The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-23
Uhe Wlessenger.
GAGE IN THE


1t was generally conceded that the
late Secretary of Trasury Window was
an exceptionally able and faithful Of
fetal. He left a high reputation When
he Cied. He was in Harrison's cabinet
He held very different views from those
held by cettain republicans in the con-
gress, by certain leading northern news
papers, by the Mckinley cabinet HIS
practice opposed the practice OF Gase
who now pleases the worst END OF his
party. Senator Window was so per-
suaded of the dangers lurking in GER
tain governmental deposits that he re-
solved TO 5educe them, and said:
sThe national bank repositories have
been and are useful auxiliaries of the
s~ub-treasury system, but the deposit or
public funds Herewith to an amount
largely in excess OF the needs of the
public service is wholly unjustifiable.
Such a policy is contrary [ othe spirit
of the act of August 6, 1916, which con-
templates the sub-treasury Independent
of the banks.
1T necessarily involves temptations
tc favoriteism Of the most Objectionable
Character.
1T makes the treasury more or less
uEDEluEnL VII lAC 1AAh Oh
the difficult and delicate task of with
dr. wing the deposits when wanted
without creating serious disturbances
of financial conditions.
"It involves the exercise of most dam
gerous power by the secretary, whereby
he may if SO disposed, expand or con-
tract the currency at will and in the
interest OF certain favorites whom he
may select"
rvL1-z -rnr hnrrn tho rTfTaran aRG nT an
honest man. of a capable official with
a conscience. \ few of that sort it is
to be hoped are still left, but Gage is
not of the number. This is the deca-
dent era in politics. There is a low
standard now as to honesty and public
virtue, and a corresponding low prac-
tice. Machine politics govern, and the
men of the highest integrity, of purest
life, are not apt to be lin the service"
The DanvilIe Ua.) Daily Bee asks this
most pertinent question, n in its usu-
al striking manner or writing:
But from the days since Apis, the
golden bull was melted from the loot,
Gold has been a God, and Avarice has
never yet been satisfied. And the way
things are strung out in this age, there
seems but little chance to satiate its
voracious nav. Will the world ever
learn anything about the priceless jew
els-Virtue, Honesty, Sobriety. Will
character-naked and unadorned Char
acter-ever get a rating in Society,"?
1t is gratifying to see Representative
Richardson, of Tennessee, critcising in
the house the conduct of Secretary
Gage. 1t does look that he is as charg-
ed by some newspapers, Technically
guilty of embezzlement." If not hat he
is guilty of bad and unfaithful conduct.
He turned on light as to the sale of the
New York custom house to the Stand
ard Oil Bank. He quoted Vice Presi-
lent Hepburn's letter as to 1.-The great
claims the bank had because of it's
part in the corrupt campaign of 1886.
The synopsis in yesterdays Messenger,
said that Mr.. Richardson:
Turning again to the sale of the Gus
tom house he showed how the oank mad
deposited s., $50, 900 in bonds in the
treasury and then instead of paying
the purchase money out the treasury
had simply transferred the purchase
price to the governments account In
the bank. But not the whole purchase
price was transferred. Only S3,2l5,0OO
leaving a pitiful $50, 600 unpaid. AT the
same time it leased the property to
the government at the rate of $4,000
a year. What nae the government got
ont of the transaction? A paper credH
of So. 215. 900 and the privilege of paying
$136, 900 a rear rent. What had the
bank got? The rent, the use OF the
purchase money which it loaned, ac-
cording to newspaper reports, at enor-
NOUS rates. and by withholding the
last $50, 900 to prevent the title from
passing exemption from taxation upon
the property it had purchased.
II cave to any honest minded man"
said Mr.. Richardson, IF that is deal
ing fairly with the trust o of the
United States"
But republican members n partisan
ewspapers in the north, eagerly de-,
fend Gage, and applaud his action. 1t
will hardly deceive the country. If 1t
should dc so, then it is only another
proof of the low standard of official rec
titude that now prevails. The party OF
trusts of high robber tariffs, of foreign
war against an inferior race that never
in any way injured this country, is the
party to justify wrongs in politics., and
to ignore the moral aspects of all ques-
tons.
Senator Allen, of Nebraska, an ex-
Judge n a lawyer of ability, thus
speaks of Gage n shows his trick:
"Mr. Gage undertakes to fortify his
position with statutes which have no
application whatever to his case. He
tries to convert a statute which was de-
signed simply as a temporary aid to the
in disbursing funds to con-
tractors, soldiers, ETC., into a statute
authorizing the permanent deposits OF
money TO rcommercial purposes"
The New York World says:
land in these words in November last
by Justice McKenna:
Although. it (the money in question:
had peer placed in a regularly desig-
mated depository it cannot be held to
have beer covered into the United
States treasury.
Should a lawbreaker continue as sec
rotary of the treasury"
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