Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-06-13
How Grabs Are Per-
petrated at Wash
ingtOn
Crafts on Window Cleaning
and TOwelling Contracts
by the C8lOred Man


age or extravaganza in public admins
%tration is too small to merit our at
%tention.
Few ever of the closest observers Of
official operations would be able to
approximately guess what it costs the
United States government every year
in the matter Of supplies for public
tuildings-and by such supplies is
meant soap, towels, gas, coal, etc. The
many public buildings in Washington
and those scattered throughout the
country cost an immense sum Of money
each year for these items alone, to
say nothing Of new furniture.
The government board in charge Of
purchasing supplies consists of high
officials Of the treasury, ~postofice and
interior departments. These articles
are for the use Of officials and en-
ployes generally. They do not in,
clude postal supplies such as mail bags
locks, cancelling stamps, and letter
boxes, or special articles Of that ma
ture for other branches Of the service.
What the public buildings require may
be inferred from one example.
There are 667 windows in the treas
ury building, and they have to be
washed once a week. This requires a
force constantly at work cleaning win
dows alone. The floor space aggregates
what would amount to more than three
city blocks, and has to be cleaned
every day. A force Of charwomen is
employed for that purpose. II is said
that IL every soap receptacle were
emptied at the same time, II would re-
quire 1926 cakes Of soap to supply the
rooms. More than 1000 tons of coal
are used during the season, and the
gas bills as well as the bills for towels
and cleaning are enormous
All this for one department only
and does not take into account the fact
that the bill for new furniture for thii
department every year amounts to
more than $4,000. That there is much
waste and stealage in the use Of these
supplies is notorious.
A colored woman washing for a mum.
Der Of families was charged with hav.
ing failed to return a quantity OF
towels. Her employers were women
clerks as well as wives Of business
men. The question finally narrowed
down to the towels Of a woman, who
CHANGED to be a clerk in the govern.
ment service. The washwoman was
asked about the towels Of this custo'
mer, and she replied;
"Deed, an der can't be no mistake
bout her towels. Dey is all marked
I done knows her towels. Dey is all
marked Treasury Department
The authorities at the capital have
much trouble with tho supplies and
furniture Of all kinds for the public
buildings throughout the country. The
department heads say that federal
judges are the most reckless and arbi-
trary and e~xtravagant Of all officials
in the matter Of furniture and sup
plies. 1t is alleged that the judges,
being dignifed men, holding life posi-
tions and going upon the theory that
the judiciary is one Of the coordinate
branches Of tho government, quite as
important as the legislative and execu'
tive, frequently order what they want,
whether il has been authorized by law
or not.
One instance is recorded Of a federal
judge in a Southern state who ordered
several thousand dollars worth Of eK-
pensive furniture. The bill was turned
down by the department as unau-
thorized. The judge posted straight to
the department. He was informed,
after his protest had been heard, that
there was no way he could secure the
furniture except by settling the bill
himself or going TO Congress for re-
lief. Since the revelations in tho trial
Of the impeachment Of Judge swayne,
there has been a marked improvement
in the conduct Of these officials, but
some Of them still persist in crank
ing" suit cases, presumably containing
- hooLa and eonrt files. from one
city to another through the ~Postofiee,
when they travel around their circuits
In the era Of large surplus revenues
through which we passed from 1897
to 1908, there was an unWarranted ex-
p~ansion Of the idea that a due reeOg
nitiOa Of the power and glory Of the
nation required lavish display and lux