East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-01-12
WHO MILK
UNCLE SANS GOLFERS
CLERKS EXPENSE ACCOUNTS
LARGER THAN THEIR CHIEFS
Government Reimburscs Employees
for Travelling Expenses and Ac-
counts Submitted Show Lesser Of
ficiaIs Do Not Skimp in Expcndl-
lures.

Washington-Gove expense
accounts are funny things.
Why should 1t cost a clerk in the
interior department five times as
much to go to O. certain point in the
state of Washington as it does for
the secretary, his superior officer, to
make a trip to Honolulu and certain
| western points?"
Why should it cost the commission
er of the general land office only one
half what it cost the clerk that ac-
companied him on the same trip?
Why should It cost a man in the in
terror department seven or eght
times as much to take trip down
to Alabama, Mississippi and Florida
as II does for an employe of the post
office department to go to Spokane,
| Portland and San Francisco?
Why is it that very large propor-
ton of the big travel items that are
turned in by government employees
seem TO be for trips to the south In
winter and to the north in the sum
mer time?
Expensive Trip.
According to the accounts OF the
postmaster general, secretary Of the
interior and the interstate commerce
commission, submitted to congress for
it's approval. one of the clerks in the
general land office is the most eX-
pensive traveller in the three depart
ments mentioned. He turned IN
bill for s5,747.S5 on account of a trip
to the state of Washington to "eS-
anime surveys in the diminished Col
vile Indian reservation. Washington.
II the reservation had not been di-
mlnished by the Indians carelessly
giving away or selling their land, TINS
clerks expense account would pos
sibly have been some larger. In
July, 1908, Secretary Garfield took
trip TO the Sandwich Islands and va
rlous points in western states and
spent only s10S7, or much less thar
one-fifth of what it cost the land Of
: flee clerk to look over that dwlndline
Indian domain.
BY Way OF Contrast.
The smallest account submitted
among the papers is that of b. l.. An
drus. superintendent of the mail locF
repair shop Of the postoffice depart
; ment, who made a trip over to Bridge
port. to inspect rlveting machine
that the department thought of buy
ing. Andrus. spendthrift that he is
actually blew in s1.S5 Of the gov
ernment's good money for this junk
l ct II should be mentioned, however
that postal employees travel free on th'
trains, so it is fair to presume tina
the slS5 went for hotel bills. VIM
and automobiles.
Fred bennett, commissioner Of tn
"A land office. made a journey to sal
n Lake, Portland. Spokane. Seattle ant
other western cities during the yea
and spent s205.70 on the trip. Fre'
:, Newburgh. his clerk, turned in a state
II ment for s4S9S5 for expenses Will
: accompanying the commissioner o.
II the same trip. Possibly Mr.. Dennet
a. was entertained by friends in the va
i rious places visited. while his c.er
u had to put up at hotels.
There IS suspicion in the minds
ss the congressman that when Secretar
"a Ballinger of the interior departmer
u travels he pays some of the expense
'e himself. If he doesn't go down int
10 his own pocket he must get reduce
| rates at the hotels. Last summer IN
secretary took trip ito variou
E. points in Montana, Nebraska an
wyoming" and the bill he turned !
5: was only slS7.72, Perhaps he avoid
ID ed the exactions of the hotels by li'
y ing on the trains and eating luncht
~ carried from Washington.
ri Tho Weir
y. New Hampshire: Denver Wisconsi
e. and Michigan seem to be popula
of summer points toward which to traN
lie el on government business in IN
,g heated months. and Florida. soutf
Is ern California. New orleans and TeH
I'd az in the winter time.
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m II ANK COLDS IErTTE(S