The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-03-24
UNCLE SANS men
EASY FOR SHARKS
Money Lenders Near Capitol
Charge Excessive Interest.
CLERKS ARE EXTRAVAGANT.


sress Evaded by Money Lenders
Moving Across Potomac to Virginia.
Westinghouse all the shady in
terests which are carried on by govern
ment employees in every department
the 'loan shark evil is said to be the
worst. For years department heads
and bureau chiefs have failed to stamp
out the class of men who carry on
the business among their associates of
lending small sums at excessively large
rates of interest.
In the office of the United States at
torney for the District of Columbia are
filed at the present time no less than
fifty distinct charges of loan shark
ing the offenders including profess
sional money lenders. In a preliminary
statement recently given out Assistant
District Attorney Given said that no
less than 1000 complaints of violation
Of the oar shark law have been re-
ceived from persons who requested
that their names be not made public.
A little over a year ago congress en-
acted a drastic law against loan shark
ing" The interest rates which had
formerly ranged from so per cent to
800 per cent a year. were cut to | per
cent a month. For a time 1t was be-
lieved that the business In Washington
was dead. Then the money lenders
| put their heads together and several Of
the professionals who maintained of
fees in the downtown section of the
city tried the first evasion OF the law.
1t is about twelve city blocks from
the western edge of the downtown dis
trict to the Virginia side of the Poto-
| mac river. Within fifteen feet Of the
high water mark on the Virginia side
of the river two or three of the lend
| ers built offices and hung u three
balls. An interurban electric line gave
| easy access to and from the city. Signs
| giving notice OF the change of location
| were displayed before their downtown
| Washington offices and several other
| shops bore signs Of a change of resi-
dence to Alexandria, Va, five miles
| down the Potomac.
Thus by cooperation among the
money lenders the entire professional
loan shark" business OF Washington
was moved to Virginia, with the ex-
ception OF the amateur money lend,
ers In the government departments.
L This thn .nIfna fotsnd Is tho thing that
the district attorneys office is deter
mined to stamp out.
1t is said that q negro messenger in
the treasury department accumulated
over $4,000 during his ~thirty-fve
years of service through loaning small
sums at excessive rates Of interest.
One of the money lenders established
between his Washington Office and his
office on the Virginia shore a half hour
automobile livery service for clients in
downtown Washington, across Poto
mac park and the Highway bridge into
Virginia. 1t proved too expensive, how
ever.
Washington, filed with residents
whose homes are elsewhere, has prob
ably the most apathetic civic con
science in the world. Its population is
nearly as cosmopolitan as that Of At
lantic City, and there is a spirit OF
rivalry as to dress and front In the
very municipal atmosphere. A mar
with a government position has a pres
tige in his home community that few
other positions of employment confer
The incumbent thinks he must live vi
to it by aping the dress and manner
OF the idle rich. The messenger with
salary OF 5000 or 500 a year aims Il
dress like his superior, the clerk. He
does not want the public to think he i:
a mere messenger. The clerk would b.
a division chief, and he aspires to dress
the part. He goes the messenger on
better by allowing himself to be drawn
into the ultra atmosphere Of petty so
cial affairs In Washington, which rare
ly get him anywhere. The division
chief likes to be mistaken for IN as
sistant secretary. And thus the merry
game goes on.