The National tribune., 1900-05-31

and vigorously Investigated It Is rar'
that there have been defalcations anC
frauds.
The amount of the irregularities in Cuba
appear to have been about SIS, 900 during
the last year. The frauds may have begun
earlier. But it is not supposed there vii
be loss to the Cuban revenues or to tht
United States Treasury.
This trouble has been seized upon by
our political opponents to indicate by in
nuendoes, not by direct charge, that the
, fraud has been wholesale and that the
Cuban people have been 'pIundered' out o
millions of dollars by dishonest contracts
and various fraudulent devices. WhC
, knows there have been dishonest con
, tracts down there? Nobody. But if there
have been we shall find it out"
Speaking of the necessity and desira
bility of an investigation of the situation
! IN Cuba, Mr.. Platt said Congress could moi
well interfere with the Investigation i'll
stituted by the PoStmaster-Ge TC
do so, he thought, would be very largely
to defeat the ends of justice
Mr. Platt did not doubt that investiga-
ton would be thorough and searching
The people have-confidence in VIM. Nc.
kinley. | will go farther and say that
no President, while he was President, ever
had the confidence of the people to the
degree that President Mckinley has it
The people would be glad to leave this
investigation to him. They know there
would be no condOning of fraud, no cover.
ing up Of crime.
Hence, | say there is no absolute neces.
SIty Tor a congressional investigation.
But when charges are made simply for
campaign purposes | think we may as well
make an investigation for ourselves"
The Philippine bill was taken up, and
| Mr.. Morgan offered an amendment ex-
tending to the inha abitants of theisands all
privileges extended by the Constitution,
I..tg.
coastWise laws to the islands.
Mr.. Spooner then resumed his speech
| begun Tuesday.
In the House Mr.. PAYNE. Chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee. presented
from that Committee a resolution to en-
power the Ways and Means Committee to
| sit during the recess to consider the re-
duction and revision of the war revenue
| taxes.
There is a great demand for the reduc-
ton OF these taxes" observed Mr.. Living
ston {Ga:( why cannot the committee
consider this subject noW?"
Il will EXPLAIN" said Mr.. Payne. He
explained that the total surplus for the 10
months and % days of the present fiscal
year was $50 9,458,313. The surplus had
averaged SS,000,000 month until April,
when it fell to S4,O00,0OO, and for the first
% days of the present month to less than a
million.
iAC tAiSii tapl'|liltl pOIiCN Giu'Itu
upon by the Treasury of refunding four
and five per cent. bonds in two per cents.
| Already about 5000, 600 of bonds had
| been exchanged. He pointed out the
saving in interest that would result to the
! taxpayers. This rcfunding process, he
| said, did not show in the Treasury balances.
but as a draft against the balance. Some
S25,30O,oOo of those bonds remained TO
be refunded, or a draft of 500, 900, 900
against the surplus since March Ia. That
would cut down the balance to almost
nothing, and in view of the falling off Of the
surplus in April and May, he said, it would
be unsafe to reduce the war taxes now.
The Ways and Means Committee had
given some hearings and had found that
all who paid war taxes favored their re-
peal or reduction, but the ma jOrity did
not propose to enter upon legislation now
that might create a deficit in the Treasury
(RepHblican applause) During the recess
the whole subject could be investigated and
comprehensive and intelligent measure
framed for introduction at the opening Of
the session in December.
Mr.. Richardson CTenn.), the minority
leader, declared emphatically that Congress
ought not to adjourn until some provision
had been made for the reduction of the
war taxes. The Government could get
along without the enormous sum now be-
ing collected as war taxes. The report Of
the Secretary of the Treasury showed that
the surplus at the end of the fiscal year
would be S90,000,000. The gentleman from
New, York might juggle figures, but he
could not get away from the fact that the
Secretary Of the Treasury said there would
be a vast surplus June 30. Congress
should not adjourn without giving the
people some relief.
A resolution to adjourn June 9 was
adopted without division, after further dis
cussion OF the revenue matter.
In the Senate on Thursday Mr. Bacon
called up his resolution directing the Com
mittee on Relations with Cuba TO Investigate
the receipts and expenditures of money in
Cuba, and addressed the Senate in reply
TO the speech delivered yesterday by Mr.
Platt. He maintained it was n duty Con
gresS owed to the country and to the Cubans
to make the investigation. He said the
great purpose OF the investigation which he
proposed was not SO much TO entrap the man
or men who might have stolen hundreds or
thousands of dollars, as an expert account
ant might do, but TO ascertain whether by
fraudulent contracts or other devices Of
corruption the millions handled by the
officials in Cuba had been disposed Of
dishonesty.
The purpose Of his resolution. he said.
was to ascertain whether these millions had
been expended honestly, economically and
properly, even though the books might
anu IlIBtlL SHOW no DISCREPANCIES.
He called attention TO the large expendi-
lures made by the officials in Cuba for per
diem," miscellaneous" Salaries" car
riages and equipment" and declared these
subjects never had been investigated. al
though the Postoffice Departments atten-
ton had been directed to them. There had
been, he said, such looseness in the con-
duct OF Cuban affairs that it called for a
| most rigid and searching investigation.
Mr.. Spooner was very aggressive and
severe in his attack upon anti-imperialists.
! Nobody but an anti-imperialist who by
his words and actions desired the dishonor
| Of his country and the making of cam
| paign material in a Presidential year."
exclaimed Mr.. Spooner, could have SO
| little Of good faith as TO make the brutal
charge against the President of the United
States that he had been responsible for the
precipitation of hostilities in the Philip
pines" He said that there had been an at
tempt to make an issue of imperialism
where none actually existed. 1t was done
merely for political effect and to obscure
the political issues OF 1896. The issue had
been employed by Mr.. Bryan, and was be-
ing exploited by every branch of the op-
position TO the Republican party.
81 say there Is no issde as between i'm
perialism and anti-imperialism except as
it has been made for political effect. The
Philippines are territory of the United
| States. Who can dispose of it? The
| President? No. IL is for Congress To
say whetaer we shall hold those islands
or cede them to somebody else. That issue
is not here now, except for party and parti-
san purposes. 1t is a forced issue. 1t is
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