The age-herald., 1900-05-17
CUBAN AFFAIRS NOW
 NEED INVESTIGATION
Senator Bacon Makes Strong Speech Urging 1m-
 mediate Action and Denouncing Administration.

prominent officials in Cuba had used the Cuban funds with which to purchase per- sonal apparel. He further asserted there were well founded rumors that there had been the most extravagant expenditure Of Cuban funds for fitting up luxurious quar- ters for officers and furnishing these of1- cers horses, carriages and Inverted ser wants.
 "Stin further said he, within the past week the facts have been disclosed fact that brings the blush of shame to the cheek of every American citizen that trusted officials in Cuba have misappro- priated large amounts belonging to the people of Cuba Nobody knows how large these amounts are. At first it was stated that they were $30,000; next 1t was said they would amount to $75,000, and now 1t is intimated the amount may aggrega-s $400,0
 "At first one man only was involved In the difficulty. Now there are so many so many that it Is intimated it may amount to a conspiracy"
 MT. Bacon then read the order under which Major Rathbone was acting as oi- rector of posts of Cuba, and said the pow CT conferred upon him by the order was so great that 1t had resulted in a ols- graceful and mortifying condition or al- fairs.
 Interrupting MT Bacon, MT. Hale of Maine. asserted that the order creating Major Rathbone's office was of char acter of power such as was given to Roman pro-consuls. There Is nothing ike it in this government. It is a power un- restrained. After paying a compliment to Major Rathbone, MT. Hale continued:
 '"The senator and all of us ought to have known that the giving of this unbridled power to one man would be abused py uie men under him. and in the end he would suffer"
 of of teaching self government to the Gu bans
 Congress ehouid net S't stu
 MT. Bacon continuing, said the question now presented was, should congress sit still in the face of these gross violations of public trust or should it investigate it to the bottom?
 He understood that the majority of the committee on relations with Cuba did not desire an investigation of Cuban aHairs by congress because senators were startled at the magnitude of the work, ana were afraid it might take the balance or the year. If these senators were not Wlillhg to undertake the work he (Bacon) Knew or senators who would.
 MT Bacon maintained that the United States government was not in Cuba by au- thority of law, and asserted that II money had been spent that was not necessary to be expended in the pacfication of the ls- land it had been expended illegally. In the Philippines and in Porto Rico we had ex- ercised the war power because they were conuuered territory, but Cuba was not con quered territory.
 "When." he asked, shall we carry out our pledge and leave the island to its own nhabitants?"
 The resolution was then made subject to the call of any senator, MT. Platt of Con- necticut expressing desire to address, hlm- self to some of the statements that had been made by Mir. Bacon.
 Bills Passed
 The following bills were passed:
 Granting a pension of $100 per month to the widow of General Lawton.
 For the erection of public building at East St. Louis.
 Amending the act granting right-of-way to the Fort Smith and Western Railroad company through the Indian Territory.
 Reviving the act of 1893 concerning the charge of desertion; to facilitate the entry of steamships engaged in the coasting trade between the United States and Porto Rico and between the United States and Hawaii. This bill is intended to restore a privilege which coasting vessels enjoyed before the annexation of those islands to the United States.
 Other bills were passed as follows:
 Appropriating $250000 to establish branch soldiers home at Johnson City, Tenn; a bill providing that all honorably discharged soldiers or marines who saw service in the Civil war, in the Spanish war or in the Philippine war shall be given preferenment in civil service appointments, age or loss of limbs not being regarded as disqualification; fixing the compensation of surfmen, employed by the life saving see vice at $65 per month"; amending the United States statutes In relation to taking depo- sitions and 77 private pension bills.
 The conference report on the District of Columbia appropriation bill was agreed tp without debate
 After a brief executive session the senate at 5:15 p. m. adjourned.