The Slimy Pool Not To Be Stirred To Its Depths

As developments continue in the postoffice department scandal, the surprising thing is that these steals, and jobs and 40 per cent rake-offs could have been continued so long. The blackest sheep that has been exposed yet is, of course, the man Machen, but he has threatened to involve men. higher up in the scandal, and is there any one who doubts that more or les sof his superiors are involved? The New York World puts the matter clearly as follows:

"Behind Beavers and Machen it seems to be clearly established that there were men 'higher up,' leaders in the senate and house, who were using them as tools to exploit the postal service for their own political ends. The fact that the total annual expenditure for rural free delivery service was less that $50,000 in 1897, is now $12,000,000, and will be, it is estimated, $24,000,000 a year when it is fully expanded, indicates what a magnificent field for loot and blackmail it offers to corrupt officials working in collusion with self-seeking senators and congressmen. The public have a right to know the whole truth The statesmen now dimly discerned in the background, working the rural free delivery system as a patronage mill and incidentally as a political bureau, must be brought to the front. Mr. Roosevelt's plain duty to the country is to force Mr. Payne, no matter how powerful the influences may be that seek to smother this manifestly far-reaching scandal, to live up to, the historic mandate, 'Let no guilty man escape."

It would be a great satisfaction to the people were there convincing proof of a disposition by those in authority to "let no guilty man escapt," but there is no such determination and there will not be no matter how much bluster is made. There are undoubtedly men concerned in this postoffice department scandal too powerful to be brought to book. Before the matter is ended a convenient scapegoat will be found and the principal load of thieving will be saddled upon him and his going will be pointed to as an illustration of the disposition high up in authority to purge the public service of rascals. But  everybody will clearly understand that there are others higher up who will not be disposed of according to justice. 

It has not been forgotten what powerful friends were discovered who aided and befriended the scoundrels in the Cuban postal thievery, Neely and Rathbone, and how revelations as to crookedness in the Philippine service were pigeonholed and denounced as "attacks on the army" and how the public prosecutor in Porto Rico was instructed not to proceed against even navy and other officers for smuggling. Political friends in powerful places are not to be alienated by pursing too earnestly the scoundrels in the public service in which they may be interested.

A mammoth watch built for the occasion, on such a large scale that people may walk around in it, among the moving wheels, will be on exhibition at the World's Fair. Visitors will thus be able to study the mechanism of a watch without the aid of a glass.