The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-11-05
THE CONSCIENCE FUND
CONTINUES TO GROW
RESTITUTION TO
GOVERNMENT NOW NEAR
LY 100000.

The conscience Fund" has come to
be quite an important part Of the pile
Of money in the United States treas
ury, says a Washington special. The
history of the technically called con-
science fund is not without interest
and entertainment The account was
opened, according to officials of the
treasury department, in September,
1911, the first contribution being a
sum less than 81, forwarded to the
treasurer by resident of New York
state A record was kept of the mat
ter but it was many years before an
other conscience stricken individual
exhibited a disposition to swell the
sum- In fact, it was not until 1861,
soon after the breaking out of the re-
bellion, that there was received $4,000
in bonds, accompanied by statement
that the sum had long been due the
government and was prompted by
conscience. This, it is said, gave the
fund it's name. 1t has since remained
open, and the amounts received are
covered into general treasury as a
miscellaneous receipt, and may be
used like other assets of the treasury
for any purpose that congress may
deem proper.
In 1871 the fund had less than 81. In
1890 it had swelled to $299947.55, and
has increased each year at the average
of $4,000.
Frequent Contributions.
Remittances are received almost
weekly sionally the receipts are
two or three cases a week-and, as a
rule the letters are not signed. FIRE.
quently they are signed by clergymen
at the request of penitents. AS nearly
all the communications are anonym-
Gus, acknowledgements are made
through the local press.
The smallest amount ever received
was a 2-cent stamp, the sender ex-
planning that he had used once upon
time Cancelled stamp to prepay
postage on a letter. No money has
ever reached the fund from the hun
dreds who use penalty envelopes for
private correspondence.
The largest amount ever received
was from Observation-Disclosures one
in the Presbytery of ST. Paul, trans
hitting through the American consul
general to the state department and
thence to the treasury. There was NJ
reason whatever assigned for this
pricking of conscience. 1t was sug-
gestod by one who has had consider
able to do with the fund:
Talking about conscience letters
and conscience contributions, why,
think it is to be regretted that the
workings of the spirit which animates
the writer's has not been more extern
sively experienced and obeyed by i'm
portant offenders for l venture the
statement that IL all big rascals had
allowed the example of the smaller
ones who have contributed to the con-
science fund, we would have exiting
uished the national debt long ago"
Make Brief Explanations.
A great many of the letters accom-
the remittances are preserved.
and the lifting Of the red tape of the
establishment gives some interesting
communications. The majority of
bona fde conscientious correspondents
either give no explanation or content
themselves with very brief statements
OF the reason for the return of the
money, without attempting the task
OF working on the feelings Of the
treasurer. The contributors are chief
y those who have defrauded the
government while acting as its agents
and officers, or have evaded the inter-
nal revenue taxes on custom duties
The men and women who have only
gouged the government slightly are
heard from after a revival of religion
n their immediate neighborhoods.
They feel that in order to get souarely
n the right and narrow road they
must make good their little stealings
rom the government, and while the
reasury doesn't stand in any pressing
iced of these contributions-ha got
long well without them-yet they are
acceptable, and fill the heart of the |
reasurer with joy to know that the |
world is getting better.
Many of the letters on file are from |
goose correspondents, who have not |
crippled to make light of so serious
natter as to address to the treasurer
retended letters, whose humor was
ar in excess of the money enclosed.
me of these letters reads:
Some Sample Letters.
Enclosed please find rs cents. coin
the realm, won from United
tates paymaster at draw poker, and
hich am convinced rightfully be-
'ngs to Uncle Sam. have carried II
IT nearly six months, and dare not
ust myself with It longer. NY con-
'ience calls for relief--my harassed ,
lture calls for good nights sleep
can have neither so long as I carry ,
lis terrible witness You can apply :
IN LIQUIDATION Of the national debt ;
ow can feel realization of the :
'overb, BE virtIous and vo,, Ill,