au-
| thority on the whole tariff question, and
in the second place, the Treasury Depart
ment would have to administer the law
when enacted. Every consideration, there
fore. justified the consultation Mr.. Car
Isle, without hesitation, assisted in put
ting the item into shape, and with his own
pen made an interlineation in the type
written copy. There was nothing neces-
sary to be concealed about the matter. The
paper was to be submitted to the Senate
finance committee, of which there were
republican members and in this way its
contents became known to the opposition.
They did become so known, end. the fight
being hot one. partisan twist was given
to the transaction and Mr.. Carlisle was
| almost savagely assailed.
The duty of those in possession of the
paper was plain as day. 1t was practically
public document, and the public was en-
titled to know all about it. But there were
denials and eQuivocations, until the matter
became involved with the sugar trust in
vestfgation, and the paper was forced into
print. Then followed weeks of charges and
counter-charges, during which Mr.. Carlisle
became the target for every gun the oppo-
sition could train on him. He himself was
helpless. He had assisted in the prepara-
ton OF the sugar schedule, and he had re-
vised the. copy submitted to him. He never
thought Of denying the fact. But others
not SO frank decided that it was none CT
the publc's business to inquire, and they
put themselves and him in a very mortify
ing and embarrassing attitude.
The Bond Syndicate Contract.
The second case grew out of the sale Of
bonds to the Morgan-Belmont syndicate.
Here again was transaction the full par
right to know. In fact. the transaction. in
so far as the government was to be legally
bound in any way. could not contain a
secret feature Whatever the bond called
for between the government and the bank
ers was in writing. and this, in a sense,
was public document. The terms of this
instrument. many people believe. ought to
have been promptly publ But again
it became necessary to 10 publication.
The bargain struck was considered even
by many democrats, hard one against
the government. The republican leaders in
Congress took the matter up. Mr.. Carlisle
was invited to appear before the ways and
means committee of the House, and did SO,
but requested that the doors be closed. In
stantly this was seized as evidence that the
administrations case was weak, and 1t
was begging for quarter. Rumors as to
the terms of the contract and as to verbal
agreements between the administration and
the bankers multiplied on every hand. In
the Senate demand was made by resolu-
ton for a copy of the contract, and this
caused the Secretary to give the contract
at once to the newspapers. But 1t was too
late to save the administration, and Mr..
Carlisle in particular. from much severe
criticism. The republican leaders and some
democratic newspapers were all the more
bitter in their animadversions because of
the way in which the particul-.s had been
held back. In fact, this has let, to the sug
gestion that all the particulars are not yet
known, and that the matter may be made
the subject of a special investigation by
the next House.
Minister ThurstOn's Case.
Still a third case exists. but inasmuch as
it is not as yet fully developed, less COM
u,ent is made about it in connection with
the local matter. But it is thought strange
that Secretary Gresham should be willing
to let Minister Thurston rest for a day un-
der cloud CT conjecture as to the real rea-
he recall
Judge Gresham practically admits that the
request has been made, and he knows the
numerous reasons that the public now as
sign for it. 1t is a matter of the highest
Importance both to the public and to Mr..
Thurston, and within few days at far
thest a reply is expected from the Ha-
waiian government. Eventually the whole
story must come out, and this being true,
it seems strange that any part of the pro-
ceedings should have been conducted in a
secret manner. 1t recalls too strongly for
the administrations good tIe course pur-
sued at the time Mr.. Willis was sent to
Honolulu, and when the purpose was to
make the American minister an instru-
eminent to which he stood accredited. Se-
crecy in such a case as that is useful, but
1t necessarily becomes a part of the dis
creditableness Of the scheme.
But in Minister Thurston's case both he
and the public We're, and are, entitled to
fair and open treatment In this country
the people are the government, and If
foreign ministers are accused by the peo-
pies representatives. the people like to act
as the jury. They did in the case of Lord
Sackville, and it was public sentiment and
no individual disgruntlement of either Mr.
Cleveland or Mr.. Bayard that sent the
Englfshman home.
An OHense Against the Public.
1t is a far cry, Of course, from national
and International affairs to the local busi-
ness of the District of Columbia. But
there are many people who believe that
there are certain rules that run, or should
run, through the modes Of transacting all
public business. and that 1t is serious
mistake for officials to lock their doors and
give to their official actions the appear
ance of having been shaped in a corner
Particulars for the legitimate purposes Of
the press ought always to be oBtafnable
There is no sort of analogy between the
business of a public office and that of a
detective bureau, and those who try to
withhold news in which the public Is right
fully interested are guilty of an offense
against the public, whose servants they
a