Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-11-04
FROM WASHINGTON
Special Correspondence of the COURIER.
Washington, November 3.

has become vociferously notorious
for the gigantic and unheardof
frauds that have been perpetrated
since its advent of power, and also
for the slight efforts made to OPP
pose them and punish the offenders.
A few of the smaller fry in the
pOstoffice scandal have been indict-
ed and few have been tried, but not
convicted, as the evidence adduced
by the government attorneys was
not sufficient to convince the jury.
The delay in investigating these
scandals has been a boon to most
of the greater offenders, for that
convenient law, the statute of linn
itations, has run its course and the
time had expired in which they
could be indicted. That the statute
of limitations covers number of
these questions is denied by emf
nent lawyers, but the Republican
Attorney General has decided that
it does, and there is no way of
bringing the culprits 20 trial, if the
law officer of the government re-
fuses tie act. As hitherto mention
ed in this correspondence, one Of
the principal participants in the
leniency of this accommodating
statute of Representative Littauer.
who, President Roosevelt described
as his personal friend and closest
political advisor" Littauer was
charged with sharing in the profits
of a large army glove contract, and
that he had used his position as
member of Congress to obtain the
contract, Notwithstanding the pro-
vision of the law that no official
should be interested in any such
deal. When referred to the Re
publican Attorney General, he
promptly decided that Mr.. Littauer
could not be prosecuted, as the
statute of limitations had run its
course, so the closest political
advisor" of the President escaped
the humiliation of trial and pos
sible conviction. Fraud and graft
Is getting mighty close To the
White House when the statute of
limitations has 20 be pleaded for
the personal friend of the pre-
sent occupant.
The Postotiice frauds are not the
only ones that are causing sleep
less nights and bad half-hours To
many political patriots. Evidence
Is accommodating that huge land
frauds amounting in value To $40
100000 have been discovered and
that six United States Senators,
several Representatives and num-
erous government officials are
mentioned in connection with the
frauds, though Secretary Hitch
cock, of the Interior Department,
is continuously entering strenuous
denials. The frauds in connection
with the Indian lands now being
investigated, has only Just begun,
and rumorS of their frauds in
other departments are filling the
air at Washington. This delay in
exposing what has already been
discovered may, as in the Post
Office scandal, be made for the
purpose of allowing the statute of
limitations TO get in its work and
permit other Republican patriots
To escape the tolls of the law.
A little thing that is causing
much comment here is the attempt
of the President, through his Sec
rotary, Mr.. Loeb, to ape the airs
of the foreign courts. He is having
his White House messengers cloth
ed IN uniform, and the report is
that the ushers and doorkeepers at
the executive officers will be the
next to don the uniform prescribed
by Secretary Loeb, with the tacit
approval of President Roosevelt.
AS they outrank the messenger,
the uniform is to be cut i'm more
fashionable style, and the other
officials of the White House are to
be more brilliantly attired so that
the social function will match
the gorgeousness of any foreign
court. The White House will be
made to blaze with all the glory
and frippery and tinsel and gaudy
display of the fiunkies of European
effete monarchies. These be Re-
publican times surely, and the
people foot the bill.
The Republican organs of the
country have been beating the
tomtoms and sounding the hewgags
oko.8 $780, ..~oxoII~~- -