Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-06-07
Investieation needed.

0AtN0 Al OAEEs W ao LHAS t4E HUH
Or have those drawing triple pay not
yet reached the limit?
Investigation Needed.
If the following is true, some rather
tall heads could be brought to the dust
by proper and vigorous investigation
and certain ilIustrious officials be clap
ped into the penitentiary. The Post
says (and The Post is responsible finan-
cialy and otherwise):
Some months ago the condition Of things came
near being aired in the local courts and was only
narrowly avoided. This occasioned primarily
by the appointment Of two expert accountants
from the treasury department. They were an-
thorized by congress Of the appropriation
bills passed two years ago. They were designated
to in connection with the comptroller's Of
fee and had authority to examine into the ac-
counts Of any Of the auditors One Of these ex-
perts, whose is known, called up the ae-
counts Of the Washington city postofaee for the
quarter that ended Sept. 30, 1898. The two pre-
vious quarters, which 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 subordinates and discovered
items amounting to $4,000 to $4,000 which were
irregular and which he did not think should have
been allowed.
In due season lengthy letter came from the
comptroller of the treasury stating the result OF
the Investigation and propounding a long list Of
questions to be answered The comptroller, under
the law. is supreme in such matters and is en-
powered virtually to assume charge OF all the
financial matters relating to any postofhce. Mean
WHILE however, word had reached one Of the high
officials 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 postofice officials 1t
must be forwarded at once to his Office. He pre-
pared reply to the eomptrollers letter, which
was presented to Postmaster Willett for sigma
ture That gentleman was forced into signing the
reply, after long parley, by certain of his su-
periors, whose acts had been the cause Of the
comptroller's investigation. The letter not
satisfactory in its the various questions
propounded. and the comptroller 50 stated in 8
subsequent communication.
In the meantime an adjustment was under way,
which resulted In the entire matter being dropped
and an understanding reached that the Washing
ton postofice was to be 'let alone" to regulate
the expense account as other men wished
l make no apology for quoting so
much of The Post article. The facts
therein stated ought to wake the Amer
ican 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 H. Ball of the First dis
trict will be one Of the Texas 1Big
Four at the Kansas City convention.
1t is a high honor worthily 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 inti-
mates. He is a splendid specimen Of
Intellectual and physical manhood,
with handsome presence, a bushel of
brains and a heart true to duty as the
needle to the pole. Industrious, capa-
BILE, 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
brero to that prince among statesmen,
the Hon. Amos ]. Cummings of New
York, dean of the delegation. He has
dug up a brand new historical fact-a
biographical curio-and that is that
Hon. Matthias Lyon was elected to con-
gress from three different states-Yer-
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 a United States senator from
three states-Illinois, Minnesota and
Missouri 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 hatehed in the administration of
old John Adams and which did so
much to hurl the old Federalist party
from power.
In the careers Of many men the
zenith and the nadir of their fortunes
have been far apart. / doubt, how
ever, whether any man ever eontem-
plated two events in his own life so
wide apart and yet either possible of
happening within six and one-half
months as Governor" William S. Tay-
lor, now fugitive from justice, con
templates. Within that period he may
be elected chief magistrate of Ken
lucky, and be may be hanged by the
neck till he is dead for being accessory
to the murder of William Goebel, as
foul an assassination as ever stained
the pages of history. AS a rule, Ken
tuckians, Republicans as well as Dem
ocrats, are brave men. How can they
make up their minds to rally under the
banner Of Taylor, who is skulking in
Indiana from a Kentucky sheriff be-
cause Governor Mount viii not permit
him to be extradited? Mount cuts q
beautiful figure truly-protecting man
charged with being accessory to a
murder committed for political pur-
poses. His moral sense must be about
as blunt as Taylor's.
what the straws Show.
How are the mighty fallen! Twenty
Eve years ago the leading Republicans
in Kentucky were intellectual giants
men who at least challenged admira-
ton by reason of their courage and
their shining talents. Upon the roster
of their WORTHLESS were the names of
John NJ Harlan, Benjamin 81. Bristow,
Rumsey Wing, General Eli Fl. Murray,
Congressman Wadsworth and the
Goodies. Now their leaders are such
small bore politicians as w. S. Taylor,
Senator Deboe. ct id omne genus. 1t
is pitiful to think of such decadence.
Tho 6rat Innl lInr-fln real leader while