New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-14
PRICE THREE CENTS.
ISLAND OFFICIALS SILENT.
SURPRISING LACK OF INFORMATION
REGARDING DISBURSEMENTS.
lnT TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuxE.I

Senators and Repre-
sentatives that Congress has not been treated In
all respects with entire frankness by some OF the
officials of the War Department. which Is espe-
cially charged with the administration of civil
affairs in Cuba well in the PHILIPPINES
Archipelago and, until recently. in Porto Rico
1t is properly held by them that that Depart
ment has been solely responsible for the honest.
efficient and economical management OF every
branch of the Civil Service in the island whether
administered by officers of the Army or by civil
ian appointees. and regardless of the fact
whether the latter bore the high sounding titles
OF directOrs-general. auditors and treasurers or
less conspicuous titles. Some of them have had
occasion to believe, also. both that the insular
administrations were unduly topheavy and ex-
pensive and that the details were shrouded In
too much mystery. and 10 complain OF inability
10 obtain Information they desired from thu
proper quarter, either on account Of the inability
OF the officials TO give II or for some other rea-
SON So long ago January Il the Senate
adopted the following resolution:
That the Secretary Of War be and e hershv
directed TO send to the Senate an iteynzed state
ment OF public receipts from taxation customs
ara ptner sources. collected in Cuba and also OF
pubic expenditures. including salaries paid 10
al officers and incidental expenses i'm cuba our
or revenues collected since the r-Dt-ed S,a,as
government assumed control OF that island
LITTLE IMPORTATION GIVEN.
February L.. II was prepared under the supar
vision Of Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn who
has had entire charge Of insular affairs In the
war Department ever since that duty was first
assigned TO him by Secretary Alger nearly
eighteen months ago. In the letter transmit-
ting the report Secretary Root explained that
If an itemized statement in greater detail than
is shown in the inclosed copies of reports and
certificates is desired. recourse must he had 70
the accounts kept in Cuba" and he added:
A cory OF the resolution Of the Senate Of IAN
uary IL has been forwarded To the Military Gov
ernor of Cuba. with direction that such a de-
tailed statement be prepared. and that without
awaiting the completion Of such full detailed
statement statement showing the salaries paid
10 all officers and incidental expenses he pre
pared and Transmitted TO this Department
when it Will be forwarded 10 the Senate.
That was three months ago. and so far as as
certained. the detailed statement of salaries
etc. has not yet been received and sent to tbs
Senate
On January % the Senate passed a resolution
directing the Secretary of War to send TO the
Senate full and exact copies OF all procama-
tions and orders that have been issued or made
respecting the collection OF customs. internal
and other revenues in the islands OF Cuba
Porto Rico and the Philippine Archipelago since
the seizure thereof by the Government OF the
United States; the rate of such customs inter-
nal and other revenues; the total amount there
of, a list of the person or persons engaged In
such service. and how such customs internal
and other revenues. have been and being
disbursed. and whether the same or any portion
thereof have been covered into the Treasury OF
the United States"
NO ANSWER TO SENATE.S REQUEST
The Senate has not yet received any response
to this resolution which it adopted nearly four
months ago. The delay undoubtedly arises
from the fact that the War Department has
been obliged TO send TO the respective islands
for much of the required information. This
ought 10 have been necessary, in view OF
the official regulations prescribing the duties OF
auditors and treasurers of the respective ISL
ands which were promulgated a year ago or
more. Those regulations required the Auditor
to forward 10 the Secretary of War. not later
than ten days after the expiration OF each
month certain reports, among which 'an
itemized statement Of all disbursements and ex-
penditures audited during the preceding month";
In like manner and within the period the
Treasurer was required to forward 'an itemized
statement of all disbursements" Both OF them
were also required transmit certified copies
of the statements TO the Governor-General.
without whose signature OF approval
rant could issue.
A liberal construction of the 'itemized state
ment"-one that would have hardly passed with
the accounting officers of the Treasury in Wash
ington-was apparently given by the Assistant
Secretary of War and his subOrdinates. although
it was not adopted by Secretary Root in his let
ter of February Il transmitting the report called
for by the Senate resolution Of January Ii. In
that portion of Mr.. MeikIejohn's statement to
the House Sub Committee Appropriations.
which was quoted in The Tribune to-day he said
that the Department could furnish 'ftemzed
account Of receipts and expenditures by sub
divisions" meaning statement showing the
lump sum- tor example. expended for public
works charities sanitation. quarantine, etc, and
further on in his testimony he explains that In
order to furnish "an itemized account of each
expenditure under the various general heads IL
would be necessary 10 have that statement fur
nisned by the auditors or the treasurers OF the
island.
OFFICERS MANY AND PAY LARGE.
The monthly .itemized statement OF receipts
and disbursements sent by the auditor and ths
treasurer of the respective islands 20 the Secre-
tary of War. a copy OF which also sent 10
the Military Governor os the former de-
scrption. and of no value whatever for any
other purpose than To show how much money
had been received 10y each collector OF revenue.
including the Collector of Postal Revenue and
how much had been expended by each disbursing
officer. under the general heads OF account. There
is nothing to show, for example, how many per
sons are required To compose the official and
clerical Of the DirectOr-(ieneraI of Posts or
the lump sum Of S!6S:i4 22 paid on that account
for the six months ended June 80. 1899
The Department is organized and Differed on
a generous scale. if one may fairly Judge by tn.
total disbursement for salaries and the number OF
separate bureaus There IS bureau OF finance.
a bureau OF postal accounts a bureau OF trans
laton, a bureau of appointments a bureau OF
spOrtaJiOn bureau OF postal money orders
a bureau of special agents a bureau OF regis
10 and hrr Of lZNs