The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-08-27
POOR OLD UNCLE SAM.
Almost Everybody Tries to Loot
 His Treasury.
Biz Thieves and Little Thieves by the Score Steal Money from the Gov ernment-How They Work
 Their Schemes.
rspecial Washington Letter.l

Especial Washington Letter.l
 Men who call themselves respectable, and who are sometimes called honor able, often try to loot the national treas ury; and they do not seem to have any twangs of conscience.
 The protection afforded the treasury by the senators and representatives in congress, and particularly the chair men of the committees on appropria- tions, guarantees safety of the public funds. There are more honest men than dishonest men in congress; or else they are compelled to be good for fear of consequences. It is most likely that their moral sense, in majority of cases, is we'll developed, for appropriations are carefully scanned before being passed in committee, or in the forum of de- bate.
 President Cleveland, however, found it necessary to veto the river and har- Dor appropriation bill, and also the general deficiency bill. There was an immense amount of jobbery in the river and harbor bill, but nearly every member of the house of representatives had a slice of the steal, and hence the bill was passed by two-thirds major ity over the veto, and the money was thus appropriated. Fortunately large sums nre left to the discretion of the secretary of war for disbursement; and the secretary is in no hurry to expend the public funds needlessly.
 The general deficiency bill contained two rank steals, and everybody in Washington knew that the veto was right. The bill was killed by the veto, and could net be passed by two-thirds vote, as the river and harbor bill had been. Four years ago certain sen- ator, who occupied position of prom thence and power, inserted an appro- priation of $1,5OO,0OO for the French spoliation claimants, as an amendment to the general deficiency bill. The bill carried so many important items that President Harrison did not veto it, and hence the treasury was footed to that amount. During the past session of congress the same senator championed the French spoliations claimants again, in the secret of a committee room; but did not do so on the floor of the senate. On the contrary, he intrusted the work to another senator, who proposed the amendment providing $1,000,00o for French spoliation claims, while the principal senator was absent from the senate chamber for few minutes. That enabled the chief manager to say. if ever accused of jobbery: Thou canst not say did it."
 The same appropriation bill opened the way for enormous appropriations under what is known as the Bowman act. If the bill had become law, there would have been fully $100,COO,- 900 drawn from the treasury in- side of ten years. for the payment of obsolete and unworthy claims. But the president vetoed the bill, and .here- by rendered his country great service. Senators and representatives who voted for the big steals referred to would not listen to the demands of smaller and more deserving claimants.
 But not only during the sessions of congress are the cormorants here. They are with us all the time, trying and scheming to get their hands into the treasury. There are schemers and plot ters of every description, and not one of them seems to think that it is wrong to swindle the federal government.
 Fifteen years ago appropriations were made for the purpose of constructing tunnel mile long, 70 carry water to n section of this city which was not we'll supplied. Tie tunnel was constructed under the direction of engineers of the army. and when it was completed the