The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-07-27

exorbitant prices for vessels, in the
collection of army supplies-clothing,
beef, coal and what-not. All that it was
asked to do in return was simply to SUBJ
nit for inspection accurate tables of the
cost of ships, ETC., showing what was
paid for each vessel by the government;
what it cost the owner; how long it had
served him before the declaration Of
war with Spain, and to what use it was
put by either war or navy department
after it's acquisition. This eminently
fair proposition has been rejected by
the administration. It dare not permit
publicity of these pertinent facts, be-
cause that would mean an expose of the
administration kitchen cabinet. With
Senator Mark Hanna in London hob
nobbing with the Anglo-American
commit itself to any proposition which
would throw light upon spoils secrets
of the war. These touch Senator Hanna
and his fellow members of the White
House syndicate SO nearly that they are
to be kept from the public, at least Of
ficially, until the promoter of war con-
tracts is here in person to make his own
defense. And the shrinking modesty
which keeps every Hannaite of the ad
ministration from facing the public, ap-
peals strongly to the ship-owners who
sold their vessels. Not man who part
ed with barnacle-clogged craft for two
or three times it's actual value evinces
any disposition to tell the truth about
the DEAL Additional vessels were need
ed by both war and navy, while state
of war existed-a fact cheerfully admit
ted by all. But the charge is made and
reiterated that the administration, un-
der whip and spur of reckless crowd
of INSCRIPTIONS moneymakers, bought
dozens Of vessels not needed; paid for
them sums SO large in proportion to
their actual value that comparison is
shocking; put millions of the nations
money into the gaping NAV of the
spoilsmen's syndicate, and all this with
a full knowledge of what was going on.
This is the charge which the admins
tration lodges.
HINT OF CONCEALED CORRUP-
TION.
Blocked in this way by the adminis-
tration itself, official statements of the
actual profits of the contract ring can
not be made. Inadvertently, perhaps,
but nevertheless officially, the navy de-
partment has left an opening which
gives hint of the startling possibilities
of a congressional war investigation,
fearlessly conducted. In the early
stages of the war the navy purchased,
among a lot of others, six vessels, which
are to serve now as an object lesson,
showing how great must be the scandal
which the administration is trying to
conceal. These were the Vulcan, the
Niagara, the East Boston, the Enquirer,
the Scipio and the General Russell. The
only purpose they serve in this connec-
tion is that now they are offered for sale
by the navy department.; and the differ
ence between the price fixed by the
navy and the price it paid for them only
a few months ago, is the milk in the war
cOcOanut.
The Vulcan was bought by the navy
for $35O,0O0 The Vulcan's peace price,
likewise fixed by the navy, is 100000.
Here is admittedly profit to the White
House syndicate sharks of $25O,OOO. In
the Vulcans class are the Peter Jebsen,
now the Brutus, sold to the navy by L.
F. Chapman & Co. for $215, 1000; accord