The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-08
NEPoTIsM AND PRoFLIGACY.


sTho defense OF Tulsa city officials against
the charge Of nrpotIsm, that they are doing no
worse than other officials before them. than
other officials elsewhere, Is we'll taken 80 far
as the facts are concerned Tho state law for
Bidding tho practice Of employing relatives IN
tho public service has been more abscrycd in
tho breach than performance. Candor compelA
that admission. But whether that constitutes
an adequate defonsc for the clear violation Of
law is debatabe, or is it2
The smple truth IL that ncpotIsm, paternal-
ism and proflIgacy are raging throughout the
length and breadth Of the public service, city.
state and nation. Those we elect to office for
the purpose OF safeguarding our interests. cf-
fectlng economy in the government service and
stopping tho leaks. have an unwrItten law
among themselves It seems, that tho public
funds are to be plundcrcd by them with moth
ing said about It.
Congress is a hotbod OF profigacy and nopo-
tism. Brave gestures OF re,renchment are made
in public but the close observer knows that
nething is done to abolish the personal pre-
negatives OF congressman thnt through such
leak the nation is losing millions of dollars an
nuauy.
AN eastern paper has just concluded a survey
that each congressman is allowed $4,000 per
year In personal patronage aside from his reg
uiar clerk hire, and that many members place
their wives. their sons, daughters or some IA
vorite relative or friend on the pay rol and that
such official makes no pretense OF rendering
service.
In this report made there appears the name
OF four members of the Oklahoma congressional
bo bay iu
manner They are;
Representative 4. A. Chandler, republican,
No fma Chandler sl,44O. Representative
Charles D. Carter: s. L. Carter Fl,440. Rep
resentatlve i. b, swank; wife, Ada swank
$i.44O. Representative James V. McClntock;
wife, May McClntock, si,44O,
1t is not to be presumed that all members
OF congress who have not gone far as to
place the name of their wife daughter or
son on the pay roll are entirely guiltless, be-
cause 1t appears that practically every mem
Der fully employees his perquisites and manages
90 distribute that personal patronage amount-
ing to $4,000 in other ways Nor Is this all
close scrutiny of the congressional record shows
that millions Of dollars are appropriated an
nually for purely personal matters affecting
the various members, from repairing motor
cars TO furnishing suites OF rooms.
1t is disclosed IN the inyestgauon being
nade that IA United states senator is carrying
friend on the senate pay ron at salary OF
&c. 400 per year, who has never spent minute
IN the government service but who is employed
az the national headquarters Of that senator's
political party and stands as the contribution
OF that senator to his party campaign fund.-
II is not pleasant TO call attention to such
practices But II must needs be done. The peo-
ple who vote for candidates must be informed
OF how those candidates, once elected to office
are deliberately robbng tho public treasury
and wrnging taxes from tho citizenship to
maintain ar imperial encourage
OF course petty city officials with slight con-
ceptlon OF the true principles Of government ana
even less adhesion 10 governmental morality
will guide their own acts by what the higher
ups do. That is the real peril The public has
come to accept as defense the simple cNpana-
ton that the other fellow is doing 1t. This Is
dangerous For law violation Is a law viola
ton. a government immortity is a government
immortality, regardless ot how many may be
guilty
II is strange indeed that Of the great num-
her Of new men elected TO congress each two
years that never one appears Of sufficient moral
stamina to rise in righteous wrath against this
system Of nepotlsm. paternallsm and proaigacy;
never one but gradually succumhs 10 the sys-
tenn and accepts his share Of the swag with
unctuous composure
Yet there must be change IL this nation Is
TO endure. Rome practiced such outrasos upon
the people, and It fell!
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