Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-15

WASHINGTON. Sept. 12.-Congross-
men and senators are not the only Of.
ficeholders in Washington who enjoy
the lot Of perqusites at the expense Of
the people. Federal ohiceholders gem
orally Of the higher grades are in a
position to get much for nothing. The
way is open to petty grating and
some Of the officials find It early in
their career Some of the "perquisites'
which are really small CRAFTS, more
or less questionable have the respect
that comes of great age. II would
be difficult task to root them out
IL an extraordinary congress should he
which is only too glad to have its
share of the soft things of life 1t is
out of the question to suppose that
IL will put a stop to the soft snaps
enjoyed by federal officials.
What is nicer, after a hard winter
than a trip to Europe with all ex-
penses paid? Many ofliceholders seem
to think nothing is so pleasant. The
bugologlst- -in-chief of the agricultural
department. for instance, hears of a
new, strange worm in Egypt, and In
the pleasant springtime he arranges to
take his wife and go on hunt for
the reptile. The hunt is tedious and
tortuous and leads up the Nile, across
to Sicily and reece and back through
the Riviera, France. The people pay
the bill. Sometimes the worm Is cap
tured and sometimes the trip bears
10 further fruit than an elaborate re-
port with photographs of scenes along
the Nile and a sprnkling of bugog-
ica terms.
Alaska a Fertile Field
The agricultural and geological mys-
teries of Alaska have a great charm to
the scientific corps in Washington-in
summer. No one ever heard of sci
enlist leaving Washington in winter.
But when the asphalt begins to squirm
and the Potomac turns to muddy va
por, and horses don their coquettish
bonnets, the scientist hies to the Muir
glacier and frolics with polar bears
until it is safe to return to Washing
ton OF course, Uncle Sam pays the
bill. 1t would not be right to subject
scientists to the scorching Washing
ton summer. only department clerks
are capable of withstanding the heats
of July" to use Senator Hale's phrase.
OF course the presidents secretary
has a spanking little rig at his beck
and call, and the presidents assistant
secretary, who carries messages to the
capitol, does not have to foot it up
Pennsylvania avenue. But the good
old carriage graft Is not what it used
to be.
High officials in the departments do
not say much about the flower and
fruit graft They are modest. retiring
fellows, and they don't care for cheap
notoriety. They would be envied, nat
urally, if they were known to enjoy
free of cost the choicest roses, chrys-
anthemums, orchids, etc, from the gov
ernment gardens; as well as rare plants,
bulbs and imported shrubs and trees.
They do not care to discuss the bas-
kets of grapes, with the bloom still
upon tkem, which may be delivered at
their doors from the government propa-
eating gardens. The peaches, pears,
guavas. apples, ounces and various
other fruits grown at the peoples ex-
pense are all very nice, but they would
rather do without them, presumably,
than to have the matter gossiped about.
They do not seek the envy of their
less fortunate fellow citizens who are
forced to pay for what they eat SO
there is not much said about these
things in Washington. Even when
cabinet officer boxes up several hun
dred dollars worth of government
his western home for transplanting the
matter attracts little attention. Pos
sibly the public is busy discussing the
case of the congressman who was so
unfortunate as to be detected sending
his laundry home under his frank.
Billiard Table in Mails
Last winter the easy going Washing
tonians laughed when it was discov-
cred that certain army officers at a
western post had sent a billiard table
through the mails without paying any
postage, under the government frank
The laugh was caused, not by the alb
surdity of the graft, but because the
officers had been so clumsy as to be
found out. There is nothing absurd,
of course, in sending a billiard table
through the mails, If it can be Snug
gled through without detection.
When the playful insinuation was
made last winter that cows were sent
through the mails under congressional
franks, the congressman thought it was
time to call halt, and actually made
an investigation" of the charge. The
cows could not be produced, and the
committee triumphantly reported that
the charge was baseess. So it is Of
fcially established that cows. at any
rate, are not smuggled through the
mails. No investigation has been
made regarding the mailing of other
things, and it is not unreasonable to