The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-07
Comfy IN PUBLIC SERVICE.

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maintained in Washington. Some years
ago there was what was claimed to be
a violation of that comfy in the pub
lication here Of criticism which was
taken to be by local officer of one
Of the departments in Washington
upon an officer OF another depart
ment. Tho supposedly criticising of
icer was taken to task, and he made
a handsome apology which was deemed
to be satisfactory,
Another ease. however, has arisen
here, in which it appears that no mere
apology would suffice, The Govern
ment OF the United States under pub
lie pledge of secrecy, this pledge being
embodied in the oath Of all who take
part in the work, has through these
Officers collected various census data.
These data have, in part, been pub
lished by n company whose president.
United States Attorney Booth, IS an
official of another department of the
Government. 1t would naturally be
supposed that every department of the
Government would cooperate in Gu
forcing the secrecy enjoined upon all
who take part in this census work, and
that where another United States of
fetal comes into possession, surrep-
titiousIy or otherwise. of information
which the Government has pledged
itself TO conceal, that person also would
observe the injunction to keep the
secret. There has, however, been an
absolute betrayal of that secrecy by
the company of which this Federal
official is president. This company,
by violating the Government pledge
Of secrecy, has made itself traitor
to the in.iunctions of the Government
and an offender against the comfy be-
tween the different departments of the
Federal Government.
1t is manifest that in order to obtain
the necessary information that goes
10 the making of census, and handling
that information properly, those who
give it must be assured that it is
given for proper purpose and will be
handled under the pledges and regu~
lations of the Government. If the
faith is betrayed, if the Government
is not able to preserve the secrecy
which it pledges, people will be chary
of giving the information asked. There
Is. for instance, a law newly passed
by Congress requiring corporations to
make reports for the purpose of being
taxed by the National Government.
These reports necessarily go into the
hands of the Government agent who
is entrusted with their collection and
handling. The Treasury Department
handles this particular class of re-
turns. Mr.. Callister is the Govern
ment agent here for the collection of
this material. Of course, he is pledged
to secrecy; and yet il he violates that
pledge, what recourse does any com.
pany possess provided he gives away
his returns to a company in which he
himself is interested, and as such is
extremely curious about the report of
a rival concern? Mr.. Callister is in
terested as stockholdcr, according to
report, in the Smoot paper in this city.
As Internal Revenue Collector he gets
the report from The Tribune and the
Telegram of the operations of these
companies for the year. But if he is
unfaithful to his oath Of secrecy, how
arc the managers of these companies
TO know that he does not betray TO
his own company the secrets which he
officially receives from The Tribune
and the Telegram?
There would be no need, perhaps, to
mention Mr.. Cnllister IS name in tins
connection if we'll defined rumor did
not point to his agency in the publica.
tion Of the census returns spoken of
to know, that recent clerk under Mr..
McMilliD in the census office here,
told the population of Salt Lake to
Mr.. Cnllistcr, This report also says
that Mr. Callister conveyed the in,
formation to Mr.. Booth, the United
States Attorney, and that Mr.. Booth
gave il to his paper to print, Here,
then, provided the rumor is correct, are
officials of two other departments Of
tho Government betraying the secrets
of third, which they as such officials
ought to have sacredly kept.
If. moreover, the returns that are
promised secrecy and that those who
receive them are oathbound to secrecy
concerning them, arc to be printed
broadcast by officers of the very Gov
ernmeut which has pledged itself to
secrecy concerning these matters, where
is the protection to those who are
enjoincd by law to make their returns
on the faith of the Government s
pledge that good faith will be kept7
1t is very serious situation that
these officials must have to face The
rumor referred to makes them betray-
ers of the confidence Of the Govern.
ment and Of the people whose candor
and good faith have been evoked in
getting the returns referred to. If the
Government pledge is to be violated
by its own officers, if the people IS