The Washington times., 1904-06-18
SATURDAY. JUNE IS. 1904.
Modern Benedict Arnolds.

Discussion Of the General Slocum
disaster has brought forth the ex-
~traordinary statement from George
Uhler, General Superintendent of the
Steamboat Inspection Service. that
the law of the United States, impos-
Ing fines on steamboat companies for
violations of the steamboat regula-
tons, is a dead letter.
Mr.. Uhler summarizes the method
by which the law is practically an
nulled in the following clear and con-
else language:
"A steamboat company is found
guilty of violating the inspection
laws. The offender is punished by a
fine, say, OF $500. Now what hap
pens? The cas- goes to the naviga-
ton department. A delegation repre-
senting the steamboat company comes
over here. They request. entreat. and
do everything they can to evade the
payment of the fine. The authorities
stand firm. Then the political pres
1hDN0hN " UEQI. OtuGLOI6 anu
Representatives and persons high in
political authority call upon, or write
to. the officers of the department. and
the result is that in a grea' many
cases the fine is cut down or wiped
OUT"
This statement may be classified as
extraordinary, not because it reveals
a condition entirely unknown or en-
tirely novel to the public at large. but
because it declares with such enlight-
ening frankness the positive and alb
solute truth.
1t declares that to serve their own
petty ends the sworn officials of the
people, men who exist politically on
the suffrages of the people, men whose
oaths bind them to the service of
the people, have so far forgotten pub
lie duty and private honor and so far
promoted corruption as to bear an
active part in the thwarting of the
very laws they themselves have
placed upon the statute books.
The Hame of Benedict Arnold is ex-
ecrated the country over because it
stands for a type of the arch traitor.
OF the human being so bereft of moral
sense that he will sacrifice his coun-
try, his loftiest ideal of patriotic de-
vOtion. for personal revenge and per-
sonal ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
Are those men any better than Ben
edict Arnold, who, to promote selfish
ambition and augment personal pow
er, will place in jeopardy the lives of
their fellow citizens. will violate the
trust of their fellow citizens. will ac-
tually consent to the death and de-
struction of their fellow citizens? On
the heads of how many United States
Senator'S and Representatives does
moral responsibility for the General
Slocum tragedy rest?
This is not a time for explanations
or excuses. AS Mr.. Uhler says:
Under such 2 system the law be-
comes worse than a dead letter; II
becomes a farce Men high in au-
thority often express surprise that
men in labor unions sometimes prove
so -dishonorable. so selfish in the pur-
suit Of privileges, so prone to squeeze
the last drop Of blood from the body
polite when they chance to have the
opportunity to squeeze anything.
What else can we expect from those
who are literally fighting for life.
as they conceive II, when their rep
resentatives-men who by accept
Ing Office have pledged themselves by
everything they hold sacred, before
country, mankind, and God, to pro-
tect the rights Of all and labor I'M
ceasingly for the good Of also far
forget duty, patriotism. and honor as
&c aid and abet law breaking and
social anarchy?
CT