Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-02-11
SENATOR n. D. SCOTT.
Character of West virglnia's New
Senator as Given by Democrat.

belittle Hon. N. B. Scott. AS rep.
utation, we clip the following from
the Washington staff correspondence
OF the New York World:
Senator. eject Nathan 3. Scott, o.
West Virginia, is a business man
with business head, who has been
in control OF one of the largest manu-
featuring industries in his State for
some years. He has found the office
of the commissioner OF internal reve-
nue. one of the busiest Of the strictly
business branches of the treasury
department.
AS to his business at home, so in
Washington, he has made those under
him feel that they had a personal
interest in the success of the estab-
lishment over which he presioes
One of those who worked under him
today said that Mr.. Scott never aI
peared to feel the dignity of the office;
he was friendly and cordial with all
his clerks, and made it point to ask
them to assist him in making the ad
ministration of the Office a success.
His policy won him friends and loyal
supporters.
missioner Scott was confronted
with the problem of putting war
revenue measure into effect within
sixteen days. 1t was gigantic task,
but was accomplished with the small
est possible amount of friction and
inconvenience to the public. Every
clerk in the office was required TO
work three or four weeks about eigh-
teen hours day. Many Of the wom-
en- whose duty it was to count internal
revenue stamps worked in vaults,
where the temperature was oo and 90
every day. Ventilation and electric
fans were alike impossible, but these
clerks, imbued with the indomitable
energy of their chief, labored without
complaint long hours more than the
law required and the government
never allowed a penny Of extra COM
pensation.
During this period Mr.. Scott cut
the red tape of another official and
secured an all night service on one.
of the elevators. He induced the
man who runs the treasury restaurant
to keep his service going all night,
and saw to IT personally that each of
his clerks had a good lunch, and it
was Commissioners Scott who footed
the bill
Commissioner Scott also broke the
rules that prevailed at the bureau OF
engraving and printing. Albright
work at that institution was an un-
heard of thing, but i. was inaugurated
soon after Mr.. Scott had a conference
with Secretary Gage. Stamps of vari.
Gus kinds and by million lots were
demanded. Every train leaving
Washington carried a large invoice of
these little evidences of the war tax.
Treasury clerks worked necessarily,
and Mr.. Scott saw no reason why the
printing bureau should not do the
same, especially in view OF the fact
that the workmen there worked on
time and were paid for their overtime.
There was complaint, but the work
was done. Commissioner Scott took
the ground that inasmuch as the gov
eminent was taxing the people quite
heavily for the conduct of the war it
should do so with the least possible
Inconvenience.
If there has been one characteristic
of Commissioner Scott that has stood
out more prominently than another
it has been his logged determination
not to be swerved from course that
he thought was right. Several sena-
tors who have been in the habit of
turning bureau chiefs around their
fingers found to their sorrow that Mir.
Scott was a man of sterner stuff.
Several interesting episodes OF this
sort happened during the time when
the commissioner was making his
rulings on the war tax.
One afternoon senator who repre-
sents an Eastern state entered Mr..
SCOTS Office with constituent. That
constituent was a very large manu-
facturer of an article that was taxed
very heavily under the war tax hill
al want so and so held with respect
to this article" said the senator.