The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-23
A POOR SHOW OF VIRTUE.

Congress again exhibits the low quail
ity of its morality by rejecting the
amendment offered by Congressman
McCleary, of this state, proposing to
base allowances for clerk hire in the
smaller postofiees upon the salary of
the postmaster. It will be renem-
bered that 1t is the granting of these
allowances all over the country upon
recommendation of congressman and
senators which constitutes the central
scandal of the Bristow report 1t will
be remembered that IN this way the
district for what amounts practically
to brides or to indirect compensation
these allowances are justified by bust
ness conditions; but equally in many
others they are not, but become purely
perquisite of the politician.
The amendment of Mr.. MeCleary
would have changed this conprehen-
sive scheme of graft into rational
system. The salaries of minor post
masters are graduated according to
the business actually done in their
Offices. Their need for extra help and
for clerk hire will naturally and nee
essariIy vary with the volume of bust
ness, and hence with the amount OF
their own salaries. The basis pro-
posed by Mr.. McCleary, therefore. was
legitimate, businesslike and one al
ready accepted in the conduct of the
departments affairs. It would have
permitted expenditures for all proper
purposes, and have cut off only the
sums now granted as matter of polit-
ical favoritism. This, congress would
not listen to.
In lieu of this an appropriation OF
$500, 600 has been recommended for
unusual expenses in~the minor post
offices. No scheme for distributing
this big fund has been adopted. 1t is
to be cut up as heretofore into nuner-
Gus small bits of dough and put where
it will do most good. The only SOP
thrown to public opinion is the re-
quirement that the authorities shall
make public the scheme of bestowing
the money. A further appropriation
of $1,OO0,OOO extra is made for hand
ling the mail in third and fourth class
offices. This makes a total of million
and a half, which is to all intents and
purposes, as the postoffice is handled
now, that much money taken from the
national treasury and presented to the
their campaign fund.
1t is not too harsh to say that the
entire mind of congress and the adj
minfstration at this moment is bent
upon turning the public moneys to
party use for the coming election. The
| brightest brains in Washington have
been racked for orders that could be
issued and legislative schemes that
could be pushed through, making a
pretext of virtue, pretending to cover
some natural and legitimate act, but
really designed to place immense sums
of the public funds where Republican
campaign managers could use them in
their discretion Such Is the order OF
the president that refers to a general
pensioning of old veterans. Though
we may approve this on principle, nc
one can fail to see that, coming at this
time, it is merely bid for funds al
the public cost. Such is the agitation
of the rural delivery service, and such
the immense appropriations to which
we have referred.
There have been administrations and
congresses far more openly scandalous
than this, but we say boldly that there
has never been one which more openly
attempted to run a Republican cam
pafgn and pay the expenses Of the
Republican candidates and organiza-
ton cut of the public treasury.