The semi-weekly messenger., 1900-05-25
SENATE.

Washington, May 23.-This was a
day of rasping political controversy
and oratory in the senate With the
controversy those on the democratic
side of the chamber, anomolus as ii
may seem, had little to do. What, by
far seeing senators, is regarded as
likely to be the paramount issue of the
approaching national campaign was
the subject of two notable speeches
one by Senator Platt of Connecticut,
and the other by Senator Spooner, of
Wisconsin. The former was an anSwer
to the speech delivered few days ago
by Senator Bacon, of Georgia, on his
resolution demanding an investigation
of the financial affairs in Cuba. Sem
ator Platt forvored the adoption of the
resolution, but deprecated what ne de-
clared was a cheap effort to make pol
itical capital out of a shameful condi-
ton of affairs which the republican
party needed no prodding to induce it
to probe to the bottom.
The speech of Senator iSpooner was
a continuation of his address of yes
terday on the Philippine question. In
its course he became involved in a
sensational colloQuy with Senator
Hale, of Maine, over the governments
conduct of affairs in our ''insular pos
sessions
tween two of the best equipped debat-
ers in the senate.
Senator Spooner will continue his
speech tomorrow.
The Morgan resolution calling on the
secretaries of war and of the navy
for information relative to the cost of
transportation of troops and supplies
to the Philippines was agreed to.
The Bacon resolution directing the
committee on relations with Cuba to
investigate the receipts and eXpendi-
lures in Cuba, was called up.
Senator Platt, chairman of that COM
mittee, spoke thereon at length. Gen
eral Wood, he said, had been led to
suppose, about month ago, that there
had been irregularities in the service
under Mr.. Rathbone He Immediate
ly pressed an unsparing inspection.
He gave General Wood credit for the
discovery of these wrongdoings and
the administration credit for probing
them to the bottom. The disclosures,
he added, are a direct blow to every
citizen of the United States, and the
wrOngdOing of Nicely the more sad
and shameful since it occurred Where
a great work of freedom and philan-
InfOpy Is SOlnS on. NelIn6r Vne re-
publican administration nor the COM
mittee on Cuban relations, he insisted
needed any probing from the opposi-
tiOn party to induce a most searching
investigation and summary punish
ment of all the wrong doers; but he
reminded the democrats that this had
been the first instance of it's kind dur
ing the administration and argued that
President Mckinley had demonstrated
his determination that no guilty man
in these Cuban frauds shall escape.
The amount OF the irregularities in
Cuba said Senator Platt, appear to
have been about $4,000 during the last
year. The frauds may have begun
earlier; but it is not supposed there
will be a loss to the Cuban revenues
or to the United States treasury. This
trouble has been seized upon by our
political opponents to indicate by inu-
endo and not by direct charge that the
fraud has been wholesale and that the
Cuban people have been 'plundered' ou,
of millions of dollars by dishonest con-
tracts and various fraudulent devices
Who knows there have been dishonest
contracts down there? Nobody, but
if there have been we shall find out
He protested against congress inter
ferring with the investigation institut-
ed by the postmaster general as likely
TO defeat the ends of justice He ther
read letter from Postmaster Genera
Smith to Fourth Assistant Postmas.
ter General Bristow, who is charged
with conducting the investigation. /
follows:
May 16
Hon JOS. L. Bristow.
'Sir:-Supplementing my letter Of
May 18th directing you to proceed a
once to Cuba, the following further
instructions are given for your guild
ance:
You will Immediately on your ar
rival at Havana confer freely and full
ly with General Wood, military gov
ernor, and will keep in constant com
mun1eation with him in the work or
which you enter. You will cooperate
with the military governor both il
the investigation of all irregularities
in the postal service of Cuba, and in
any measures for the reorganization
of the system that may be undertaken
The examination by the inspectors
already provided for, will have begur
before your arrival. You will assume
general supervision of this examfna.
tion and will enforce the instruction
heretofore given that it shall be of the
most searching and thorough charac.
ter. If you find that you need a still
larger force for the prompt and com.
will call for it. The Investigation
must be comprehensive and minute
covering every branch of the service
and all classes of officials. It's prose.
cution must be governed solely by tn.
purpose of ascertaining the truth ani
the whole truth, and it must be un
compromising and unsparing.
Besides supervising the investiga.
ton in cooperation with the military
governor, it will be your duty to exam
inc the organization Of the postal ser
vice, with its system Of checks and bal
ances, and report what greater or ad
diuonal safeguards can be provided
Under the system established at the be
ginning Of the American occupation OF
Cuba, the administrative side rof tn,
service was placed under the contro