Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1908-05-16

Ouiioiho INV oOC -
big red flag with the usual white letters
sewed on: Auction To-day" He
wonders II the government is resort
ing to desperate means of raising the
wind.
But your Uncle Sam is not in the
auction business from necessity. The
agriculture sales are explained in this
way Whenever an invoice of any ar
ticle Of food arrives from abroad a
certain number of packages are taken
by the government for examination to
see whether the article Complies with
our food laws.
For instance olive oil, Maraschino
cherries, wine, sardines, mushrooms,
French peas, preserves and jams-in
fact all imported food articles-come
under this regulation. But though
the government requires half dozen
packages to be turned over to it for in
spection-in order to avoid the chance
of single one being fixed up and
slipped off upon them-the analysis
rarely goes beyond the contents of
one specimen out Of six.
So that of each consignment of six
cans of olive oil, six bottles of cher
ries or of champagne or six cans of
sardines five remain untouched. If
graft we're really as prevalent as the
muck-rakers would have us believe
the entire six packages would prob
ably be opened and nip taken from
each one while all the rest of the con-
tents would be appropriated as a le-
climate perquisite of Office (by the
heads Of the Department..
Instead of that five out of six of the
articles received for analysis under
the law are sold at these auctions be-
hind the department building. The
receipts go into the exchequer of the
bureau.
Any one can attend these sales and
buy, or at least bid on, the goods Of
fered. But most of the patrons are the
clerks and employees of the depart
ment. The auctions are held at noon,
DO as to accommodate these people.
They take advantage of their lunch
hour to lay in some household sup
plies. They admit that sometimes
things bring the usual soaring auction
prices.
Next to foodstuffs, Uncle Sans
auctions run chiefly to carpets. That
Is, they do in Washington. OF course
In New York the biggest auction sales
Of the government are of goods seized
a tho Thnon inunIun
thousands of dollars worth of goods
Of every conceivable class, and are too |
we'll known to need description.
1t is the regular secondhand sales |
which surprise the stranger in Wash
ngton. These do not occur very oft |
en-, and yet every year there are sew
eral. They include carpets, curtains,
furniture, utensils and fittings of all |
Kinds.
Every visitor to the White House
remembers the cheerful red carpet
with which the long east corridor is
aid. A new carpet goes down every |
,ther year, and the old one Is cut into
engths, which are rolled up and auc-
Toned of, as the children say, sight
lnseen."
This seems to be a rather shrewd
performance on the part of Uncle
sam. It is related by those who know
hat more than one woman has wept
,opiously when she got her White
House carpet home and unrolled 1t.
rhe unceasing tramp Of two years
,rist of tourists wears carpet till 1t
axes good guesser to decide what
ts color and pattern were or whether
ever had any at all.
The carpets of the senate and the
ouse of representatives are auctioned
n at the close of each congress and
re said to bring all they are worth
nd more too. Like the White House
arpets they are divided into quanti-
les more adapted to private needs
han the hundreds OF yards required
or the two chambers at the capitol.
There is another annual Sd con-
ucted by the government. The &C
packages which find repose
t the dead letter office go under the
ammer once year to clear the way ,
Or the incoming tide Of the next IL
ionths. At these sales everything is
arefully catalogued and all broken
defective articles are so declared. 1
wen then purchaser Is always forth ,
pming.