The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-08-16
FURTHER EXPOSURE.
The States Money Deposited in Banks in
Which Public Officials are Interested.
Worcester Advocate.

L liC l. NhlhSS SNbPtOUp5 vi tiiic SAOy1
in it's issue of Saturday last, gives in
the astounding information that Com
missioner of the Land Office Toadvin
spent several days attending to his
official duties during the past week"
and, more wonderful still, it added
the gratifying intelligence that he is
pleased with the duties" of his office.
From this statement we infer that
Mr.. Toadvin has decided to get on
speaking acquaintance with the du-
ties of the office for which he regu-
larly receives a salary of $125.00
month to attend to. He actually de-
voted two days to his official duties
last week and he is pleased with them.
The whole thing was SO out of the
usual order so unprecedented under
this administration that a newspaper
felt called upon to draw public at
tention to it. But perhaps after all
the letters to the Ad00cdte had some
thing to do with this slight change of
program. These letters are having
very wide circulation. Papers in all
parts of the State are copying them,
and at least half dozen editors of
Republican weeklies have written to
me to know if cannot supply them
with similar correspondence.
Let the good work go on. If a pub
lie Office is a public trust the man
who seeks it and accepts it should be
required to devote his time to its du
ties, and if he will not, the people at
least should be made aware of the
fact.
1t will be remembered that Gov.
Lowndes, Treasurer Shryock and
Comptroller Goldsborough were
fiercely criticised last fall because the
funds of the State were deposited in
banks in which they were supposed
to have an interest. 1t was a rank
offense against official propriety for
Republican State officials to do a
thing of this kind, but it seems to be
perfect proper for Smith, Vandiver
and Herring to send the public funds
to banks in which they have a pecu-
mary interest. An advertisement in
the Baltimore NelOS of August 1, gives
the following official information up
ON this subject. From this advertise
ment we find that
Comptroller Herring has collared
100000 of the States money and de-
posted it in the Union National
Bank of Westminster, of which insti-
tuition he is cashier
Mr.. Vandiver gets $4,000 for the
Hartford National Bank, of Belair,
and 50, 900 for the Second National
Bank of the same place. Thrifty
John, of the smokeless military title,
picks up $50, 600 and carries it off to
the First National Bank of Snow
Hill, and thus the little political family
all get share of the pie. And yet
no Democratic organ has had its pa
triotic serenity disturbed by this
latest divy of official spoil. 1t is no
more then fair to say that not one of
the banks above mentioned has any
thing like the standing of the Second
National Bank of Cumberland.
While all may be safe, none are
considered as sound or as strong
as the solid institutions that held
the States money under the Re-
publican administration. But the
use of this money is worth something
to their banks, and Smith, Vandiver
and Herring have a pecuniary interest
in them, and thus these men indirect
ly profit by their official acts.
1t seems to be quite evident that
the Democrats have little or no hope
of electing Bryan. The people are
not to be deceived by the senseless
cry of imperialism" They are not
likely to endanger the present pros
porous condition of the country, by
flying to the embrace of Organism
with all that it implies, just because
new and intricate questions of foreign
policy have Unexpectedly arisen il
our future.
Experience has taught the people
the folly of depending upon the
Democratic party in any great emer
gency, and they will not trust it Oh
SO important occasion as the present
There is danger, however, that the
Republicans may lose the House o
Representatives because of the help
less condition of the Republican
party in the Southern States. We
must, therefore, make a stupendou:
effort to send solid Republican dele
cation to the House from this State
The fifth and sixth districts are SAT,
, beyond a doubt. In this (the 5th,
Mudds majority will be something
phenomenal. / believe he will re
ceive larger majority in Ann'
Arundel county than was eyer giveI
any candidate before, and it looks a
J if the Democrats will nominate onl!
, as a matter of form.