West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-07-25
WASHING NLETTER.
Talk About Dan Lamont as a Pres
idential Possibility.
The Exposure or Some Stealing by
Small Officials.
From our regular correspondent.

From our regular correspondent.
WAsHlNGToN, July 20, Ioor.-
EFas New York a new Democratic
candidate for the Presidential nom
ination' That question is being
asked in Washington since a prom
inent New York Democrat dropped
hint that Col. Dan Lamont, who
was Mr.. Cleveland's private secre-
tary during his first administration
and Secretary of War during his
second, and who has since been
associated with ex-Secretary Whit
neY in various new business enter
prises, might become Democratic
candidate for Governor of New
York, and if elected would become
candidate for the Presidential
nomination. OF course, there are
some substantial offs" to be con.
sldered in connection with this
matter, but the whole Presidential
question is one of offs" at this time.
There are several reasons why Dan
Lamont would make a strong
candidate for any position he might
aspire to. First and foremost is
his personal popularity-a man who
could spend eight years in Wash
ington as prominently associated
with administrations as he was
with those of Cleveland without
making an enemy, as he did, must
necessarily be a remarkable sort of
man. The next reason in impor-
tance is that he would have the
advice and active assistance of
William G Whitney, who has
shown himself to be one of the
shrewdest political managers the
country has or has ever had. This
thing may be no more than the idle
talk OF a summer day, but if Dan
Lamont becomes a candidate for
the Democratic nomination for
Governor of New York, he will get
it, and he would probably be elect
ed, and that would naturally make
him Presidential possibility.
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There is little that is new in the
exposure of the methods followed
in the distribution of the patronage
of the House, made this week by
the National Civil Service Reform
League, but it is none the less dis
graceful to the Republican majority
of that body which allows the
stealing, for that is the proper
lame for receiving money and
giving no pretense of return for it.
Men are carried on the House pay
roll who never even come to Wash
lngton, but have checks for their
salaries mailed to them, and others
draw salaries for work which thew
have others to do, paying them
only a small fraction of what they
receive. The patronage of the
House is not under the civil service
law. 1t is controlled absolutely by
the will of the majority, and that
majority should be held responsible
for the willful waste of the peoples
money, and especially those mem
bers who have held up the officers
of the House and demanded that
salaries be provided for their favor
ties should be held up to the public
contempt they so richly deserve.
The weak spot in the long and
detailed exposure is the careful
avoidance of putting in the names
OF looting Congressman. This
avoidance is so palpable that it is
clearly intentional. Names are
given in plenty, but they are those
of the little rascals. A proper
exposure would have given the
names of those who made the ras-
cality possible, but perhaps the
gentleman who made the investiga
ton for the G. S. r. l.. were a little
bit afraid to attack the Congress
men by name.
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