The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-10-05
ny gibson GARDNER.


Staff Correspondence 60 The sta.
WASHINGTON. H. c. Oct g.
Congress and the higher officials 81
the government are morally reepon
slble for a large share 81 the petty
graft which ahuuuda Ia the public
service When United States sen
ators. cabinet Officers and members
OF the house OF representatives. and
even the vice president Of the United
States. make improper connection
With the public treasury. there 4
not much hope for a high moral
tone among the subordiaatea.
Few people have any idea of the
extent 20 which government Off
cials. aud congressman are aeeuH-
toned 20 use employs who are car.
fled on tho government rolls % de-
crease thrir own private expenses.
By employing government "ehArwo-
men' az cocks. or messengers aa
buffers or Wallets. the personal ex-
psnaea OF these public men are con
siderahly reduced. Then. when a
wife or daughter can be carried on
the rolls as a secretary" or a son
AZ clerk the living problem IL
made quite simple
Il will be noted that no denial
vas ever made Of the charge of the
dlskruntled Addlcka. Of Delaware.
that bis former friend. Senator J q
Alice. vas. BY himself and bis rela-
lives drawing ddown~ about VIZ
900 a year Of government money.
Neither does Vice President Fair
banks deny that his son draws the
salary of a private secretary. But
that does not tell the whole story
Cor ! arm most reliably Informed that
Il has been the custom 81 the vice.
president, who Is supposed 10 be a
man % large wealth. 10 make uae q
a coiorsd man a. a house servant
who Il on the rolls Of the govern
ment bureau Of printing and cnErav.
ing. and % a white woman A. per
souaI secretary who ia q $500 clerk
in the office Of the quartermaatef
general.
u was the rather notorious Mr.
Geo. " Beavers. lately chief % sal
aries and allowances Ia the poat-
office department Who brought this
species Of graft 10 a high degree Of
perfection by making use Of one Of
the eolored messengers % the gov.
eminent 90 his personal valet on
OF the assistant secretaries Of the
treasury department under Mr.
shaw's administration. inauEurated
the custom Of using the coiorod mes
senEera in his home also for buffers
and walters,
The practice Of using government
employees As eoachmen was exploited
year or 80 ago. and at that time
TITS secretary and some other sub
officials lost the privilege Of using
the official carriages for making
afternoon calls aud doing market
ing.
The late Secretary Hay would not
use the official carriage for any pur#
pose not IA the atrietest sense off
eiai Secretary Shaw. on the other
hand. sees no reason Why be or Mrs.
Shaw should not use the official car
rage for Sunday or secular calling.
OF for marketing. II convenient.
But then Secretary Shaw sees t.
reason why his son should not draw
pay as a special agent. or Why the
boy should not travel 70 Hawaii at
public expense. as he did this sum
mer.
In the recently reported roster Of
United States senators who carry
sons or other relatives on the gov
eminent rolls. the name Of Senator
Albert J. Hopkins. Of Illinois. was
inadyertentl y omitted. He has an
ble-bodied son in ono Of the exeeu-
tive departments.
One OF the most noted cases of
nepotism among the members OF
the house Of Representatives. Is In
the family Of that veteran and hon
orable pillar ~ Republicaniam and
tariff. Chas. II. Groavcnor, Of Ohio.
The government IL Obliged to carry
his brother Dan. who does not seem
10 be a very useful citizen In any
capacity. For a long time he was
carried on the rolls as assistant dep
uty auditor for the treasury depart
mont But one day Brown. the dep
uty auditor. was killed-shot by an
enraged man with n pistol II was
up to Dan 10 take hold Of the office;
but he was not available. and was
dismissed. Then he was saddled or
the house OF representatives rolls AZ
clerk 10 the committee on fisheries
Jas. A. Hemenway. lately chair