The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-05-03
The Cuban Officers WHO Have Dcc1
Drawing Them.
SECRETARY ROOTS EXPLANATION.
He Furnishes the Information Asked
For by the Senate-Officers Who
Have Been Supplied With Extra
Funds.

Washington, D. c.. Special.-Secre-
tary Root has sent to the Senate his
reply to the resolution as to whether
officers of the army in Cuba or Porto
Rico have received any compensation
for their services there other than the
compensation to which they we're en-
titled by law to receive as salary and
allowances; and, if so, names and rank
of the officers and the amounts received
by them. The reply is as follows:
Pursuant to the orders Of the Secre>
tary of War, dated respectively March
l. 1899, April 10, 1899. and May 9, 1899.
copies of which are annexed hereto, al
lowances have been paid four officers
of the army, who have been required to
live in the city of Havana and to per-
form important civil functions in con-
nection with the administration CT
the government of Cuba, as follows:
ITO the military governor of Cuba.
at the rate of $500 per year; to the
military governor Of Havana, at the
rate OF $1,000 per year; to the collec-
tor of customs for the island of Cuba,
at the rate Of S1,S00 per year; to the
treasurer of the island of Cuba, at the
rate of $500 per year.
These payments were in addition
to the salary and allowances which the
said officers as such were entitled To
receive out of the Treasury CT the Uni
ted States. am not aware of any 9th
er payments Of the character described
in the resolution to any officers in Gu
ba. | annex hereto a report received
some months since from the headquar-
ters division in Cuba, showing that
none other have been made. The pay
ments have been made monthly from
the dates stated in said orders until
the present time.
The precise dates of payment will
appear in an itemized statement Of re
ceipts and expenditures Snow in tn
course Of preparation under previol"
resolution of the Senate. Paymep:i
to the governor of Havana will ceaS
with the termination of that office on
May /, 1900. The names an2 rank OF
the officers receiving the payment
were, as military governor OF Cuba
Major General John r. Brooke, until
the 18th of December, 1899, and Majo.
General Leonard Wood. L. S. v. since
that time; as military governor Of
Havana, Brigadier General VIM. Lud-
low; as collector OF customs for Cuba
Mai. Baker NJ. Bliss; as treasurer Of
the island of Cuba, Maj. E. F. Ladd, L.
S. V.
mo allowances have been made to
any officer in Porto Rico other than
the statutory salary and allowances
out of the Treasury Of the United
States.
THE payments specified were OFT
Of the revenues of the island of Cuba,
on account Of government relief, and
they were made on that account for
the reason that it was impossible for
the said officers to properly perform
the necessary duties pertaining 20
their positions without the expenGi-
ture of the full amount Of such allow
ances in addition to their statutory
salaries and allowances out Of the
Treasury of the United States.
1.-The aggregate of the payments
thus made prior to the first day of the
present month was s17,44l. The total
receipts of the island of Cuba, col
lected by said officers during the
period covered by the aforesaid eXpen-
ditures therefrom amounted to S21,-
O26,572, and the total disbursements
under their direction amounted 20
s19,2S0,512.
Similar allowances to officers Of
the army performing civil functions "
Mexico and California were approved
by Congress by the act Of March 3,
1S49, and the act of January 3. 1853.
"a copy Of the section Of said first
mentioned act is annexed hereto.)
The said payment were authorized
by the President upon the oral advice
of the Attorney General. that the
same were in all respects lawful.
Very respectfully.
"ELIHU ROOT,
Secretary Of War"