Norwich bulletin., 1913-07-19
Debate On Bryan's Lecture Tour Responsible For
 Charges And Counter Charges.
PRIVATE TELEGRAMS AT EXPENSE OF PUBLIC
Senator Brstow Charges Senator Ahurst With Spending Over $1OO Of Public Funds For Personal Messages Latter Denies 1t And Accuser Volunteers To Prove It. Bryan's Action Scored By Senator Townsend.

be permanent feature of our govern mental institutions.
 Postmaster Forbidden To Have Other
 Business.
 For my part, I feel impelled to voice a protest. I am no respector of persons I see no reason why the head of a Department should be permitted to make private gain by methods that are forbidden to his subordinates. I see nothing in his announced policy that is not equally available to any man or woman in the government em- ploy. and certainly no one will ques- tfon the assertion that the general ap- plication of that policy would mean the absolute ruin of public service.
 Tt has been ordered by another member of the Cabinet that postmast- CTS shall not engage in any other bus mess than that relating to their offices as postmasters. The same rule is ap piled to other subordinate federal of flee holders. Why this discrimination in favor of high salaried officer against the low salaried one?"
 Danger In Bryan's Bad Example.
 MT. Bryan says he is selling his time energies and talents to private individuals or organizations because his official salary is not enough for him VL-sbOO 8 year. In the Government service there are thousands of employees who receive less than one-tenth of that sum and who, in these days of high cost of living, find it difficult to live within their income. Not one of these thousands, however, is permitted to abandon his post of duty and sell his time and energies and talents to others for the reason that MT. Bryan has giv- en for his action If Mir. Bryan's ex- ample shall be followed by public en- ployes generally who can see the ex- tent of injury to the public service? Discrimination Against Poorly Paid
 Man.
 'If we are to adopt the policy of placing the dollar above the public duty, then the door of opportunity should not be opened to one citizen asd closed to another. If there Is to be discrimination, it should be in form of the poorly paid man, but I see no reason why distinction should be made.
 MT. Bryan was one of the highest priced lecturers in the country before he became Secretary of State. His superior ability as an orator plus the notoriety he secured as a several times candidate for President gave him great drawing powers at Cha tauquas and he had a right to inn prove the opportunities thus opened to him but no man has a right to ex- ploit the public office which he is hold ing for private financial gain, especial ly not when such exploitation must of necessity interfere with the perform ance of the duties which he voluntily assumes.
 President Is Responsible.
 '"The President is responsible for the public service of the members of his cabinet and. to my mind MT. BryanS s action, whether with the Presidents consent or assent, must be considered as an approved policy unless publicly renounced. Whatever 1 have had to say regarding the matter is not based upon inuendo nor presented in the form of generalities but it is criticism of a concrete example which, unrebuked, might be assumed to be inferentially approved, and which, if generally fol- lowed would certainly be greatly det- rimental to good government by pIac- ing individual selfish interest above the general welfare.