Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-22
SUNDAY, DECEMBER %, 1901.
Disgraoerul In secretary Gage.

The dispatches to the press of the city
from New York, dated December Is, give
the interesting news that "a dinner of more
than usual interest is to be given at the
Metropolitan Club on Saturday night. The
guest of honor is to be the Hon Lyman J.
Gage. Secretary of the Treasury. The host
of the evening is to be Frank A. Wander
lip, vice president of the City Bank, and
for four year Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury under Mr.. Gage.
The dispatch then recites that vast in
stitution is to be organized and virtually
control all the banking interests in the
country
It is further given out in the press dis
patch that it was Mr.. Vanderlip, it was
said tonight who negotiated the sale of the
old custom house to the city bank"
We would like to publish the whole dis
patch, but we refer our readersto to the Wash
ington Times Of December I9. We have
made extracts enough for our purpose.
We are faiu to believe that the perusal of
the entire telegram will be anything but
pleasant reading to President Roosevelt If
he will read it in connection with the Gus
tom house scandal and the correspondence
published at the time the whole matter was
aired, he will at once see where his secre-
tary is leading him That be will approve of
a visit of the secretary to New York to give
encouragement to such a scheme, We do not
for a moment believe.
Vanderlip, it is now said, engineered the
~. a., ,,fI ,s.af~s,r 1roVan 70 the National
CITY Bank. Not long after he resigned his
place as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
went abroad not in an official capacity, but
il is said at the expense Of the government,
and that charge was never denied by him or
his patron. In an incredibly short space Of
time he absorbed the financial system of
all Europe He returned and if his own
story is to be believed was at once ap-
pointed Seventh Vice President Of the self
same National City Bank at a salary of
25ooo per year
The query at once arises. Was that po-
sition given him in return for his services
in the sale of the old custom house2 Could
he, unless certain privileges were allowed
him by Secretary Gage, be Of any prossible
benefit to the bank2
The whole affair bears upon its face
broad scandal Look at it from any stand
point it bears all the marks Of a corrupt
deal What right had vauderlip, as Assistant
Secretary Of the Treasury, to play the role
Of real estate broker and negotiate a sale
of government property to the National
City Bank or any other corporation The
duties of Assistant Secretary Of that great
department have materially changed since
the DAYS of Callatin, Walker and Sherman
If they now include real estate brokerage.
And then to leave his place-he says vol
uutarily-and receive a salary as great as
was paid to every President Of the United
States up to aud including part of Grants
term, from the institution to which the sale
of the Custom House was made.
It may be all right, BIT men who reflect
won't think so, and we much mistake Pres
ident Roosevelt if he thinks so.
Now Secretary Gage puts his seal Of aP-
prOval upon the whole proceeding by be-
coming the guest Of honor of Vanderlip,
and entering into all his schemes for the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the financial institution
upon WHICH nE Mdo dAAEfAAI NeAANAANA ~
many favors If after the powers he has
conferred he were to attend such dinner
as a private citizen it would be bad enough.
It would then accentuate scandal already
malodorous But to attend such banquet
and lend his presence in his official capacity
as Secretary Of the Treasury to a scheme
concocted for the control Of the anances Of
l. s.,f
of all he has already done for that institu-
zion, is certainly bold and astounding
venture for Cabinet officer, in our humble
estimate Of men we wonder how ne can
do il?
It in effect gives official sanction to all
that has been done and all that will be done
tits unnecessary to again give in detail
the custom house sale, and the nauseous
and ugly proceedings connected with It.
But they will now be recalled. Every scrap
OF information concerning il will be speed
lily gathered. It was quieted for a time.
Republican politicians never defended il
BIT always avoided investigation. It will
all be revived now The dinner will be
another Reltshazzer feast, and its rebound
will be quite as much felt as the celebrated
feast that cost Blaine the Presidency. We
can conceive Of no greater indecorum thar
for a Secretary Of the Treasury to lend him.
self to such function. In the olden day.
such conduct would have called for i'm
peachment proceedings Imagine for a
moment Albert Callatin appearing in pub
lie at dinner given by one OF bis assis
IaI Nrf l. Z.
department such merited criticisml II,
was of an older and better type.
We are sorry we mustgo 10 press befor,
the speeches are delivered. We would lik,