The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-11-17
Will Take No Part in Con
gTesSiOnal Sugar In
veStigatiOn.
PLANS TO CONTINUE
PRESENT CRUSADE
House Cleaning of Dishonest En-
ployes VIII Go on Unin-
teTTupted.

Secretary OF the Treasury MacNeagh
viii neither stand in the way of a Con-
gressionaI investigation of the sugar
frauds nor encourage one
This statement was made at the
Treasury Department today. Whether
there is a Congressional inquiry the
prosecutions OF the offenders at the
port OF New York viii go on and the
house-cleaning Of dishonest employees
Will proceed
It is declared AT the Treasury the pro-
posed Congressional investigation win
not be permitted to interfere with the
warfare on customs frauds which is
now being Waged by the Treasury De
partment and the Department Of Jus
tice. Talk is afioat that Congressional
Investigation is just what the sugar
trust wants in the hope that evidence
will be brought out which viii be useful
10 Sugar trust officials and help them TO
fOTtify their case.
IT is known that Treasury officials
take the view there is little OF nothing
TO be gained by a Congressional IN
vestigauOn. They think such al Inquiry
is likely 10 bring out evidence when
viii be hurtful TO the Government S
case. But at the same time, Secretary
MacNeagh viii not attempt TO block
an inquiry.
The opinion stin prevails that when
Congress meets il will be bent on an
frauds and customs scandals has made
many in tie Government service and
members of Congress umld- Ihey are
fearful TO appear IN the light OF Try ing
TO prevent an inquiry For this reason
IL viii be difficult TO prevent an lli-
vestigation. But If there is an lnVesu-
cation, the Treasury officials and those
Of the Department Of Justice hope that
their part of the work of ferreunS out
the frauds viii be so far along that the
inquiry viii Ia no way interfere with IT,
AS the situation stands now, the war
on the Sugar trust and the customs
frauds is in the hands of the district
attorney at New York and Collector
Loeb. Behind them stand Secretary
MacNeagh and Attorney General Wick
ersham. with President Taft and the
Cabinet backing up the effort 10 root
out dishonesty and corruption
Mr. MacVeagh IS more than ever
aroused 10 the grave nature of the sit
uatIOn. The revelations made by an
official statement Of the civil Service
Commission TO the effect that twenty
two assistant weighers, who are in the
civil service. are known 10 be implicated
in the frauds, or are under suspicion OF
G positive character, has caused aston
ishment here. IL was not generally real
lied that the conspiracy 10 defraud the
Government was Of such proportions.
The statement Of the Civil Service
Commission 5 important, IN that II
shows III is entirely possible for dishOn-
est employees 10 creep in under the civil
service ra'Gs. and for the further reason
that II seems 10 point TO the truth OF
the suspicion that the Sugar trust has
in some fashion been Instrumental in
getting dishonest Wcighers into service
Secretary MacNeaEh is emphasizing
10 all callers his intention TO reOrgauize
and rehabilitate the New York custom
house and To see 10 IT that herea fter
business methods prevail and oppOrtu-
mites for dishonesty are reduced 10 a
minimum The introduction Of auto
but il viii be merely one Of a number
Of reforms.
The Civil Service Commission in its
statement is careful 10 point out that
while Il submits to the Treasury Depart
merit list Of persons eligible for ap-
polntment. the power of appointment
still rests unimpaired IN the Treasury.
This IS equivalent TO saving if dishou-
est WeigheTs have Crept I'm il IS the
fault Of the appointing officers and not
Of the civil service