The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1900-06-01
u,at Is Transpiring in the Legis-
Istiye Arena of the Nation
al Capital.
uaBs REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION SHOWN.
in Military Control
crba senator Lodges Pro-
british snnrI at Germany-senntor
p,xis. siIence-Opposition to che
shin subsidy Bill.
Especial correspondence

The scandals which have come 10
I'M regarding embezzlements in the
Chan postal service are having their
feet In enlightening the country as 10
.be meaning of Imperialism. Rath-
hone. the republican head of the postal
srxteu of Cuba. was one of Mark Hanna s
nolitical henchmen. Nicely. the financial
arsnt of the Cuban postal service, who
.ras anprehended and is under bonds.
was a political friend and protege OF
the first assistant postmaster general.
He comes from Indiana. where, in the
citv of Muncie. he used 10 own a daily
newspaper. which he sold to Perry
Ueath's brother. When arrested in
New York il was Perry Heath's broth
ers bank. the present custodian of
nostal funds, which furnished Nicely
with the $4,000 cash bail on which he
was released.
The known defalcatfon is already
over 500. 600. The indications are that
II will amount to half a million and in
volye every prominent official of the Gu
ban postal service. Rathbone. the head
of the service, is TO be suspended for not
detecting the crime. 1t surpasses hui
man understanding that Rathbone
| himself is not accused of completely.
The evidences of corruption were so
| hagrantly visible that a blind man
could have seen them. 1t is a nasty
mess, but exactly what might have
been expected under the circum-
stances. There are dozen other cases
as bad, as this which have so far been
successfully covered up.
Military Corruption.
Cuba is supposedly under the mil
itary control of the United States.
There is a branch of the army known
as the Inspector generals service. This
branch has for its duty the investiga-
ton of accounts, the examination Of
work done and supplies purchased. the
scrutiny of military posts and similar
work. II is the official critic of the
whole military branch of the govern
ment, and has for generations copsid-
cred it a matter of pride and honor to
do good work. Very few scandals have
ever been charged up to the inspectors
service and nine out of ten frauds in
the army have been discovered by the
Inspector generals office.
When the Spanish war broke out and
1T became necessary to give political
protection to every scalawag and
crooked contractor. big and little, who
had any calm on the Mckinley admin
istration. il was found necessary to
blindfoid, handcuff and hobble the in
spector generals office. This was done
through the machinery of the adjutant
generals Office. which ordered nearly
all the inspection officers TO line duty
IN the field. thus preventing the inspec-
ton work from being done, and then
compelling the few remaining reports
10 be made to come directly to the adj
Jutant general instead of to their prop
er head, the inspector general
The expected result was obtained.
inspection practically ceased, and
fraud has run rampant in the army TO
the present day.
The officers of the United States
army are as class high-minded and
honorable men. It is seldom that a
scandal involving their financial integ-
rlty with government funds arises.
But the contractors of every descrip-
uon who have dealings with the army
need to be watched with an eagles
eye. The treasury has been swindled
OF millions of dollars during the last
TWO Years through army and. navy
frauds, particularly in the army. The
inspection service has been hampered
IN such manner as TO make these
FRAUDS easy of preparation. Mckinley
irresponsible and the people have found
him out.
Pro-British Snarl.
1t is significant that Senator Lodge
makes his swashbuckling attack on
Germany hardly three days after Lord
Salisbury made his ill-timed speech in
4.