The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-29
PERQUISITES IN CUBA.
some Remarkable Charges said to Have
Been Made hy Nir. RnIhbonr.

befu lIuue Hf VII. hnthb0urs
washington Special 70 Ntr Yo,k Trlbsss
One interesting ard important branch
of the Cuban investigation viii b. that
relating 10 the psrqgisites enjoyed By the
Cficisls ana clerks employed there b.
virtue Of their officiu; and clerical status.
and also that relating 10 miscellaneous
expenditures. IL has been impossible 20
obtain any satisfactory or definite inform
alton on these points at the War Depart
nent. where such Cuban accounts and
| other data as have been received relating
10 these subjects have been jealousy con-
| cealed from the public eye and knowledss.
/ and not as In the case Of official accounts
| filed in the accounting departments OF the
/ Treasury. opened 10 public inspection FOR
| proper purposes and under suitable regu-
/ latious. Much reasonable and proper a
| We'll as eager curiosity exists 20 know the
| nature and amounts OF the details which
went 10 make up the totals OF disburs.-
ments under the head OF per diem" and
| miscellaneous" and other equally inded-
/ mite items In the Cuban accounts.
| In the accounts Of Director General
| Rathbone. for example, the sum OF 81
5l3.S9 is charged to per diem" That was
/ the total for the year 1888 This. IL ap-
| pears. was rot expended in that year for
| day wages, but for allowances or per
| quisites" enjoyed by himself and members
| of his official and clerical STAFF. which was
a large and very expensive one. resent
| bling in those respects that of a governor
! Of an Indian or African province rather
than that OF a governor OF a Territory
! Ike New Mexico or Oklahoma Il Is ra-
ported that in addition to his salary Of
$500 a year the director general received
| q per diem allowance amounting 10 &
or Sl.S25 year, and that the head of each
Of the ten or eleven bureaus" which con-
sututed the Department of Posts" re-
| ceived g similar allowance" at the rate
OF g day. The regular yearly salaries
| ranged from $3.50 to 5000 There was
also force of inspectors and clerks who
received per diem allowances" ranging
| from I-25 for a 81 2Gl clerk to 81 or morn
for inspectors and clerks OF the higher
grades. There was no exercise of par
simony in that branch Of the director gen.
oraTs official establishment
1t is also reported that the director
general himself enjoyed other large of
hcial perquisites"; that the rent Of the
palace, occupied by him as a residence.
IN which he set up a court rivaIing in
magnifcence and splendor that OF the
military governor of Havana. was paid
out Of the postal revenues Of Cuba: that
expensive alterations and repairs of the
palace were also paid for out Of the
Cuban revenues. A member Of the SEN
ate committee has also been Informed
that among other large items Of expen-
diture charged under the head Of mis-
cellaneous' in the director generals ac-
counts for the last year was one amount
ing to 1880 for upholstery. dry goods, &c.
purchased at a single establishment in
the United States This and many other
equally questionable expenditures were
borne by the revenues Of Cuba. The head
ing miscellaneous" covered a total of
$40. 544.S6; the heading building and re-
pairs" covered total of $35, al 40; the
heading rent" covered total OF s1l,-
00914
The four totals under the headings per
diem," miscellaneous building and
repairs and rent make an aggregate
of s11330S.79. Besides these there Is a
charge of $7,49i72 for transportation,
Distinguishing it from mail transporta-
ton and star route service The
amount Of s7.i9472, therefore, was evi-
IDENTIFY not expended in payment for car
rying the mails. If it be added to Sl13,'
S0S19 the total will amount to Si2l, 49, 81
To this should be added s., 1926 for 'car'
riage, harness. ana equipment another
''perquisite'' of the director general-mak
ing an aggregate Of 1921 S63. Il. This was
$i6 4i1.43 in excess of the total expendi'
lures on account Of star route service,
mail transportation, letter carriers. rail-
way postal clerks mail messengers, mail
wagons, and mail bags, which amounted
to only SIS, i22$4 The total per diem al
lowances alone amounted to more thar
p per cent. of that total, and it in turn
amounted 10 less than Sc per cent. Of tht
total amount paid as salaries to Director
General Rathbone and his official an(
clerical staff at the headquarters Of tht
Cuban postal service.