New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-14
4 COSTLY BUREAU.
THE STATE COMMISSIONER OF AGRI-
CULTURE COMES HIGH.
HE AUDITs HIS OWN ACCOUNTS THROUGH FAVOR
OF A DEMOCRATIC LEGtSLATURE-MAN
PLACES FOR PoLITICIANs-LEG
L.ATION NEEDED

OF A DEMOCRATIC LEGtS1ATl HE-MANl
Places FOR PoLITICrANs-LEG
IATIoN NEEDED
| IrnoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBrNEl
| Albany. Jan. l3-The Republican Legislature
is resolved to reduce the expenses Of the State;
both because the times are hard and because
| there Is evidence Of gross extravaganza In the
management OF the State commissions and
| bureaus These commissions and bureaus are
| in every case in the hands OF appontive officers.
| and have not been selected for their places by
| any vote of the people. On the other hand. the
State officers who are all elected by the people.
| are conducting their departments with great
economy There may be a hint in this contrast
| In the cost OF the State departments as con-
| trasted with the State commissions. The com
| missions have run up in cost as was pointed
out by Governor Morton in his recent annual
message. from expenditure Of less than
| a. 000 in $780, ito nearly million and quarter
| of dollars
Senator Mulin the chairman OF the Senate
| Finance Committee will submit 10 the Senate
| tomorrow night report upon the result Of an
| inquiry by that committee in 1894 as to the cause
Of the great cost Of the commissions. But this
| report will be an incomplete one since only a
| few of the commissions were then examined.
| There must be a more thorough and complete in
| vestigation Of this subject. touching every COM
mission. The Finance Committee will probably
| within few days start forth upon another
voyage Of discovery upon the deep sea OF the ex-
| penditures Of the commissions one OF the
| earliest commissions examined. 1t is said. will be
the Department of Agriculture This is a COM
| mission which begun with the modest little APP
Precipitation Of s. ObG 6S. up to slOj3O2 y in
md ito Of he Republican
| LEGISLATURE managed to expend sl04.795 81 in
! 1894 The ostensible ain of the Department Of
Agriculture is to prevent the sale OF oeomar-
garine in this state. but there is general belief
| among farmers that owing to the intrusting OF
| the work of the department to body OF lazy
Democratic politicians. the sale OF oleomargarine
is not checked in this State as 1t should be. Pos
| sibly the Democratic State Committee could
| throw some light upon this matter II 1t would
| reveal how large a campaign contribution has
| been made to it by the manufacturers OF the
! fraudulent butter That the sale Of oeomar-
| garine Is increasing Is patent. The United
| States Internal Revenue Department has Just re-
| ported that while in 1898 it's receipts from the
| tax upon oleomargarine amounted to N.6lO6i3 30.
| in the year 1894 It's receipts from the same tax
| amounted TO sl72S479 90 and It is significant
| that a large proportion OF this increase was
| paid by retail dealers In o!eomargarne.
| Frederick C. Schraub. the Commissioner Of
| Agriculture. is a lawyer living at Lowville,
Lewis County. When he was introduced TO Gov
| ernor Morton the Governor laughngly remarked:
| You are lawyer believe. Mr. Schraub-and
| at the head OF a farmers bureau?"
ooh, yes" said Mr.. Scnraub with a smile, and
| then he added in exculpatory manner but
| the Commissioner Of Agriculture has to manage
| a good many legal prosecutions"
| But the legal prosecutions Of the Department
| OF Agriculture are managed by Counsel espe-
! cially hired for the purpose. In 1894 the sum OF
So 062 50 was expended "for the services and ex-
penses OF counsel" Mr.. Schraub. however. was
not appointed as Commissioner of Agriculture
| because he lawyer. but because he was
dexterous Democratic politician The leaders Of
| the Democratic party did not wish a man at the
| head Of that bureau who was simply a farmer
earnestly devoted to the interests OF agriculture
In this State: but they did desire man who was
well acquainted with the capabilities Of the
| Democratic politicians OF the State. especially In
! the direction of packing primaries and In getting
| out the Democratic farmer vote. Their plan was
| to place a trusted agent in every county in the
| State 10 manage the affairs OF the Democratic
party at the expense Of the State. This agent
could assume the title OF Assistant Commissioner
| Of Agriculture" or that Of butter expert" and
| his travelling expenses and hotel bills while en-
| gagged in work fer the Democratic State Com
| mittee would be paid for out OF the State Treas
| TRY One OF these agents who has the title Of
Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture is him
self a member OF the Democratic State Com
| n,ittee This Is James W. Mcmahon, OF ELL
cottviie Cattaraugus County. Mr. Mcmahon
for several years has been a sort OF Democratic
proconsul in Southwestern New-York. The hard
work he does for the Democratic State Commit
Tee is made apparent by the following bill Of his
for railway expenses for October. 1894, or the
month before election, 1t being mentioned that
Mr. Mcmahon lives at Ellicottville: