The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-09-10
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

iOili Jul iNtEuisll SNiiCopbNhOHts
Washington, August 7, 1903.
An epidemic of scandals seems TO
be the leading feature of the present
administration OF the federal govetn-
ment. The Postoffice scandal has
dragged along all summer, with every
now and again some surprising de-
velopment. The Interior Department
scandal, involving subordinates of that
Department and practically all the
members of the Dawes Commission,
has only recently come to light and is
not yet under investigation and now
comes information TO the effect that
because of reports involving many OF
the subor,linates of the Department
of Justice and Attorney General has
ordered a drastic investigation of every
Official connected with his department
located in the "Indlan Territory jurls
dlction." 1t seems that charges
against United States attorneys and
marshals, other than those in connec-
tion with the allotment of the Indian
lands have reached the Attorney
General, charges which allege the con-
nection of these officials with contracts
for feeding prisoners, sharing profits
accrung from iIlegitimate liquor sell
ing and similar practices and as re-
suit Attorney General Knox ordered
the current investigation some weeks
ago.
w
Secretary Hitchcock is still greatly
wrought up over the Indian lands
/ scandal but he has not yet secured
competent man to undertake the in
vestigatlon ordered by the President.
He is trying to secure man familiar
with Indian affairs and one who has
no personal interests in the situation
and finds it difficult to obtain the
services of such an individual. In
the meantime, the facts in connection
with the system of "sraft" which has
permeated the entire allotment of the
Indian lands which involves practical
ly- every member Of the Dawes Com
mission becomes daily more conspicu-
Gus.
Xxx
Another feature of the situation
which is making life for Secretary
Hitchcock anything but bed Of roses
in the claim of officials of the Treas
ury Department that the Secretary
has ignored several United States
statutes and assumed powers in no
way delegated to him in his admins
tration of the funds accruing from the
sale of lots in the towns of Lawton,
Hobert and Anadark, Oklahoma.
These funds were to be expended for
public improvements "under the
supervision Of the Secretary of the
interior" but there is no provision in
the law exempting the Secretary from
the necessity of rendering an account
of his stewardship to the auditors of
the Treasury. Notwithstanding this
fact, the Secretary has rendered no
account of the receipts or dlsburse-
ments to the Auditor for the Interior
Department and, aside from the fact
that he has some 100000 to his
personal credit with the Treasurer of
the United States, the Treasury De-
partment has no official knowledge
that he has ever sold the lots. 1t IS
further pointed out that during the
last two sessions of Congress the
Secretary has sent in sections of ap-
preparation bills exempting his actions
from the review of the auditing of,
ficials of the Treasury and IN both in.
stances the provisions have been
stricken from the bills on point OF
order.
XXX
Affairs in the Postoffice Depart.
ment have taken another lively turn.
Louis Kempner, Superintendent OF
Registry, has been discovered to have
been conducting system. of SNUG
gling'Cuban cigars and selling them
to his friends in Washington at prices
in the neighborhood of 81 per box
The last consignment of these cigars