The Sunday globe., 1901-05-12
RICH GRAFT. "
If Worked on Addition, Division, and
Silence Plan.
SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES.
Division OF tho post-0tfICs and Pooh Bah Bsav-
ers its Head-An Obscure Place with
Thirty or More Millions
Passed by a Blue
Pencil.

allowance. lis chief is George W.
Beavers, ofNew York Mr.. Beavers, we
believe, Is or rather was Cleveland
democrat, for of course he is now a re
publican after the usual political acrobat
ism Of Government clerks.
This office of salary and allowance is
one of the Snaps" but little is known
of by the outside public, and the possible
pickings in it may reach any amount per
annum from fifty cents to fifty thousand
dollars. It all depends on the integrity
or the grating" ability of the head of
the bureau.
The Globe will take its readers into the
secrets and possibilities Of this office. and
they can judge for themselves whether it
is not rich prize for the man who can
reach it. In the first place Mr.. Beavers
is provided with blue pencil. This
pencil he is authorized to USE and from
It's swipes across name or an account
there is no appeal.
suppose for instance postmaster Van
Cott, of New York City, sends in list
OF extra clerks or other employees he de-
sires appointed or promoted, and names
the salaries opposite the names of his
nominees Well, this list goes to Mr.
Beavers and he uses his blue pencil here.
there, everywhere-until the list looks
IKE a typographical survey of Terra del
Fuego.
1t is returned to Postmaster Van Cott
and that gentleman goes out to Central
Park and cOols off after having told his
grievance in picturesque English to the
silent woods.
Suppose, again, that ex-Postmaster.
General Dayton had building leased to
the Government at good round rent.
and suppose the lease expired and Re-
publicans wanted to rent a building at a
good round sum on a long lease. Mr.
Beaver slips in, let us say and cuts the
gordian knot by leasing the building
from his old patron, Dayton, for ten years,
and the disappointed Republicans 20
around the corner kicking themselves and
asking each other, chow much2"
All these things have happened, but
they are small figure in the general
round up of years transaction in this
office Of salaries and allowances. Every
post-office building rented by the Gov.
eminent in the United States must have
the bargain approved by Mr. Beavers
little pencil, or it don't 90. Sometimes
there is quite a contest by patriotic citi.
zens to rent their buildings to the Gov.
eminent of their native land. They like
to see the stars and stripes flying over
the structures they own, and many trips
are made to Washington annually to in.
terview Mr. Beavers by rural would.be
renters as to the suitableness. etc of
their respective buildings. Mr.. Beavers
always decides for the best interests of
the Government, if the rent suits him.
sometimes he opposes, and sometimes he
doesn'tj much depends on "circum-
stances"
There are very few apperls from Mr..
Beavers to the comptroller and even if
there were it would do the appealers or
"squealers" no good. The comptroller
has too much other business, and Mr..
Beavers is the man to settle all such
matters.
So it will be perceived that Mr.. Beavers
is desirable gentleman to cultivate if
one intends renting or leasinga a building
or a sub postotiice. if one is a clerk with
eXpectant hopes of an increase in salary.
or If claim OF any kind against the de-
partment is to be collected; expense ac-
counts, too, can be chopped by Mr..
Beavers, in fact he is real Pooh Bah.
and his special aversion is newspaper
men moosing around his department.
Mr. Beavers has good and sufficient
reasons for this NATURAL prejudice.
The past week Mr.. G.. II. HINT the
well known newspaper correspondent.
was charged by fellow scribe. who was
Oh on brief vacation, to call at Mr..
Beavers office each day and ascertain
the progress of certain work in the locality
where his paper is published in a distant
state.
Mr.. Hunt called, and was briefly in.
formed by Mr.. Beavers. The next day
Mr.. Hunt called, and the following scene
occurred:
81 told you yesterday did not about
this matter2"
Eyes; but am instructed to find out
each day, as the work progresses.
"Well, look in the bulletin of the office
for your information then"
But | beg pardon, Mr.. Beavers. but
things happen after the bulletin is putup,
and my paper wants the very latest news
on the progress of the work"
well, sir l will not bother myself
telling you each day and will not, and
that settles it," and Mr.. Beavers tilted
himself back in his chair with a look
which plainly said: "What are you going
to do about it2'
Mr.. Hunt retired, and The Globe found
him marveling, on the steps OF the post.
office, whether Beavers was public
servant or the owner in fee simple of the
department of salaries and allowances.
Mr.. Beavers conception of the duties
he owes the public as its paid servant is
similar in arrogance to the IDEAS enter
tained by many of the heads of bureaus
and departments under the Imperialistic
Republican Government of William I.
MIR. Beavers cannot afford, however TO
lntagonze the press, as its argus.eyed
representatives might some day sud
denly and unexpectedly dynamite his
graft and land him--outside in the
cold. He has an office few applicants
know anything about, and fewer still
have any idea OF its rich possibilities.
A man who has not lost his head entirely
should cultivate suavity in his position,
saw wood, and keep out of the news
Dapers BE prudent Mr. Beayers and