Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-24
THE DoCkERY COMMISSION
Large Salaries Said to Have Been Paid to
Its Experts.
The Chairman Was Doing Double
That Have Been Abolished.

The Hou-e of Representatives. with prac-
tical unanimity, and with at least the as
sent of Chairman Dockery of the reorgan-
ization COMMITTEES, has passed resolution
calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury
for a statement of the expenditures of the
Dcckery commission There has been much
controversy over this matter. and the ques-
ton Of the sums paid to the experts has
entered into political controversy. 1t is re-
called that, during the recent congressional
campaign, Information on the subject was
refused at the Treasury Department. That
information will now. undoubtedly, soon be
furnished to the House. There has been
mitch curious gossip in the Treasury De-
partment as to the experts who were en-
plcyed, and the sums that have been paid
to them. The democratic campaign book,
while 1t devoted chapter to the work OF
the Dockery commission, withheld the
names of the experts, who are supposed to
have originated the reorganization plan.
Big Salary for the Chairman.
The extraordinary story has been circu-
lated that the gentleman who is supposed
to have been the chairman of the experts.
Rheinhardt, received or was to receive
s25, 900 annually. His usefulness is under
stood to have been somewhat interfered
with from the fact that he was indicted
stance of the interstate commerce commits
sion, on the charge that he had illegally
given rebates to certain BhippersS He was
at that time, and during the time also that
he was engaged in reorganiZing the Treas
ury Department, an important official OF
the Atchison and Santa Fe railway, and he
Is understood to have Keen drawing a
large salury from this railway at the same
time that he was engaged as an expert In
reorganizing the business of the depart
ment. with which he previously had had
practically no acquaintance.
The Santa Fe Company. for reasons that
were regarded as satisfactory, dispensed
with the services of Mr.. Rheinhardt. 1t IS
not known whether or not he is still en-
gagged in the service Of the Dockery conf
mission. The other experts are, or were.
York, also formerly connected with the
Santa Fe road. and q. W. Sells. a book
keeper or financial accounting clerk. en-
ployed by the Colorado and Midland rail-
ceived nine and six thousand dollars, re-
spectively. Considerable sums are said
also to have been paid for travelling ex-
penSeS.
Safeguards Abolished.
Those Congressman who have approved
this reorganization plan hope that the
Treasury Department viii fare better un-
der 1t than the Atchison and Santa Fe road
did under its president. Rheinhardt. who
devised the treasury reorganization plan.
But persons skilled in the practical opera
tiens Of the Treasury Department say that
this plan. which has abolished the safe
guards which Alexander Hamilton placed
about the government accounting, is dan
gerous. and that. thers Is * cQptin, ifng
danger of great frauds, which, It Is claipied,
would have been impossible under the old
system. Judge Lawrence of Ohfo, who was
formerly first controller, has prepared an
elaborate paper, in which he takes this po-
sition. 1t Is known that some Of the treas
ury accountants are Of opinion that the
new plan is not operating to the benefit Of
the government. 1t Is said that this COM
mission is about to extend its operations
to the Interior Department. There is rea-
son to believe that this commission will
need to give effect to, the changes which
1t has in contemplation under whatever
appropriations can be-, secured from the
hills for the coming fiscal year.