The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-02
Nearly Half aMilIion Dollars An.
anymousIy Paid Uncle Sam.
A CONSCIENCE FUND.
Rascals and Thieves Get Converted, and
""'eHIS a'1ul InleVeS ue1 eonVer1eu' aho
Like Yashens. Make Restitution
to the Government OF, the
Money They Stole Years
Before With In.
terest.
terest.


cuser," is an adage that is not believ-
ed by offioials Of the treasury depart.
ment, says the New York Tribune.
They are lof the opinion that the
guilty conscience does need little
prodding pnce In while to cause the
owner to repent and make amends.
AS proof of this contention they point
with pride to the so called Conscience
Fund.-" which within the last century
has gathered in nearly $500, 900 for
the government pocketbook. But for
the fact THAT this mythical fund"
has been referred to from time to
time in the newspapers. the officials
believe, scarcely one tenth Of the huge
sum mentioned would have been sent
to the treasury. The frequent print
ing of the mere words Conscience
Fund.- iis all accusation tc every per-
son who at some period Of his life has
defrauded Uncle Sam. The constant
appearance Of dispatches from Wash
ington giving accounts of unknown
persons In various parts of the coun-
try sending conscience contributions
to the secretary OF the treasury Is the
most eloquent of invitations to other
guilty ones to pay up and make your
peace with your conscience and your
country2
The person who sends the amount
Of his debt to the Conscience Fund"
learn that no effort will be made by
the authorities to discover his or her
ldentitysor to exact punishment for
the original crime. He fnels that by
thus making restitution he will not
only belforgiven for his former mis-
deeds, but will be able to look the
world In the face once more, sleep
better and get more enjoyment out Of
life. He Is right in cherishing these
beliefs. for the government officials
will make No attempt to resurrect his
past, am there Is no doubt whatever
,thathE iWn conscience will reward
!hfr angEthe; square thing.
/. -eask ), treasury official for the
office of the 'Conscience Fund.- he
will smile and say. go to the Public
Moneys Division" at the public mo
news division you will be told that
there is no such thing as the Con
science Fund.-" but that the money
received from the owners of trouble
some consciences is turned into the
general treasury under the head OF
miscellaneous receipts" For the
sake of accuracy, record Is kept of
every cent thus received, and as long
as the treasury department keeps a
set OF books. entries will be made OF
such contributions under the ''Con.
saience Fund" caption. President
Madison received in 1911 a sum OF
money from some repentant sinner
who wished to make restitution OF
stolen money. Then and there the
fund was started, and 1t has been in
mythical existence ever since. Nc
sum is too large or too small for entry
in the record. just as much pains
are taken with the three stamps that
some schoolboy sends to make peace
with his inner self as with the fat rol
Of bank notes some wealthy importer
sends to silence the "still small voice
within his portly breast.
AS soon as money for the ICON
science Fund" Is received at the treas
ury department., Secretary Shaw or
ders little item placed upon the
bulletin board In his outer ofllce. Th
newspaper correspondents who go th
rounds of the various offices in tn
treasury building invariably max
note of the case, and thus the news O
good example is sent broadcast t.
the world.
On February 26 last, Secretar
Shaw found In his mornings mail
letter containing Is cents. 1t rea,
as follows:
Enclosed you will find Is cent
which l send to pay for two slate pen
ellis which 1 believe 1 took from a.
Indian agency located at that time a
Cotton, Cal. This was done when
was small boy about sixteen year
old. or something near it, 1t proba
bly, was more than that. ] sent tn
money to the Indian agency at Sa
Jacinto, Cal, but 1t was sent back t
me. do this because I believe 1t
Gods will. l hope you will dispose {
the amount so that it will go to til
proper place."
A few days after the receipt of tn
le4ter, or to be accurate, on March /.
somew what larger contribution to til
Conscience Fund" came in the ma
to the secretary. The missive whic
accompanied the cash did not tell no
the money was taken originally fro
the government, but 1t was just
eloquent OF a desire to make amend
as the following copy will show:
- am sending you herewith II
closed $4,000 which is to go to I'll
use Of the United States government
, Years ago / defrauded the govern
ment, but have returned 1T ALL ar