Evening star., 1912-10-06

without authority from or contract WIN
the proper sources The men on the
towboat took Il chance. The government
doesn't deal in chances. The law won t
let me honor the bill.
And that's the way it goes.
The controller lit a cigar. leaned back
and puffed refiectively.
Want to see how we decide thinSs!
Wait moment
He pushed a button on his desk, and
mulatto messenger appeared with
promptness almost startling.
Bring in a few book of decisions,
Controller Tracewell ordered, ana mo
ment later the messenger returned stag
gering under the weight of half dozen
gray-bound' volumes, each nearly loot
thick and each stamped with the name
of month. Inside the covers the pages
We're of the thinnast of tissue paper,
blazoned with close-lined print, evidently
transferred via the letter press
There may be a few things for which
Uncle Sam has not been asked 10 pay
but Judging from the controllers decl-
sions it is doubtful. Judging from those
same decision a great majority OF the
requests are refused, even though, as the
controller said, 1t doesn't seem falr
One of the most unusual, and lncldental-
ly one of the most pitiful cases recently
before the controller was that of an Old
German bookseller.
The old man. liv.nb in Leipzig, sold
on fish The bill was $3.50. He was
proud of the fact that he had sold to
the great United States government: He
packed the books with almost loving
care and then still fearful that something
might harm them during their passage
across seas had them insured. The IN
surance cost him $40. which he paid
gladly.
my great patron will be pleased with
my concern over its purchase. he
thought. And SO he added the amount
of the insurance to his bill
The first hitch came when the fish COM
mission. for whom the books were intend
ness, but fatty refused to pay the lnsur-
ance Followed long exchange OF cor
respondence, in which the old German
begged and pleaded for set'iemeht III
"I sold cheaply that I might have the
United States as my patron. he wrote in
grabbed German script. MY pronts on
the sale were but 81, and should you re-
fuse to pay for the insurance. which y
took for your sake alone, / Will lose not
only my small profit, but more besides:
Finally the entire case was submitted to
Controller Tracewell, and was decided
according to law.
1.-The claimant" ruled the controller,
purchased insurance entirely of his own
volition, without the slightest authority
from this government
Following this statement came some
legal verbiage, which. translated into
everyday English. held that Uncle Sam
was quite able to look out for his own
property, and that the taking out Of in
surance on the books was kind. but fool
ish. In short, the old German had to pay
the disputed amount out Of his own
pocket. 1t probably will be a long time
before that age1 bookseller pins faith in
the gratitude of governments. and his
case will no doubt strike a sympathetic
chord in the heart of certain American
scientist who had an experience with the
controller somewhat similar but far more
expensive.
This scientist was employed by the
Smithsonian Institution to gather geo.
logical specimens in the mountain
ranges of the far west. The scientist S
trail led him far from the railroads, and
eventually he came to . narrow path