Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-07-03

tify-Attempts to Minimize the Scandal
Scape Goat Found-Depa rtment Of AsrcuI
ture Scandal-One Also in Indian Territory
Still More Crookedness.
tFrom our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 25, 1908.
President Roosevelt has announced,
in a semi-official way, that he intends
to stand by the Postmaster General in
spite Of the popular demand for
Payne's resignation, demand voiced
by the best newspapers in the country,
regardless of party utilization. More.
over, the President appears to be afraid
to demand the resignation of Rand,
confidential clerk to the Postmaster
General, although his unfitness for a
place of trust has been clearly demon.
trated, especially in the Republican
press. To every close observer it is
obvious that the first wish of Post.
master General Payne is TO minimize
the scandal and convert the investiga.
ton into a perfunctory inquiry such
as he had in mind when he first found
that some sort OF investigation was in.
evitable. The determination of the
President is, however, regarded with
considerable satisfaction by the Dem.
ocrsts who say that the people will
never be satisfied with an Investigation
conducted along the Payne policy and
that they will appreciate that only n
Democratic administration will be
willing to lay bare the ulcers which
have long festered under Republican
administration.
Having failed in his efforts to save
Perry Heath from being smirched as q
consequence of his official acts, the
Postmaster General. and to a large ex-
tent the Republican press, is now try
ing to make him the scapegoat for all
the corruption which the Tulloch
charges and the Bristow reply re-
vealed. In this connection, a bit of
inside history is interesting. Perry
Heath was charged with the fulfill.
ment of seven thousand q ,O0O) pledges
made by Senator Hanna during the
campaigns which elected Hanna Sen.
ator and Mckinley President. 1t was
for the purpose Of fulfilling these
pledges, taking care of Mr.. Hanna's
1000 debts, that Heath was made
First Assistant Postmaster General.
He did his work we'll and without any
qualms of conscience, but now that the
facts have become public Mr.. Heath
is charged with the whole responsible
ity while Mr.. Hanna goes free from
public censure. 1t is only justice
to Payne, moreover, to say that he
went into the Postoffice Department
pledged to take care of Hanna's
friends, those who had co-operated
with Heath and especially Machen
who had, by his manipulation of the
rural free delivery service, saved many
western Republican congressman from
defeat. This was the secret Of Payne's
attempt. clumsy and misguided but
none the less sincere, to take care of
Machen and his crowd.
The existence Of q miniature scan
dial in the Department of Agriculture
was revealed this week by suit filed
in the Court OF Claims by the New
York Market Gardeners Association
which seeks to recover $4,000 for
supplying seed for free distribution to
the Department. It appears that the
above company was found to have fur
nished short weight packages, cheaper
seeds than the contract provided for
and cheaper and thinner paper than
the specifications called for. Notwith.
standing these facts the contract was
awarded to this concern . second time,
the assumption being that the con.
tractor had" influence" with Secretary
Wilson or with Assistant Secretary
Brigham. This year the contractor
was guilty OF even graver violations OF
his contract than on the previous oc-
cssion and this, Notwithstanding the
fact that Secretary Wilson has placed
q personal friend, . man named r.
Bowie Holland, in the company's
warerooms a. good pay to supervise
the packing of the seeds. Holland
had an assistant in his arduous duty
by the name OF MARITIME, but even with
two inspectors it is alleged that short
weights and cheap seeds were fur
nished and other provisions OF the con.
tract violated.
A scandal in the allotment of the
lands in the Indian Territory has just
come to light. and it is said by an off.
cial in Q position to know that If they
ever become public the abuses in this
work will rival the corruption just un.
earthed in the Postoffice Department.
1t is alleged that the Indian agents
have certified to the Department. Of
the Interior . larger number OF In.
dams than existed on the reservations
in order that they might profit by the
extra number of rations and allow.
ances issued. Taking these false rolls,
the Dawes Commission, which is
charged with the allotment in sever
atty OF the Indian lands in the Terri.
uho tuouC I've oiAOshOuSo oCNOIu-
ingly, and now finds that there are
many sections for which there are no
rightful owners. The result may be
that the entire work will have to be
done over again at great expense and
trouble. The President has selected
Francis E. Luepp, Washington CORES.
pendent of q prominent New York pa
per, to 60 to the Territory and make
an investigation into the situation.
Attorney General Knox has issued
an order for the arrest of Edward F.
McSweeney, former Assistant Com.
missioner OF immigration at New
York, on the ground Of embezzlement.
It 10 charged that McSweeney ab-
stracied numerous official papers, up.
wards of 1000 in number, from the
files OF the Bureau of Immigration
with q view to covering up all his trace
of his having furnished confidential,
official Information TO steamship com.
panies, railroads and others in return
for which he received passes for him
self and his friends. It is further
claimed that McSweenev m ono occa