Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.

The administration cannot guess
where this Cuban business will end
nor whose skirts will be- smirched
before it does. At first it
was announced that the whole thing
was to be dug up by the roots, but when
1t was found that Neeley wasn't the
only one, the administration began
to draw back and seek to minimize the
affair. But then it was too late and a
second change of base was taken and it
was again insisted that no guilty man
should escape But the scandal is 80
far reaching that the president and
Mark Hanna are quaking for fear of
Its results. Yet the disclosures are
only what might have been expected
from the character of the men chosen
for such responsible posts. Major
Rathhone, for instance, was selected
not for his ability, but because he was q
henchman of Hanna. Years ago, he
was associated with Col. dudley in the
latter's "blocks of five" episode in In.
diana. Much later he was largely in
evidence in that patriotic movement in
the Ohio legislature which eliminated
in the return of Hanna to the United
States senate. When q committee of
the Buckeye State senate investigated
the alleged financial character of that
election, Rathbone could not be pro.
duced as witness, and absented him.
self from the commonwealth until
after the committee adjourned. There.
fore Hanna rewarded him, and he in
turn rewarded other heelers of similar
stripe by appointing them to RESPONSE
BILE posts and by ignoring their opera.
tions. The roots of the whole scandal,
however, lie deeper even than this
They are found in the criminal neglect
Of Secretary Root and Postmaster Cen
eral Smith to properly oversee the oper-
ations that went on under their admin
istration. Will it be believed that to-
Gay the only information that either de-
partment has, as to the postofiice sal
aries paid in Cuba, is that their total
for six months is about $4,000. At
solutely no detailed information is on
file either for Cuba or for any of the
other possessions. Yet the regulations
prescribing the duties of auditors and
treasurers of the respective islands,
which were promulgated year ago or
more, require the auditor to forward to
the secretary of war, not later than ten
days after the expiration of each
month, certain reports, among which
was an "itemized statement of all dis.
bursements." Both of them.w were also
required to transmit certified copies OF
the statements to the governor general,
without whose signature of approval
no warrant could issue. -Four months
ago resolution was passed by the
house and another by the senate asking
for detailed, itemized information in
regard to the finances of the island. To
one of these only brief evasiye answer
has been returned. while the other has
been ignored altogether. The depart
ment should have this information at
hand, and even if they had not they
ought to have been able to get tin four
months. Why have they not done SO?
Is it because the items are too peculiar
to bear the light of publication?
Secretary Gage has informed con.
gress that inquiries made by him show
that the stock of gold in the United
States is $400,000,000 less than it was
supposed to be. Calculations based on
supposed stock of money, placed the
per capita circulation of the United
States at about 1926. A loss of $780,
100000 in gold-to say nothing of q
probable corresponding loss in silver
and paper means q loss of nearly So
per capita, reducing the circulation to
about 800 per capita. This is less In
stead of greater than that of many i'm
portant commercial countries. If this
fact had been known in 1896, it might
have changed the result of the last
presidential election. 1t is not surpris.
ing that errors should have been made
before, when the foolish system is con.
sidered. The first official estimate to be
made of total stocks of nold In the