The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-11-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Special Correspondence 2f Inteliigencer.


Washington, d. c., Nov. 2. 1908.
The Roosevelt administration has be-
como vociferously notorious for the
gigantic and unilenrd-of frauds that
have been perpctrated since it's advent
to power, and also for the slight efforts
made to expose them and punish the
offenders. A few OF tho smaller fry in
the Post Office scandal have been in
dicted and few have been tried, but
not convicted, as the evidence adduced
by the government attorneys was not
sufficient to convince jury of their
guilt. The delay in Investigating
| these scandals has been boon to most
of tho greater offenders, for that con-
venient law, the statute OF limitations,
has run its course and the time had ex-
pired in which they could be- indicted.
That the statute or limitations covers
a number OF these questions is denied
by eminent lawyers, but the Republi-
can Attorney General has decided that
it does, and there is no way of bring
ing the culprits to trial, it the law Otti
Ger OF the government refuses to net.
AS hitherto mentioned in this cUrres-
pOndence, ono OF the principal partici-
pants in leniency of this accommodate
ing statute is Representative LittaLI4,
| who, President Roosevelt described as
advisor" Littauer was charged with
sharing in the profits Of large army
glove contract, and that he had used
his position as q member Of Congress
to Obtein the contract, nOtwithstand-
ing the provision of the law that no
official should be interested in my
such deal. When referred to the Re-
publican Attorney General, he prompt
~ decided that Mr.. Littauer could not
ha Y1rOaaontaH no tho n tU ta nf 1ipoifa-
tions had run its course, 30 the closest
political advisor" Of the President es-
capped the humiliation of trial and
possible conviction. Fraud and graft
il getting mighty close to the White
House when the statute - limitations
has to be pleaded for 'uy personal
friend" of the present ocr .,ant.
only ones that are causing sleepless
nights and bad half to many
political patriots. Evidence is ac-
cumulating that huge land frauds
amounting in value to $40 900. 900 have
been discovered and that six United
States Senators, several Representa-
tiveR and numerous government otfi-
the frauds, though Secretary Hitch
cock, of the Interior Department, is
continuously entering strenuous de-
malls. The frauds in connection with
the Indian lands now being investi-
gated, has only jnst begun and rumors
of other frauds in other departments
are filling the air at Washington. This
been discovered may, as in the Post
Office scandal, be made for the purpose
Of allowing the statute of limitations
to get it it's work and permit other Re-
publican patriots to escape the tolls Of
the law.
The Republican organs of the coun-
try have been beating the tomtoms and
stchas fhe hewgagss ss. about Sas
in obtaining from China two "open
ports" in Manchuria. One of these
''pOrts" is named in the treaty as Muk-
den. and probably the people of tho
United States would have gone On be-
lieving that our increasing trade was
flowing through that open door If Rus
ala had not objected 20 our having any
thing to do with that country. Our
Navy Department. therenpon decided
that in the event Of trouble between
Russia and Japan, the Asiatic squadron
under Admiral Evans should BIZ divid-
ed and ordered to eSch OF the "treaty
ports" This decisiGr of our Naval
Board of Strategy fired the hearts Of
all our old. d..salts who gather ut the Army
and Navy Club. and they were anxious
for II scrap with anyone. A young
clerk at the Navy Department., how
ever, has upset tho plans of these war
riOrs In buckIam by reading book
juet published by an American traveller
named Shoemaker, who describes his
journey from Moscow to Port Arthur,
in which he tells that Mukden is an in.
terror city three hundred miles north
of Port Arthur. The explosion in dip
lOmatic and naval orioles that follow
ed THE discovery can be more easily
imagined than described. Thedemsnd
Tor stimnlants ut the Club, where the
Board of Strategy holds its sessions,
surpassed all previous recorde, and the
President and John Hay were non
plussed. The State Department. hav.
Ing soiemnly: by treaty. declared Muk-
den q port" persist in that declara-
tiOn, our naval heroes think it impOs.
etble TO carry ont tho plans Of the
Board OF Strategy. there being not
enough water tO float canoe. much
less hattleship within miles Of "the
port" The Chinese have fooled our
State Department, probably at the
instigatiOn of Russia, and ''the open
d9Or" to Machuria is still shut 81 far
az the se0 is concerned, and onr ''match.
less diplomacy" has received a check
that the present administration will
never be able to overcome.
The report OF Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Brist0w on the
Post Office frauds has been placed in
'ths hands Of the President, oonsiating
OF over ono hundred and ten Thousand
words with appendices snfficispt TO
make nearly one million words. It is