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Show MR. GAGE'S SIMPLICITY. It is astonishing indeed to soo the attitude which Mr. Ls'mau J. Gage, former for-mer Secret aiy of tho Treasu', takes toward tho roports which first camo to him about tho Sugar Trust frauds. Ho refused to consider scriousl3' tho idea that such cminont capitalists and such lf'y' gentlemen as head tho Sugar Trust could possibly bo guilty of frauds against tho government, and he thought it was quito tho proper thing to ln3' what camo to him in tho wa3' of charges of fraud against them, before those trust magnates, in his simplicity assuming assum-ing that U103' wero entirely guiltless and would at onco fako measures to stop tho frauds committed in their behalf by their subordinates. In this Mr. Gage showed a trusting naturo that fitted in vco well with tho views of tho mngnatos of tho big trust. As Jong as tliC3r could havo tho charges of fraud in thoir interest roforred to them for correction, all was well with their operations; and it appears that this sort of trust in them gave them tho idea that; Ui03' could branch out in ovon more extensivo frauds and more bare-faced swindling of tho government. gov-ernment. According to developments in the Sugar Trust trials at New York, tho disbursing agent of tho trust wns tho one who bought tho government emplo3'ccs, and ho bought them vorj-choap, vorj-choap, too; $15.00 to $1S.OO apioco seems to have been about tho standard price. But surety it is a sickening thing to soo a confession like that of Mr. Gago's. The absolute idioc3' of turning turn-ing ovor to the manipulators of a trust-benefited trust-benefited combination the allegations that tli03' wore committing frauds against, tho government, nnd dropping Mir DiriMnr rinrlif flinrn ennrtic ci immll like collusion with the trust, so much like official protection for the rogues, that wero it not for the justb' high character of Mr. Gage ho would naturally natural-ly bo assumed to bo in collusion with the trust. However, in view of Mr. Gago's character and high repute, this is not a thing to be thought of for a moment. His explanation, simple and confiding as it is, showing a credulit3' of mind absolute' amazing, is undoubtedly undoubt-edly the irue explanation. He, ns an upright man, could not concoiva of inon in high positions, wcaltli3', far removed re-moved from an3r real temptation to theft, committing theft. But that credulous cred-ulous trust indulged in by Mr. Gage has doubtless cost the government a good man3' millions of dollars. And tho ver3' thing that ho deemed to be impossible for men of such high standing stand-ing to do, is exactly what thc3' did, or at least connived at the doing and consented con-sented to receive tho stolen goods. Mr. Gage, however, in making such an ingenuous explanation as this, shows himself to be altogether too angelic a character for tho rough and tumblo duties of actual life, especial- of official of-ficial life- where that officialdom has to deal with such rogues as seem to to in chargo of some of tho trust and industrial combinations. It would seem, however, as though Mr. Gage, as a diligent 6tudent of American events, could hardl3' have overlooked the fact that men in ver3" high places and of lofty stnnding and pretensions have been guilty of various lawless and dishonest dis-honest acts from timo to time. It would seem, too, as though this knowledgo should havo given him at least a littlo prudenco and a little caution, so that lie would not. havo placed himself so entire' in the hands of this Sugar Trust when the notice of its ovil doing do-ing camo to him official', and when it was his official duty to act for tho government nnd not for the trust. |