The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-05-17
WASHINGTON.
Washington, May ID, 1900.
From our Regular Correspondent.

extravagant mismanagement OF Cuban
affairs for which the Mckinley admin.
istration is responsible. The War
Department and the Post Office De-
partment are each trying to throw re-
sponsibility upon the other for the
shameful condition of affairs in Cuba,
which have been only partially un.
covered to public view through the
discovery made by Col. Burton, an
army officer who has been on duty in
Cuba, that c. w. F. Neeley, a prom.
inent republican politician of Indiana,
who is financial agent of the Cuban
postal system, had embezzled many
thousands of dollars. Col. Burton has
lust reached Washington from Havana
under orders to tell Secretary Root
the full extent of his discovery and to
keep his mouth shut to everybody
else. Rumor says that other Ameri-
can officials have been getting rich
through handling Cuban funds, but no
official information can be obtained
IN Washington. In fact, no one need
be surprised to see Neeley escape
punishment, although he is now un-
der arrest, and get thick coat of
whtewash, as the easiest way out Of
the dirty scandal for the administra-
tion. The profound ignorance ex-
pressed by officials of the War and
Post Office Departments is of itself
suspicious. 1t implies an intention to
deceive, for everybody knows that
both OF those demartments must have
been in possession of all the facts be-
fore Neeley was arrested, in New
York.
The House overruled the majority
of the Ways and Means Committee
and adopted resolution calling on
the Secretary Of the Treasury for IN.
formation concerning the amount and
character of materials used by manu-
facturers of oleomargarine. The
majority of the Ways and Means
committee contended that the infor-
nation asked for would violate law by
betraying trade secrets, but the House
thought otherwise and adopted the
resolution.
Boss Hanna had the nerve to in.
form Senators that the administration
opposition to the Nicaragua Canal bill
would be withdrawn and the bill allow
ed to pass the Senate at this session
if the Senate would ratify the lop.
sided Hay Pauncefote treaty. His
proposition was not seriously consid-
cred. The friends of the canal bill
know that If it fails to pass the people
will know that the responsibility for
the failure will rest upon the should
ers of Mr.. Mckinley. AS Senator
Morgan put it, "We will pass the Can.
al bill at this session or we will defeat
Mr.. Mckinley at the polls" That is
the situation IN nutshell. The
people want this bill passed. That
was made evident enough by the
overwhelming majority by which it
passed the House. Individual Sen
ators numerous enough to make as
great proportionate majority in the
Senate are on record in favor of the
Bill. If, in the face OF these things,
Mr.. Mckinley is willing to allow his
obligations to the British government
to cause HIM to use his influence to
prevent action on the bill at this ses.
sion OF Congress he can do so, but he
will have to face the music of a dis
appointed and enraged people and the
penalty of losing many thousand votes.
The democratic party can stand it if
he can.
How confident the democrats are of
electng a majority of the next House,
IN November, may be judged from the
fact that the friends of several demo-
cratic candidates for speaker are be-
ginning to work for them. Among
those who already have more or less
backing are Representatives Richard
son, of Tenn; De Almond, of Mo-;
Bankhead, of Ala, and Sulzer, of New
York.
Gov. Teddy Roosevelt is-in his
own estimation, the biggest thing in
washington and the most showy flow
er In the republican boquet. He has
oeen strutting around the Capitol and
the White House as though he owned
the whole shooting match, and pat
ion'zlngly giving advice to Mr.. Nc
hiniey, Boss Hanna and others who
HOWS THIS ?-We offer one
a \