New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-22
THE CUBAN INVESTIGATlON
COMMITTEE WANTS DETAILED STATE
MENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPEkDI-
lures AS BASIS OK
WHICH TO WORK.
TBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUxE.I

Washington. June 2l-Se1ator o. II pau
chairman Of the Committee Relations with
Cuba, said this evening:
I have been in consultation with the War De
partmert to-day with a view to obtaining at
The earliest possible moment detailed state
ment OF receipts and expenditures in the island
Of Cuba. from its occupation to April 30 I"'';
such detailed statement being necessary 70 any
thorough and intelligent investigation as re
quired by the Senate resolution directing the
same.
The War Department. in connection with the
Treasury and PostOfIice Departments, is buslly
engaged in preparing such statement. II III
wolves of course p complete audit OF all &C
counts for The island Of Cuba, and q new
classification Of tho same The amount Of labor
erltalled On the War Depart nent by the call Of
the committee for such audited accounts can
scarcely be appreciated by those not familiar
with the subject
Every effort is being made by the War De
partment tc furnish the information required
within the shortest POSSIBLE time A thorough
Investigation Of al The expenditures IN Cuha Is
now being made under the direction of General
ploEed by him. It viii be completed at an early
date and the results communicated to the war
Department. and by II to the committee. 1t Is
evident that until this is done the work Of in
Testigating 10y witnesses cannot be begun
TASK OF COMMITTEE.
The task which the committee is required TO
perform is q hard ard -erplexing one. fact
which is fully and keenly realized by Chairman
Plat and other Senator's who have bestowed
much thought upon it and have been trying TO
find out where they had better begin. At its
first meeting. several weeks ago, the committee
decided TO call the heads Of the respective
executive departments which have had any
tring to do with the administration Of Cuban
nffairs-espeCially with the receipts and dis
bursements Of Cuban revenues-for such re-
ports. correspondence and other documentary
information as was needful 10 lay q foundation
for an intelligent and thorough investigation.
Members Of the committee quickly realized
that until placed in possession Of such informa-
ton it would be Idle for them to attempt TO
proceed with their task They would be crop
ing in the dark, without clew TO guide them
and wasting their energies and time in running
down rumors and exploring sensations which
might be found baseless at last What they
chiefly desired to find out as a necessary pre-
. Iiminary TO further inquiries was how much
Il money had been expended in the several
Y branches Of the Cuban service. for what pur-
poses expended and TO whom paid.
Such starting point absolutely neces-
sary; whether all the expenditures were neces-
sary; whether the expenditures had been
travagant, as compared with the value Of the
materials furnished. the services rendered or
the results obtained whether there had been
wanton waste. or peculation. or plain stealing
either a large small scale, these were
matters that could he determined only by
future inquiries and sworn testimony.
FACTS TO BE ASCERTAINED.
For example the committee could not decide
whether the compensation OF $500 month to
John Doe Of 500 TO Richard Roe was absurd
ly beyond the value Of his services until It was
first known that he received such rate OF
compensation and what the nature and
value Of said services Neither could the com
mittee decide whether an expenditure Of 900
or Sl3no0o or any other sum- on a plant for the
manufacture Of an alleged disinfectant was ex-
trayagant until II had ascertained whether such
a sum had been expended and what benefit had
been derived from it.
These examples are referred to because they
are typical Of the many reports IN circulation in
Cuba well in Washington, the truth or
falsity of which can be determined only by
searching inquiry, based on ascertained facts
which must be q matter Of official record either
in Cuba or Washington. both
The committee. therefore, seems to have been
fully justified in first trying to obtain those pre-
iiminary facts in Washington where all Of them
ought TO be matters Of official record. It is
known, moreover, that many Of these facts are
Of record in the War Department and all Of
them would have been If the Intent Of Con-
Eress, as expressed in legislation, and Of the
President, as expressed In his first order in re-
spect TO the auditing Of the accounts Of receipts
and disbursements Of Cuban revenues had been
executed. II Is thought 10 be exceedingly
fortunate that that done. If il had been
the alleged abuses and Irregularities could NOT
nave continued 10 exist for any great length Of
time before they would have been discovered
and corrected, the country would have been
spared the Cuban scandals and the Senate
committee would not have been required to per
form a difficult and disagreeable duty In the
heat Of midsummer and Of a Presidential cam
paign.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR SCANDALS
Whoever suggested or devised the scheme NJ
system Of official accountability for receipts and
disbursements Of Cuban revenues which has
been in operation for nearly eighteen months is
chiefly responsible for the Cuban scandals That
IS plain statement Of fact which VIII bear
frequent repetition however disagreeable It
may be.
When the Secretary OF War sent to the Senate
on February - last partial reply to the Sen
ate resolution Of January II calling for an item
lied statement Of receipts and disbursements
including salaries and incidental expenses he
Informed that body that the Military Governor
had been directed 10 prepare the detailed state
lnent required. and as soon as received il would
be transmitted 10 the Senate. On May ID sup
Elementary report was sent 70 the Senate but il
did not give the details required. 1t is under
stood, however that copies Of some Of the salary
lists have since been received.
II is not very easy to see why the War De
Tartment has not before this furnished Chair
man Plat and his committee with some part Of
the Information called for more than fortnight
ago. The Secretary Of War called the Mill
1ary Governor Of Cuba for IT more than five
months ago, and some Of II furnished to
the War Department many weeks ago. II the
committee is 10 wait until all the accounts Of
receipts and expenditures down to the end Of
April shall have been audited. settled and re-
ported TO Washington before beginning 70 take
testimony, the delay viii be a long one. The
accounts cover a period Of sixteen months. and
some OF them are believed to be in so incomplete
and imperfect a state that II VIII take many
months TO put them in a presentable shape