The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-24
HALE HAS GRAVE SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT THE UNITED STATES WITH
DRAWING FROM CUBA.

ana corruption IN the Island, says
HaIe-PIntt Defends Administra-
tion-InstructiOns to Bristow.
Washington, May 23.-This was a day
of rasping political controversy and ora
tory in the Senate. With the controversy
those on the Democratic side of the cham
ber, anomalous as it may seem, had little
to do.
What by far-seeing senators is regarded
as likely to be the paramount issue of
the approaching national campaign was
the subject of two notable speeches, one
by Mr.. Platt of Connecticut, and the 9TH
er by Mr.. Spooner of Wisconsin.
The former was an answer to a speech
delivered few days ago by Mr.. Bacon
of Georgia on his resolution demanding
an investigation of financial affairs in
Cuba Mr.. Plat favored the adoption of
the resolution, but deprecated what he
declared was a cheap effort to make polit-
ical capital out of a shameful condition
of affairs, which the Republican party
needed no prodding to induce it to probe
to the bottom.
The speech Of Mr.. Spooner was con-
ttnuation of his address of yesterday on
the Philippines question. In its course
he became involved in heated and sensa-
tional colloquy with Mr.. Hale of Maine,
over the governments conduct of affairs
in our ''insular possessions" 1t was a
remarkable controversy between two of
the best equipped debater in the Senate.
Mr.. spooner will continue his speech to-
morrow.
ba rpcnI1Iff0r calling the
Secretaries of War and Navy for infor-
nation relative to the cost of transporta-
tion of troops and supplies to the Philip
pines, was agreed to.
The Bacon Resolution.
The Bacon resolution directing the Com
mittee on Relations with Cuba to inves-'
tigate the receipts and expenditures in
Cuba, was called up. Mr.. Plat, chair
man of that committee, spoke at length.
Gen. Wood, he said, had been led to sup
pose about a month ago. that there had
been irregularities in the service under
Mr. Rathbone. He Immediately pressed
an unsparing inspection He gave Gen.
Wood credit for the discovery of these
wrong doings, and the adnlinistra ton
credit for probing them to the bottom.
The disclosures, he added, are direct
blow to every citizen of the United States
and the ongdoing-Neely's embeZzle-
ment-the more sad and shameful since it
occurred where a great Work OF ffeeQOn
and philanthropy is going on.
Neither the Republican administration
nor the Committee on Cuban Relations, he
insisted. needed any prodding from the OPP
position to induce a most searching inves-
tigation and summary punishment of all
the wrongdoers. But he reminded the
Democrats that this had been the first in
stance of its kind during the adminiEtra-
ton and argued that President Mckinley
has demonstrated his determination that
no guilty man In these Cuban frauds shall
escape.
"The amount of the Irregularities in
Cuba appears to have been about $4,000
during the last year. The frauds may have
begun earlier. But it IS not supposed there
will be a loss to the Cuban revenues or TO
the United States treasury. This trouble
has been seized upon by our political p
ponents TO indicate by inuendo and not by
direct charge that the fraud has been
Wholesale and that the Cuban peop'e have
been 'plundered' out of millions of dollars
by dishonest contracts and various fraudu-
lent devices. Who knows there have been
dishonest contracts down there? Nobody,
but if there have been we shall find 1t
out"
He protested against Congress interfer-
ing with the investigation instituted by
the Postmaster General, as likely to de-
feat the ends of justice.
Instructions to Bristow.
He then read letter from Postmaster
General Smith to Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow, who is charged
with conducting the investigation. The
letter follows:
May Is. 1900. Hon. Joseph l.. Bristow,
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General.
SIR; Supplementing my letter of May 12,
directing you to proceed al once to Cuba,
tne following further instructions are
given for your guidance:
NTH ~ ,.f,,
al havana, coufer freely and fully VII h
zen Wood, military governor, and will
keep In constant communication wi h him
in the work on which you enter You Will
cooperate with the military governor both
an the investigation of allfirregularities in
the postal service of Cuba and N my
measures for the reorganization Of the sys-
TEN that may be undertaken.
me examination by the inspectors. all
ready provided for, will have begun before
your arrival. You win assume general
supervision of this examination and will
enforce the instruction heretofore given
mat 1t shall be of the most searching and
thorough character. IL you find that you
need still larger force for the prompt
ana complete performance of this duty,
you VIII call for it. The investigation must
De comprehensive and minute, covering ev-
cry branch of the service, and all classes
oL oihclals. Its prosecution must he ov-
eIhed solely by the purpose of ascerta n
ing The truth and the whole truth, and h
must be uncompromising and unsparing.
To Look Into the System.
Besides supervising the investigation in
cooperation with the military governor, 1t
VIVA be your duty 10 examine the organiza-
uon Of the postal service, with It's system
VI checks and balances and report what
ereater or additional safeguards can be
provided. Under the system established at
we beginning of the American occupa ton
" cuba the administrative side of the
service was placed under the control OF
.us department and the auditing or
S0necking side under the control of another.
ms Is the system Of the United States
SoEernment. The Irregularities and pecu-
.atlohs which have been brought to light
"sre apparently accomplished because
Sileers appointed by and responsible to
S'uerent departments, and who should
nave been a check upon the other entered
an'o collusion and conspiracy to perpetu-
ate these wrongs on the one side and to
pas and cover them up on the other. You
E.lN