The Sunday globe., 1901-06-30
HA THERE METZGER
Why Were You Reduced from the
Chief ClerkShip?
A DEMORALIzED DEPARTMENT
Under Secretary HtOhcOOk-The Old Gang Of
"lOutsrs" Under LamOreauI still in the
Saddle and Working Their Graft Right Under
ths PrObOsCIs Of Mr.. Secretary HltOhCoOk-A
Sweet Scented Crowd OF official CraOksmen.

When LamOreauX was compelled to
resign, in disgrace, his portfolio of
Secretary of the Interior, the same
crowd of parasites which now buzz
around Secretary Hitchcock backed up
the disgraced ex.Secretary, and were
instrumental in his downfall
The most conspicuous figure at the
time was Mr.. Lamoreaux's private
secretary, one Metzger, whose wife
held, or holds, down a position, after
the usual nepotism tactics prevailing
by the grace Of the Civil Service
Commission, in the Patent Office, and
who is himself an S1,S0O clerk in the
Land Office under Mr.. Herman.
A curious fact has developed in the
official career of Mr.. Metzger Mr..
Herman promoted him from his OBJ
scure position as clerk and ex.private
secretary of the decapitated Lamor.
eaux, to the chief clerkship of the
Land Office, at the salary of two thou
sand dollars odd, which the position
pays. Here he fattened and thrived,
and was supposed to be a fixture or
go up higher still. But an unusual
and unexplainable thing occurred in
Mr.. Metzgers case. After holding his
job as chief clerk for a long period he
was suddenly removed, and reduced to
an $1,S00 clerkship.
Commissioner Herman did not pub
licly assign any reason for Mr.. Metz
gers degradation in Office, but that
the Commissioner had a potent reason
for his action goes without saying, as
Mr.. Hermans reputation for fairness
and integrity stand unquestioned so
far
Rumors on the outside, which oh.
viously cannot be verified, as Mr. Her
man will not talk, and it pays Mr.,
MetZger to keep a close mouth, ascribe
Metzger's reduction to some sinister
cause in connection with the admins
tration of his Office as chief clerk,
However that may be, and whatever
the cause, inefficiency maladministra-
tion, or other reason, the fact remains
that Mr. Metzger was reduced and in
stead of being chief clerk of the Land
Office he is a subordinate clerk Mr..
Metzger has been chief clerk of the
Department, and Mr.. Metzger is still
an humble employee where he was
formerly master, This is not accord
ing to either civil or honest service,
and an explanation should be forth
coming from Commissioner Herman
or Secretary Hitchcock, to the effect
of why is this thusly%
Mr.. Metzgers honored sire is draw
ing a nice fat salary on the Board of
there are no other Metzgers big or lit
tie, the salaries coming into the Metz
ger family will, il is to be hoped, en-
able all three to spend a few weeks at
the seaside to recuperate from the IA
tigue of signing the pay-rolls twice
each month.
Passing Mr.. Metzger and his pa"
we desire to call William rs attention
to the fact that the "looting" gang, un.
der LamoreauX, still run the Depart
ment, and that Mr.. Hitchcock has
made no change in the mob of official
cracksmen who helped his predecessor
into disgraceful retirment. All man
ner of skulldudgery, nepotism and
maladministration are in full blast
as in the good old times of Grover and
Hoke Smith with the addition that the
"looters" have grown bolder and have
for their shibboleth the war cry of the
Vanderbilts, "the public be id"
All this is occurring under the nose
of the Secretary, and receives his sane
ton, unless he is too duh to see what
is going on. And this is the man
that is posing before the country as
a great 'reformer.' He was too pure
to associate with either party in st.
Louis, and so became a mugwump. AS
such he voted for Cleveland in 1884
and 1892. Like some other million
aires, he prospered in the glass manu-
featuring business through tariff ia
vors, and came to Washington to get
Mckinley to fix the glass schedule TO
his notion, which was, of course, to
rob the country. The plant tool of
the protected interests yielded to his
demands, and the st. Louis man made
more millions by the mckinley tariff
Of 1890. When his friend at the head
of the Ways and Means Committee of
the House, in 1890, became the candt-
date of his party for President in 1896,
Hitchcock not only supported him but
made large contributions to Hanna's
fund to secure the election OF his man
Mckinley. But, before this, Hitch |
cock came to the rescue of Mckinley, |
all paid his debts, while governor of |
Ohio, when he became financially en- |
barrassed and was about to become
bankrupt and pauper, involving his
wife's property. In reward for this, |
although Hitchcock had been favored |.
by the Mckinley tariff, the President /.
made haste to provide his friend with |
a nice soft place. He sent him as Min
lister to Russia, and upon Bliss re-
tirement from the Interior Depart |
ment, Mckinley Immediately transfer
red Hitchcock to the vacant place. The |
Secretary Of the Interior should be a |
frst-Class lawyer, as many important |
legal questions are constantly coming .
up. Hitchcock is neither a lawyer nor |
qualified in any sense for his respon-
sible position. He is weak and igno-
rant outside the glass manufacturing .
business, in which he has made his
millions. He is liable, of course, If not
so naturally inclined, to fall into the
nets spread by the rings and Job
bers" for the exploitation Of the pub
lie domain in respect Of mineral lands,
timber reservations and railroad
grants. LamoreauX was officially
crooked and was caught up to his ell
bows in O JON. He had to resign in dis
grace. but should have been tried.
Hitchcock seems to be under the
control of the Hoke Smith