The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-13

these easy going methods. Good fellows from In.
diana. from Ohio. from New York city, political
hcnchmen In various quarters. not few SO called
tou' alists have fattened of the money that resi-
dent people paid for postal materials and that
congress appropriated for military postal service
An editor Of an Italian Journal in Chicago lived
In high feather for several weeks in the West In.
dies. and, through an official order, his expenses
amounting to between 81. 900 and $3 0O0 were paid
over the counter of the Washington city postof-
hcc. After hs returned from his trip his salary
was continued for several months.
So 1t appears, after all, that this
great civil service reform administra-
tion loads up the Washington city post
office with Job lot Of Republican
henchmen and female cleaners from
the states. Yet, when William McIlin-
ley, placid and serene, took the oath Of
office March 4. 1907. he sOlemnly as
severated that no backward step must
be taken In the cause of civil service
reform! Did he mean that no Repub-
lican freebooter and treasury looter
should not draw more than three sal
aries at once? Was that the limit?
Or have those drawing triple pay not
yet reached the limit?
Investigation Needed.
II the following Is true. some rather
tall heads could be brought to the dust
by q proper and vigorous investigation
and certain illustrious officials be clap
ped into the penitentiary. The Post
says (and The Post Is responsible finan.
cially and otherwise):
Some months ago the condition Of things came
near being aired In the local courts and was only
narrowly avoided. This was occasioned primarily
BY the appointment Of two expert accountants
from the treasury department. They were au.
thorized by congress on one Of the appropriation
bills passed two years ago. They were designated
to serve In connection with the comptroller's OF.
Ace and had authority to examine into the ac-
counts OF any Of the auditors. One OF these ex.
pcrts. whose name Is known, called up the &C.
counts Of the Washington city postofnce for the
quarter that ended Sept. 80. 1903 The two pre-.
vicus quarters which are said to have been still
worse. were, as far as known. never inspected.
He went over the papers in the custody Of the
postmaster and his subordiuates and discovered
items amounting to $4,000 to $4,000 which were
irregular and which he did not think should have
been sllowed.
In duo season q lengthy letter came from the
comptroller Of the treasury stating the result Of
the investigation and propounding o long list OF
questions TO be answered. The comptroller, under
the law. b supreme In such matters and Is en-
powered virtually to assume charge OF all the
financial matters relating to any postofficc. Mean
while. however, word had reached one Of the high
oGhcials Of the department. who thereupon issued
directions that not scrap Of paper or any mat
ter OF any kind relating to that inspection should
be retained by the local postofAce officials. II
must be forwarded at to his Office. He pre-
pared q reply to the comptroller's letter, which
was presented to Postmaster willett for sigma.
ture That gentleman WAS forced into signing the
reply. after long pariey. by certain Of his su.
pcriors. whose acts had been the cause OF the
comptroller's investigation. The letter was not
satisfactory in its to the various questions
propounded. and the comptroller 30 stated In q
subsequent communication.
In the meantime adjustment was under way
which resulted In the entire matter being dropped
and an understanding reached that the Washing.
ton postofice was tc be ''let alone'' to regulate
the expense account a. other men wished.
! Haze no apology for quoting so
much Of The Post article. The facts
therein stated ought to wake the Amer
lean people up and cause them to un-
alterably resolve to thoroughly cleanse
the Augean stables.
The Texan Delegation.
Texas has wondrously strong dele
CATION In the house-most all of them
young men. Members Of congress and
all others who know him are glad that
Hon. Thomas III. Ball Of the First dis
trict will be one Of the Texas "Big
Four" at the Kansas City convention.
1t Is a high honor worthlly bestowed.
In that great conclave Of the faithful
there will be no better Democrat than
this stalwart young Texan. There is
no more magnificent or courageous
Democrat In the house than Tom Ball.
as he Is universally called by his init
mates. He Is splendid specimen of
intellectual and physical manhood,
with a handsome presence. bushel of
brains and heart true to duty as the
needle to the pole. Industrious, capa-
bic, painstaking and affable, he Is fast
rising among his fellow members, who
watch his ascent Of the ladder Of fame
with delight.
some New History.
! most respectfully dOff my som.
brcro to that prince among statesmen,
the Hon. Amos j. Cummings Of New
York, dean Of the delegation. He has
dug up brand new historical fact-a
biographical curio-and that Is that
Hon. Matthias Lyon was elected to con.
gress from three different states-Ver-
mont. Kentucky and Arkansas-though
he died before taking the seat voted
him by the last named state
General James Shields enjoys in his
tory the peculiar distinction Of having
been n United States senator from
three states-Illinois, ,...innesota and
Mlssouri-a feat never equaled and
most probably never to be duplicated
by any other Of the sons Of Adam.
Matthias Lyon Is also distinguished
as being the first man imprisoned un-
der the alien and seditiOn laws, which
were hatched In the administration of
old JOhn Adams and which did so