Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-08
THE TREASURY SCANDAL.

After vain efforts first to ignore
criticism and later to choke off Con-
gressional inquiry into Mr.. Mckinley s
relations, through Secretary Gage,
with the Standard Oil Bank of New
York, Mr. Gage is scheduled to send in
his Explanation" of the affair to Con-
gress to-day.
AS we have already shown, however,
Mr.. Cages explanation, according to
administration forecasts of it, which
must be accepted, will touch upon only
a portion of the scandal. His entire
effort will be devoted to an attempt to
show that he acted wisely and for the
best-frst in rushing to the aid Of
Wall street, and next by selecting as
the depository and distributing agent
for the S300000000 of annual internal
revenue receipts the aforesaid Standard
Oil Bank, thus making this institution,
owned and controlled by the Rockefei-
lers, the Vanderbilts, Morgan and the
big manipulators of Wall street, the
most powerful factor in the public and
private finances of the nation.
AS before stated Mr. Gage will plead
that in rushing money to Wall street
he was relieving the money market
Of the country" although it was posi-
lively stated by Director Roberts, of
the mint, by members of the admins
tration itself, and by the highest bank
ing authority in the country, and
known by every intelligent man to be
the fact, that the situation Gage re-
lieved was purely speculative and con-
fined wholly to the gambling opera
lions on the New York Stock Exchange,
and that the money market and legiti-
mate business and industry in the
country at large were in no way at
fected, or in jeopardy
AS to the charge of favoritism for
the Standard Oil Bank, Mr.. Gage will
plead that that institution was first
with deposit of 100000 government
garded by the Secretary as ample iusti-
fication for designating this one bank
as the governments depository and
agent for the distribution-real or re-
puted-of the entire internal revenue
receipts, about $1,000,00O a day, or
$300, 100000 year! How fortunate it
was-for this bank-that it's bond de-
post was few hours ahead of those
of other national banks of the country!
And what coincidence, that this very
bank should be owned and controlled
by the very men who footed Mr.. Nc
Kinley's enormous campaign expenses
In 1896!
II Mr.. Gage expects the public to
swallow his explanation" of this scan
dalous deal, he has great faith in popu-
lar credulity.
We have already quoted Secretary
Window in his annual report of 1898
against Mr. Gage. Now we bring to
bear on the same point the testimony
of one who, the organs at least will
readily admit, is even better authority
than Secretary Window, namely, Will
liam Mckinley himself In 1888, Mr..
Cleveland's Secretary of the Treasury
Mr.. Fairchild, asked Congress for spe-
cific instructions as to the use of the
surplus revenue. William Mckinley
then a member of the House, scath-
ingly berated him as follows (Congres-
sional Record, Fiftieth Congress, Feb
ruary 20, 1888:
sNEARLY s590Oo.Ooo. AS UNDER
DTAND OF THE SURPLUS MONEY
& THAT OUGHT TO BE IN THE TREAS
VRY TO-DAY, the Secretary having re-
3aeedsto pay it out to Government credit
~ - NOW OUT AMONG THE BANKS,