The sun., 1900-05-24
.NEELY CASE IN SENATE
Platt Of Connecticut Says There Will
Be a Strict Inquiry.
INSTRUCTIONS TO BRISToW.
Postmaster General Ordered Him to
Act With Governor Wood In In
yestigation of the Alleged
irregularities.

Washington, May 23.-At the close os
the routine business in the senate Mr..
Morgan tAla) called up his resolution
calling upon the secretary Of war and the
secretary of the navy for information rel
atiye to the cost of transportation Of
troops and supplies to the Philippines
and il was agreed to.
The resolution previously offered hy
Mr.. Bacon tGa.) directing the committee
on relations with cuba To make an inyes-
tigation regarding the receipts and ex-
penditures of money in Cuba, was called
up.
About a month ago" began Mr.. Platt
lConn.l, who is chairman of the commit
Tee oi relations with Cuba, "(;eneral
Wood, the governor general of Cuba.
was led 10 suppose that there had been
Irregularities in that portion If the goy-
ernmen Of Cuba under The supervision
Of the director Of posts. lie Immediately
organized an inspection, which has beeil
unsparinglE pressed.
"fhe senator from Georgia a}aconl
seems to think, rs do some 81 tho news
papers, that all the malfcasamce in office
and fraud have been brought TO light not
by tile tui.cd States government officials.
but by Outsiders. But il is TO General
Wood that the credit of the discovery Of
these frauds and wrongdoings belongs,
and to the administration belongs the
credit of probing to the bottom these
frauds Ihe senator from Georgia has
no monopoly on the shame and humila-
ton with which every patriotic man is
affected by these disclosures. They are
shocking. They are a blow-and a direct
blow-to every true citizta of the United
States.
IF the wrongdoing, the embezzlement,
Of MIR. Neely had occurred in Boston,
New York or Washington, it would have
been sad and shameful. but it would not
have been so sad and shameful as it is
since it occurred ON the island of Cuba,
where the administration is engaged in
great work of freedom and phianthro-
py.
But nothing has occurred in the his
tory of defalcations that has made such
an impression on the public mind as this
and justly so. More than ever, it is
incumbent upon the government to probe
this matter to the bottom, unflinchingly,
unsparingly. The Republican party never
tolerated fraud or pecuaton or embez-
element. Neither the Republican admin
istration nor the committee on relations
with Cuba need any prodding from the
opposition party to induce them to make
most searching investigation and to use
every effort to punish summariy and
severely any person guilty of wrongdoile
or fraud in the island Of Cuba"
Mr. Platt said that Rathbonc had been
chosen because Of his knowledge of tho
postoiiice business. If he had been guilty
Of misconduct. it was not the first time
good man had gone wrong. As for Nee
~, he had the confidence of all who knew
him IN Indiana. No one could know
how il happened he had gone wrong.
smith to BristOys.
Senator Patt made public i letter on
instruction given 10 Mi BiStuw npon
his departure for Cuba. Tie letter IS III
follows;
Sif- Supplomening my letter IL MAY u. direct.
ing You e. praerel ,lt one 10 tula tho fall6w.
is further instructions ale airan tor your gud.
ance:
Won will Immediately Oh your arrival n III.
lana confer fltcly and fully wll tenelal Wood.
military governor, and Will Keep in constant ,on.
munieation with him in the work on which you
enter You will cooperate with the military
governor both in the investigation Of all iriuei.
larilies in the postal service Of Cuba and in any
measures for the reorganization OF the system that
may be undertaken.
The examination by the inspectors already nro
ylded for, will have begun before your arrival
You Will assume general supervision OF this *.
animation and will enforce the instruction here.
tofore given that it shall lie OF the most search.
ing character II you find that you need still
larger force for the prompt and complete per.
formance of this duty, you will call for ii. The
investigation must be comprehensive and minute |
covering every branch OF the service and ali |
classes of officials. Its prosecution must be gov.
erned solely by the purpose of ascertaining the
truth and the whole truth, and it must be IN |
compromising and unsparng.
Besides supervising the investigation in coon. |
Grafton with the military governor il will he |
your duty to examine the organization of the |
postal service, with its system Of checks and bal.
ances, and report what greater or additional safe.
guards can be provided. Under the system estab.
llshed at the beginning of the American occupa. |
tion OF Cuba the administrative side of the service
was placed under the control OF this department |
and the auditing or checking side under the CON
trol Of another This is the system OF the United
States government. The Irregularities and pec1,la
tions which have been brought to light were ap
parently accomplished because officers appointed
by and responsible to different departments and
who should have been a check upon each other
entered into Collusion and conspiracy to perpe.
trate these wrongs on the one side and to pass
and cover them up on the other You will care.
fully investigate by what defects of supervision
or defense they were consummated and what fur.
ther measures of protection in the passing and
auditing of accounts and in the handling Of pub
lie funds and property may be needed.
II Is desired also that the central organization
Of the postal service in Cuba shall receive yoa1
special attention. Nnu will examine as to wheth
ar It is framed in the best manner for efficient all
lOn will See whether compatibI,
with a good mail service for the people any re-
trenflments can be made and whether economies
aan be effected Ly consolidation and reduction
lf bureaus.
II is desired to bring the postal expenditures
within the postal revenues SO Tar as may be con
stent with the obligation of providing satisfae
tory mali service Your presence in Cuba as the
representative OF the department with these in
tructions, makes you the ranking officer of The
postal administration You will consider and adj
Use what removals or other action may be re.
luired in the cause of justice for the interest Of
he government and the people of Cuba and for
he welfare Of the service
You are chosen for this duty with the abnrnv,l
y the president, who is deeply shocked at the
hameful betrayal of trust on the part of officials
n whom confidence had been reposed and who
rects that in dealing with all Irregularities
which have been or may be disclosed the sole
ule OF action shall be thorough and complete
Investigation, TIE rigorous and unsparing prose.
utlon OF all guilty persons and their swift and
ondign punishment. You will communicate these
to General Wood keeping him fully