New-York tribune., 1900-05-24

animation. and wifi enforce the instruction here
given that # shall be Of the seg most s shnsF
@ ar fr the So % ca @ R 9
branch OF the service and all Of o y
the purpose of ascertaining the truth, ana d ,nd
Besides supervising the investigation in co-opers
ton with the Military Governor, 1t will be your
duty TO examine the organization OF the postai
and report what greater or additional safeguards
can be provided Under the system eSrapcsheS in f
Cuba the administrative side Of the service was was
the auditing or checking side under the control
CT another This is the system ,, OF tne ontTp ac,
lations which have been brought TO light were
By and resSonsibie to different departments. and
who should have been a check upon each otnet.
these wrongs on the one side and to pass and
investieate bT what Defects of supervision or de-
fence they were consummated. and what further
Of accounts and in the handling of public funds
f % + ssta .d be ,bs sde sSe central
of the postal service in Cuba shall receive your
II is framed in the best manner for efficient ad-
Wth good mali Gp service M for the people any re-
trenchments can be made and whether economies
fsn baresas se effected by c0nSOh'S'0" ana
j is desired to bring the postal expep%ditu1es
sistent with the obligation of providing a salts
The repreeentative Of the Department with these
instructions makes you the ranking officer nG Of the s6e
wise what removals or Other action may be re- e.
the Government ana the people OF ouoa' anu ioi
You are chosen for this duty with the approval
Of the President who is deeply shocked al ,a1e me
in whom confidence had been reposed and who
directs that in dealing with all irregulartesI I whics en-
acticn shall be thorough and complete investiga-
@ Gn fhe per1Sns 1 n their w and eondgn
ishment Yon win communicate these Instructions
keeD m fUI iOf a.
you proceed. and reporting regularly to the De-
pAf'r'e'''- '''S'e''i cHARIEs III EMORY SMITH
Postmaster General.
Continuing. Mr. Platt said:
The people have confidence in William Nc
Kinley. No President while he was President
ever had the confidence of the people to the
degree that President Mckinley has it. Other
Presidents have been canoniZed after death.
and il evidenced then that they had
the confidence Of the people. but no President in
Office escaped the criticism and innuendo
that Mckinley has escaped The people would
be glad to leave this investigation TO him. They
know this would he condonng of fraud no
covering up of crime But when charges are
made simply for campaign purposes think we
may well make an investigation for ourselves.
Mr. Platt paid high tribute to General Wood.
General Brooke and others, and said that not
Army officer has been even charged with
anything like fraud in Cuba.
THE RAILROAD AT HAVANA
the railroad constructed along the south side of
the harbor Of Havana?" inquired Mr.. Tilman.
If the Senator retorted Mr.. Platt warmly,
has any information to that railroad, L wish
he would produce it,"
Il did not say I had any information" said
Mr. Tillman. but if there is investigation
I'll produce some witnesses"
Referring to the construction of this railroad,
Mr. Platt said the names of ex-Secretary Alger
o,l,
had been used in connection with the project.
but they had made vigorous denials of any con-
nection with it, although to his mind such de-
malls were unnecessary. The charges simply
show the reckIessness of those people who are
throwing stones at the present Administration"
he said
Mr. Platt said there would be no disposition to
protect Director Rathbone if he should be shown
to be involved in the financial difficulties in
Cuba. If he were found TO be guilty he would
be punished unsparirgiy. Mr.. Platt reviewed in
a complimentary manner Mr.. Rathbone's Off
cial career. and showed that his appointment as
Cuban Director of Posts was well merited.
CHARGES AGAINST RATHBONE.
In response suggestion from Mr. Chandler
that charge of peculation financial irregu-
larity had been made against Major Rathbone
Mr.. Bacon said the Postmaster-General had been
quoted in interview as saying that Rathbone
had used Cuban funds for the purchase of per-
sonal apparel and had used money in rotous
living. and that Cuban officials accustomed to
Spanish extravaganza had been abashed.
Mr.. Platt said that Nicely had the confidence
of the people of Indiana, and before the recent
disclosures his integrity had never been ques-
tioned. The Administration, he thought had
exercised proper caution in appointing these
men to office. Nicely went wrong" said Mr..
Platt, and brought disgrace and shame and
humiliation upon this country rather than upon
the Administration which had assumed respon-
sbe duties in Cuba"
CHARGES OF EXTRAVAGANCE DENIED
Further along Mr.. Platt contended that the
allowances made TO United States officers In
Cuba were reasonable and proper, and they were
SO regarded by the Cuban people, who had made
no complaint of them. Regarding the charges
of extravaganza of our administration in Cuba
Mr.. Platt declared that among other expendi-
lures made by the military government which
mao Deen charged with eXtortion and eXtraya-
gance were those in stamping out disease and
dealh The government is a better government
than the people of the island ever had before
aho the Cubans know it. Mr.. Bacon had de-
randed to know why the Government was in
Cuba and why ii did come away I'VE are
there because we have been sent there by the
American people: because Congress has sent our
Army there 10 destroy the power of Spain" said
Mr. Platt. We have a duty vet to discharge
in Cuba, and the American people will see
TO ii that il is discharged. Our military con-
troll of the island will cease when the people set
control OF the island"
When will that time Gomez" inquired Mr.
Bacon "
NOTHING TO BE COVERED UP.
That time will be delayed long" retorted Mr..
Platt, If party for partisan purposes makes
the work more difficult. The blush of shame
ought to mantle the cheek Of every man who is
trying TO hinder embarrass the operations of
General Wood in Cuba. who is seeking to bring
about that time as rapidly it may be brought
about The charges of scandal and mud singing
have made ii necessary that the investipation
should take place. So far as / concerned |
promise that nothing shall be covered nm. tha
everything shall be brought to the light of day.
.taor 81, -<,t,f.~