The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-09-16
PEOPLES PARrK TIoKEEi
EuPPRRssED NEWs.

Few men IN public life ENJOY the
confidence Of the president to such an
extent as Senator EIkins Of West Vir.
GINA. This IS the same Elkins who
would have looked out on the world
through bars at the end of the Star
Route scandal if justice and the pen,
itentiaFy had had their dues. Senator
Elkins was at first for peace at any
price" He was the agent and paid
representative Of the Spanish bond
holders. When the va, broke out be
changed his views.
It's rudeIy estimated that EIkins
Bliss, secretary of the interior, Hanna,
senator from Ohio, and two others
not in public life, Will directly reap
&C, 100000 benefit from the war. As
soon as war was declared he secured a
contract from the government to fur
nish 100000 tons Of coal for the navy
at s64O per ton. Hanna secured a con-
tract for 10000 tons, a cool million
between them. The price per ton was
estimated on its delivery at Key West,
but the bulk Of it has been delivered
at Norfolk and other nOthern points.
The following is about the presidents
brother, Abner, who also has an eye to
business, very much as Grants brother
figured" years ago
The president is much concerned
over the forward conduct Of his broth
er Abner. Abner is a person Of much
business sagscity. He figured great
possibilities in his kinship and has
realized on nearly all Of them. Abner
has taken a brokers' percentage on
nearly every ship sold the government.
He was parry in interest to the Wan
namRker shoe contract. That eminent
Phiisdelphian sold to the government
shoes for the volunteer soldiers. His
price is $3.50 per pair, or some such
figure. He obtains the shoes from a
Massachusetts, manufacturer at S2-45.
Why does not the manufacturer fur
nish them direct to the qtartermaster?
Abner knows. One Of the first bills to
90 before the Fifty-6rst congress was
a proposition to raise the pay of postal
carriers. The measure was hereto
rious enough and would no doubt have
been successful. Abner Mckinley
made it a certainty by chaperoning it.
He received $4,000 for his friendIi-
ness, whereof $4,000 was the velvet of
commerce, for he expended but $1,000.
Abner's pernicious activity has caused
his brother, the president, to sincerely
mourn and has moved him to open re-
monstrance but to no effect.
The ships, auxili airy cruisers, tugs
and the like which go to make up the
coast defense fleet have paid tribute
to brother Abner-all but one. The
COmanche was sold on her merits.
She was built sixteen or eighteen years
ago by Mark Hanna at a cost ofs48,OOO.
At the time Of her purchase by the
navy she was registered as the prop
erty of It. NJ. Hanna, the senator's
brother. The Hanna family was able
to sell the COmsnche to the govern
meat at the comparatively small sum
Of 100000, because there was no mid |
dleman to get a commission.
The MayfiOwer, owned by the late |
Ogden GOelet, was bought for s45OOOO. |
She cost, perhaps, 10000, but the |
greater expense, in her construction, |
was for the interior fittings, which |
were torn out when the yacht was pJ { |
on war footing. Mrs GOelet offered |
the MayfOwer to a New York yacht
man for $4,000. This was three months |
before the war.
The story Of the Merrimsc is an old
wife's tale by this time. She had been
once condemned and lay rotting at her |
docks A coat of paint and a barrel Of |
white lead raised her selling possfbil- |
tiles from a questionable $4,000 to /
100000 The Merrimac scandal was
ready to burst when she was scuttled
in Santiago channel There is no in |
5ention to detract from the glory and |
herOism Of HObson and his handful Of |
their barvery stands for as
much as though it was effective. 1t was
not the desire Of the men who ordered |
the Merrimac's drowning to block the /
channel 50 much as it was to hide the
evidence Of their fraud
When Cevera figured that his time
had come for an ocean run, the Mer-
rimac's wreck did not obstruct his
squadrOn's passage. nor did it prevent
The entrance Of the American feet /
later under the questionable Sampson
and the undoUbted Schley. The Mer-
rimae was sunk to conceal a crime, and /
HObson and his men we're put in jsop-
ards TO keep guilty men now in Wash
ington from public notice. All these
things viii get into the newspaper
press one day, but to no purpose. The
var win be eight months ended before
some uneasy congressman viii demand i
papers and reports.
On Alger and Algerism we clip the
following:
Algsr is q politician from Michigan
BE Is very riohs is worth millions made
n dubious deals in pine lands, and i
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