The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-08
ON A BIG SCALE.
Swindles Perpetrated Upon the
British Treasury
BY Army Contractors Are Some
thing Tremendous.
CONTRACTS BOUGHT.
One Million Dollars Paid by Cecil
Rhodes
For Privilege of SupplyingFresh
Beef to the Army.

London, Feb s.-The apparent tncom-
petence and it Is claimed, possible dis
honesty which permeates the purchas-
ing departments of the British army as
revealed this week in parliament have
caused a public agitation that augurs
badly for the war Office. Judging from
recent disclosures. scarcely any of the
supplies for the army in South Africa
We're secured on business principles.
Specializing contractors are now known
to have made hundreds abf thousands or
pounds by reselling contracts. The OPP
position vainly endeayored to get de-
tails regarding the new contract for the
supply of meat announced by the gov
eminent in the house of commons with
the view of ascertaining If a saving
over the former N ethods viii really be
affected. The government successfully
avoided answering. but the Associated
Press understands that the contract in
question was first reSold at 10000
pounds premium and then at 4e,oOo
pounds while Cecil Rhodes and the De
thus finally secured the privilege Of
supplying the troops In South Africa
with fresh meat. These figures are
likely to be published here soon and
when known, will doubtless add fuel to
the fire of public Indignation which
threatens to center around the secre-
tary of war. Mr.. Brodrick, as vicious
ly as IL did around Lord LanSdOwne,
when the latter was sponsor for the
early blunders Of the war.
A dozen or more committees OF in
vestigation are now sitting. or are in
process OF formation. but as the Sat-
urday Review says. these are only too
often synonymous of oblivion
The fact remains" adds the Satur-
day Review, that we have been
swfndled on a very large scale"
While these stringent criticisms of the
war ONCE are being publicly aired there
is proceeding beneath the surface a re-
volt ,fy1I-f
err importance. The leading authorities
of the volunteers. including many of the
commanders OF the best known regi-
ments, several of them being titled per-
sons and nearly all wealthy, are holding
frequent meetings to decide on the best
method of defeating Mr.. Brodrick'S new
volunteer regulations. The committee
which Mr.. Brodrick appointed to hear
the grievances only aggravated mat
ters- The commanders of the leading
regiments have previously formed them
selves into deputation to wait on Mr.
Brodrick and he, temporarily, declined
to see them; but the secretary for war
stole a march on the members of the
deputation by announcing in the house
OF commons that he had appointed a
committee of his own, IN which not one
of the deputation was included His ac-
ton created intense feeling among the
members of the original deputation, who
privately declares that the new volun-
teer regulations and the dead head
committee were introduced for the sole
purpose of making preconscription pos
sible. The colonel OF one of the London
regiments said to representative of
the Associated Press:
I'VE know Mr.. Brodrick wants con-
scriptfon, though, perhaps, in q modified
form. If his Ideas win the day the vol
unteers will gradually cease to be an
effective force and will thereby supply
the war office with its strongest argu-
ment in favor of compulsory military
service, or the enforcement of the old
ballot laws. Rather than see that come
about, we intend to break up our regi-
guished nObleman, urging me to take
that course, and many other command
ing officers contemplate disbanding
their regiments"
Snowstorms and fogs envelop prac-
tically the entire United Kingdom The
weather is the most severe known in
20 years. For time this morning Lon
don was enveloped in darkness, traffic
was interrupted and navigation on the
Thames and Mersey was very danger
Gus. The unprecedented snowfall neces-
STATED the suspension of out door work
in many districts, and vehicular and
railway traffic was carried on with
the greatest difficulty. In parts of Scot
land and Wales communication was en-
tirely blocked
A bronze medallion memorial of the
late John Ruskfn was unveiled at noon
in Westminster Abbey by Mrs. Arthur
Severn, Ruskin'S cousin, in the presence
of distinguished gathering The me-
mortal is in the poets corner above the
Sir Walter Scott memorial and beside
Oliver Goldsmith medallion