Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-15
MYTHICAL CONSCIENCE FUND.
Money Restored to the Government II
Not Regregated.

From time to time We make acknowledge
| ment through The Star OF remittances re-
ceived at the Treasury Department OF sums
| OF money from unknown persons which
go into what has now become known a.
| the conscience fund.- though as a matter
| OF fact there 10 no such fund" said
Treasury Department official ~ q reporter
of this paper.
You see a fund is entirely another
matter. but since these receipts OF money
in the aggregate have become known as
the governments conscience fund.- We will
let 1T go that way for the sake of con-
venence and designation
AN account designated the conscience
fund was opened by the register OF the
treasury to show the receipts OF money by
the government at various times from per-
sons whose identity was not revealed. These
miscellaneous receipt, and may be used
like any other assets of the treasury for
any purposes that Congress may deem
proper.
treasury opened this account or. to be
exact, In 1871. the consciences OF certain
persons became burdened with the weight
of defrauding the government out OF its
Just dues, and In that year the Treasury
Department. exceedingly small affair a
that time. received $3.50 from such anon
ymous individuals.
so the conscience fund is nearly a
century Old and 1t is still growing. Many
persons suppose, from their inquiries. that
this money Is segregated and that the gov
eminent can't use It, or doesn't know
what to do with it, but this is very far
from being correct. 1t goes into the treas
ury balance just the same as other Items OF
cash receipts. Since the initial contribution
the amount paid in yearly has varied from
a few dollars to several thousands.
The largest sum received In any one
year was $3J.S6S. The fiscal year closing
in 1905 was heavy year. as We received
M a In he Rano IL. -s,, In
1904 Ii was only s., 1856, quite a difference
and the yearly amounts vary greatly. The
total amount of money paid in on this
account up to the close of the present fiscal
year was S'94.050.22. And If it affords the
contributors to this big total any further
consolation to know what has become of
the individual remittances sent in by them.
just say that they are used is other gov
eminent money In the payment OF the pub
lie obligations.
Scarcely a week goes by without the
usual contribution. which varies from =
cent stamp to 5000. which amount is the
largest We have ever received In one sum-
and that came from England, from Lon
don, If my memory serves me rightly and
In the form of a draft or bill Of exchange
A minister called upon consul general
one day and asked I'm what form money
could be transmitted to this government in
the most secure manner. He was Informed
that a draft would reach the proper destl-
nation. The consul general thought no
more about 1t until he heard from this
country IN the press dispatches that
draft for this sum had been received from
some unknown person In England with an
anonymous request that the amount be
credited to the fund In question. II was
afterward learned that the minister had
received the amount in confidence from an
unknown party who thus desired to relieve
his conscience.
The second largest item the fund has
received came from NV York and IL
amounted to $4,000 in treasury notes cut In
haif In the same manner that the bills are
treated in the redemption division being
cut lengthwise into two separate pieces
we made the usual ackno wledgment OF the
receipt of the first installment of the cut
bills. and in few days later the second
half was received. We redeemed the bills
in the usual way and turned the money
into" the treasury. Another of the larger
sums amounted to $1,000
LAS rule. however the sums do not
run up into the thousands, as in these in
stances. Sometimes / think when We re-
ceive few cents in postage stamps or q
single 2-cent postage stamp. that these
pennies are sent in a joke by persons
whose Idea OF humor runs that way We
acknowledge, however. receipts of over 10
cents, and We receive a number Of contrt-
forward them for penitents as in the Eng
1ish instance. By acknowledging them
publicly. as we do, the mind OF the peni-
tent Is further relieved by the Knowledge
that the money has finally gotten into the
vaults OF this building. for IL they wrote to
ascertain. as some OF these heavily
weighted. conscience-stricken persons would
be tempted to do. they would give them
selves away with a return address"