Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-05

motives in dealing with the civil service ne
gets little credit for it,
Many of his acts were, to put it mildly
eccentric. He either did not know what
official propriety was, OF If he did, was IN
different to il. To illustrate AT the be-
ginning of the Spanish war-or 1t may
have been when it was some time in prog
ress-the dates are unimpoEtant-he sent
Frank A. Vanderlip on a Government yes /
sell the Graham, we believe, down to Cuba
or Porto Rico to examine into the finances
of the Island, or Islands. VanderliP, 1t is
said took some members of his family with
him. What Gage hoped to accomplish by
such a iunketing expedition nobody out
himself aud Vanderlip knew at the time OF
know now. The truth is nothing was ae'
complished. or if there was the information
is we'll hidden from the public. The expe-
dition was absurd. That Vanderlip, in the
short time he was away cruising around in
West Indian waters, could construct sys-
tenn of finance for Porto Rico or Cuba was
ridiculous. But Vanderlip and his friends
had their trip and the Government paid the
bills. and the world is none the wiser
Secretary Gage did not expect any lasting
rood. He was not looking at it from
beneficial standpoint He was only allow
ing one of his subordinates to use United
States vessel to have a good time and that
was his sole object. If in profound peace
such doubtful trip had been planned ana
executed there would have been much more
said. and the doughty secretary and his
assistant called to give an explanation. AS
it occurred during the time Of actual war;
or soon after, when the war was the all
absorbing topic, the impropriety OF the
whole proceeding was lost sight or
The time clock was another malodorous
nerformauce. We have alluded to it several
times but until the whole wretched bus
mess is cleared up it can be alluded to again
with profit Why such a persistent effort
was made, and with the Secretary's ap-
proval to reduce the employees OF the
Treasury Department to the grade OF con-
victs in the galleys, to compel them to be
numbered and not known by their names
in the face of the many protests, and in the
face Of the we'll known opposition OF Con-
gress, is another enigma not easily eX-
planned by any reasonable hypothesis
What has been hinted would explain, but
we don't know or assert it to be true, that
there was a commission paid by the clock
veuders. Secretary Gage has never denied
the charge, nor has Vanderlip, when 1t has
been made. It does seem incredible that
such sham reform should be forced down
the throats of ladies and gentlemen when
Congress was hostile to it. Indeed it could
only be gotten rid of by act of Congress-
In may seem to be raking up burnt pow
| der to again call public attention to this
unseemly episode, but the many denials
that resignation was in contemplation re-
| wives the whole affair and may serve to
/ explain why the Secretary has changed his
I mind
The Secretary's dealing with the City
/ National Bank of New York is another
scandal that has often been aired. 1t is one
unfortunately that never grows better by
age. The oftener it is brought to light the
! more shady it becomes. There have been
| many favors conferred on financial institu'
| tions by persons holding high positions,
| but never one that has such bald marks OF
| favoritism. The man who has been made a
! seventh vice-president to the bank just after
( a trip to Europe must have had in vulgar
parlance "a pull"
/ The Secretary will pardon US if we sug-
gest that perhaps this more. than som
bre transaction had something TO do with
the Presidents Willingness to accept his
resignation.
We are willing to admit that after all
there may have been nothing in the matters
referred to that were dishonest or improper
We say may have been nothing" because
none of them took we'll The only public
criticism of any one of the above acts re
ferred to has been nncomplim entary to th'
Secretary and those surrounding him anC
connected with him in the reproaoh br9ugh
upon his department.
One fact is accepted, the secretary ha
never denied any Of the charges. He ha
never denied the charge that he allowed
Vauderlip's expenses abroad to be~paid b,
the Government.
He need not wonder, therefore, when hi
esignation has been accepted that what he
has done, including his partiality and vic
lation of civil service rules, will rise up Il
judgment against him.