The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-08-05
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Notes and Comment From Uncle Sans
Headquarters.

Washington, d. c., Aug. 2,-,The
Commissioner of Pensions could, If he
would, correct some real abuses in the
pension bureau. 1t is known to sew
eral people, and to one man in partic-
ular, that a wrong exists in that bu-
reau that is audacious in its operation.
This wrong, it is said. connives at
promotions and manipulates affairs in
such a way that certain men are sent
into the field where they draw a good
salary, and also a per diem allowance.
A certain negro boy, who is best de-
scribed as an a~dulterated American, is
one of this kind. The white mans
burden is SO heavy that he has sought
out the colored race in order TO shift
his responsibility. This parsonage
stands SO low in the estimation
Of the pension bureau, as to have re-
ceived in the past such slight tokens
Of regard a a house and lot, q gold
watch and chain, a horse and buggy,
and other trifies. This person of
mixed ancestry is not at present asso-
ciated with the bureau, but exercises
a sort of directorate over those who
still remain in the Office. When Com
missioner Warner came into Office be
may or may not have heard OF
corruption existing in the pension bu-
reau, and that in very high places
there are persons who, it is alleged,
would have disgraced any position.
But like the Gar CT Russia, he took
part with the b%ureaucratS and as a
consequence those persons who are ad-
dicted to receiving loving cups, gold
watches, and such like tokens OF great
love, have never been disturbed in
the even tenor Of their way.
When congress conveneS again the
lid will be taken off the Panama Ca
nal corruption pot and America win,
most likely, be treated to one of the
juicest scandals that have been IN
earLhed since the establishment OF
government upon this hemisphere.
One of the most audacious propo-
sitions ever preached in the United
States is that of the Civil Service En-
ployeeS' Association to pension the
civil employees Of the Government.
Think Of the farmers, miners, car
pentefs and all others who toll in the
Sweltering suns of summer and the
billiards. Of wintertO earn money with
which to pay their taxes, bowling with
humble submission to this, the latest
scheme, to make it easy for the poor
downtrOdden, government clerk, who
has to work from nine O'Clock in the
morning to half past four in the af-
ternoon, with only thirty minutes for
lunch, and only thirty days of an
nual leave with pay, .andta like num-
Der of days sick leave. The last dol
lar of any man can be wagered that DO
Southern democrat in congress will
vote for this infamous proposition.
The writer served in the bureau of
statistics Of the United States depart
ment Of agriculture during the last
ADMINISTRATION of President Cleveland,
and as a MiSsiSsippian, having only
phe good of his conntrymen at heart,
desires to state that he never had any
faith in the crop reports issued month
ly by the bureau and advises Missis-
sippi farmers to refuse to furnish the
department with data with which to
make up its reports. If the reports
were correctly and honestly made up
they would be Of benefit to the farm
er, but under the Hyde Wilson sys-
tenn they serve none but the brokers
of New York and Chicago.
Judge Alton B. Parker, democratic |
candidate for President last year, in a
recent letter to the invitation COM
mittee of Tammany Hall declared |
himself as strongly opposed to cen
tralization of power in the Federal
government, and, therefore, dealt a
blow to the pet plan of President
Roosevelt to have congress give the
Interstate Commerce Commission
Power to regulate the railways of the |
country in accordance with their own
sweet will. Judge Parker is a level |
headed democrat, and the sooner the
party falls in line with all his doctrines
and ignores some it has stood for in |
recent years, the better for it in the
elections OF the future. Think Of
democrats in congress voting to place
such power in the hands of a commits
sion composed principally of broken
down republican politicians Of the
who would delight in ruling
against the South on every occasion to
regulate the entire commerce of tile
country. The idea is preposterous
and absurd!
Mississippi should be proud Of her
two senators and all her members of
congress. They secured at the last
more appropriations for river
and harbor Improvements in the
state, and had more claim bills for
Mississippi claimants passed, than has
been done since the civil war.