Year: 1875

A NEWSPAPER MAKES THE DISTRICT PAY FOR Hs


OWN REPoRTING-THE PAPER AS WELL AS THE


REPORTING TO BE PAID FOR BY THE GOVERN


MENT.


lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSR]


WASHINGTON Jan. 22.-The late report of the Com
missoners of the District of Columbia, showing
that any moderate system of taxation will fail to pro-
duce enough money to pay the ordinary current ex-
penses of the District Government, even II 1t Is
economically managed; and the further request
that Congress will lend the District $40O0OO with
which to get along until delinquent taxes can be
collected have recently directed public attention to
local affairs, and the arrest of the editor of The
TRIBUNE has increased this interest. 1t is we'll
known that up to the very day when the Shepherd
Ring was turned out, it went on spending money
aud creating liabilities without sanction of law, and
in defiance Of every principle of honesty and
economy.


For instance during the investigation made by
the Joint Special Committee, in the last session OF
Congress, The National Republican OF this city, Gen.
Grants household organ, printed daily verbatim
report of the proceedings of the Committee slmul-
taneousy with its official publication at the Govern
ment Printing Office This was, of course, an ex-
pensiye piece of enterprise. and The Repuohcdn
boasted of it day after day in dOubleeaded BREWER
type. But no sooner did the old Ring go out OF
power and the Board of Audit, consisting OF two
Controllers of the Treasury. begin to administer
upon it's estate before Mr.. Clepbane tho shorthand
reporter presented bill of about $1,000 against the
District Government for making the reports that
were printed in The Republican, and it was allowed.
BY an arrangement between Mr. Clephane and the
reporter for the Committee, only one copy was
made; this was put into type in the Government
Printing Office, and proofs sent to The Repuo-
in, affac
District Government had to pay $1,000 had already
been paid for by the United States. If Mr.. Shep-
herd had expected to pay this bill himself he would
have done as other people do under similar circum-
stances, and arranged with the Government Prlnter
or the Chairman of the Committee to have got
proofs of it at little no expense but as he and MS
associates were only trustees spending the money
which belonged to the people of the District. they
did not seem to have considered 1t their duty TO look
out for the interests of their principals.


But the bill for reporting this testimony not the
worst part of this swndle the people of the Dis
trict. Among the claims against the District Gov
ernment which some time ago turned up in the
Board of Audit was one from the proprietor of The
Republican for printing in the daily paper the testi-
mony taken before the Investigating Committee.
The bill contained charges not only for printing the
report but also for the paper which it printed
which was the same as that on which the regular
edition of the paper was printed, and amounted 10
about $4,000. Friends of Controller Tayler and
Brodhead did not suppose it possible that they
would pass such claim as this, but 1t IS now
known to be fact that three allowances have been
made upon it, and three Board of Audit certificates
amounting to more than $1,000 issued, and it is now
believed that the remainder will be paid very soon.


Very few persons here believe that Messrs. Tayler
and Brodhead would have passed this claim on
their own judgment, aud there is vague rumor
that an intimation went from the White House that
this claim should be passed.


When the Committee appointed at the last session
of Congress to investigate the affairs of the District
of Columbia reported bill aboishing the old Gov
ernment aud ordering the floating debt to be fund
ed in q 365 bond the Ring did everything in its
power to have the bill amended 80 that the princi
pal and interest of these bonds should be made pay
able in gold. This the Committee refused to do,
and the bonds have been put on the market with
the general understanding that as the law did not
say whether they should be gold or currency bonds
they would be payable in lawful money. Immed-
ately on the meeting of Congress last December
the members of the old Ring, who hold large guam
titles of these bonds renewed their efforts, and they
have 80 far succeeded that the Committee on Appro
priations in reporting to-day bill to provide for
the payment of the February interest on them,
added clause so interpreting the law of last June
as to make the basis of the bonds gold instead of
currency. By this action the value of the 100000 900
of bonds already out or to be issued will be very
materially increased and the spectators who hold
them will be proportionately enriched.