Sunday Washington globe., 1902-05-11

A. Vanderlip, made bargain with the City
National Bank IN the sale Of the custom
house in New York which created a scandal
If the truth is told the title of that custom
house still remains in the Government,
hence no tax upon it is levied, and yet, the
United States are paying to the bank
rental of many thousand dollars per anaum,
and will continue to pay 1t for years In
addition the bank is a depository OF the
United States aud has in ITS vaults--or has
loaned it out TO its customers--some fifteen
millions of dollars. Most probably the
latter for the City National Bank don't keep
money in its vaults when it can be loaned
out with profit. That bank has deposits
exceeding that Of any ten other banks in
the country.
Frank A. Vanderlip soou after his return
from abroad, whence he had been at Cow
ernmental expense-it has been charged
was made seventh vice-president of the
City National Bank, and simultaneously it
was said that ne was made go-between be-
tween the bank and the Treasury Depart
ment When the accusation was made
Gage never denied it and Vanderlip kept
silent Had the charges been untrue il
would have been the proper thing at once
to give it an indignant and unqualified de-
uial. If true it was a scandal, an outrage
upon the people, and an unjust discrimina.
tion against other banking institutionsl IF
untrue it was libel upon the head OF the
Treasury and his assistant, under which
they ought not TO have rested Honest
men dou't like to lay under such accusation
and as rule do not submit to them tamely.
But submit these two men did and they
submit now, and the charge remains
blazoned in type and known to the world
and the two former treasury officials still
make no denial.
Now the question arises if the charge
which was made was true at the time made,
it is pertinent to ask do such relations
still continued Is Vanderlip still a 90.
between the bank and the Treas-ry De-
partment2 Are exceptional advantages
given to the bank through him as its
seventh vice-president? Are his visits to
Washington made with reference to his
connection with the bank and his former
connection with the Treasury Department
or are they purely of social nature? II
may not be the business of the outside
world which induces his visits, but from
the odors OF official malfeasance which
cling to him it is perhaps other peoples
business. II is we'll known that his trans
actions many Of them we're shady. His
time clock episode in which he was ac-
cused Of taking in a commission became a
public nuisance and the time clocks had to
be abolished by an act of Congress. That
however did not cover the commission
back into the Treasury, if he had ever
gotten it. This with other TRANSACTIONS
iunketing trip to the West Indies for in
stance-showed that neither Vanderlip nor
Gage were careful with government funds
It was such scandals, and perhaps some
thing darker, which drove the former from
Office and later drove his chief into OBJ
scurity.
Taking everything into consideration it
becomes grave question whether the City
National Bank of New York through this
man Vanderlip still has its grip upon the
Treasury Department Secretary Shaw
should look to it lest he become tarred
with the stick that Gage and Vanderlip
left behind them. little investigation
into Vanderlips methods will do him no
harm and may relieve him of future EN-
barrassment. He should at once see to it
that the bank which was Cages pet and
which has hired Vanderlip as its tool
through Gage, for nobody believes the
bank would have created an Office for that
/ creature save for favors granted it-gets no
advantage over other financial corporations.
There are other abuses existing today
which could be probed with benefit to the
taxpayer. How the Civil Service is abused
and how creature is detailed to spy upon
his fellows is a story that would make un.
savory but mighty interesting reading
Enough has been said for the present. II
is only desirable now to call Secretary
Shaw's attention to what has been done,
what has been charged and if the same
state Of affairs exist put an end to them, or
if they do not exist promptly tell the pub
lie he has made an investigation and there
is no foundation for them.