The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-25
BACON HINTS ATA
CONTRACT SCANDAL
Demands to Know Also About
Big Salary List.
That McKinley's Pet, Por-
ter, Should Explain-Spooner Con-
tinues His Defense of the Admin
istration-Otis' Statement Pro-
nounced False-Allegation as to
Bryan Pronounced Untrue by Tel
Ier-Allen Alleges Cowardice.


Washington, May 24.-The duty of
the United States towards its ''island
possessions" was the subject of heated
discussion in the senate again today.
Soon after the senate convened Mr..
Bacon of Georgia began an extended
reply to the speech of Mr.. Platt de-
livered yesterday. His speech was
largely supplemental to that which he
delivered several days ago, demanding
an investigation of Cuban financial
affairs. His resolution, to which there
is little or no opposition, under the
rules went to the committee on con-
tingent expenses.
The remainder CT the afternoon was
occupied by Mr.. 6poOner of Wisconsin
in concluding his speech on the Philip
pine question. The debate which he
aroused took a turn decidedly political.
He charged the sO-called anti-imper-
ialists with creating an issue which
was not legitimate Many of his state
ments were cOntTadicted by Mr.. Allen
of Nebraska and Mr. Pettigrew of
South Dakota, and the controversy at
times became almost personal.
Would Probe the Contracts.
Mr.. Bacon 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
accountant might Go, 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. He called
Of ~ II -
made by the officials in Cuba for per
diem, miscellaneous salaries, car
riages and equipment and declared
these subjects never had been investi-
gated, although the saastoffice depart
ments attention. hisa been directed to
them. He declared, III discussing the
various departments of the Cuban
government, that the most enormous
salary lists were shown that anybody
ever. saw" The civil salary list alone
of 1899 was over s3,OO0,O0O which he
thought was unparalleled.
Cites Instances of Extravaganza.
Adverting to the construction of the
military railroad along the Havana
harbOr, Mr. Bacon said he had learned
that the road cost $342. GIL. This, he
believed, was an exorbitant sum, de-
handing investigation.
He sharply criticised too, the pay
ment to Robert P. Porter as a tariff
expert, of $500 a month for five months
besides So, 100 as expense money. He
desired also to direct attention to the
reported fact that the Van Horn syn
dictate had been organized with a cap
itai of IS, 000,000 and that Mr.. Porter
had gone to Europe in the interest of
this syndicate. Inasmuch as the tariff
on machinery and equipment of rail-
roads had been recommended to be
reduced from 40 per cent to 10 per
cent by Mr.. Porter, he believed that
the matter required keen and jealous
scrutiny.
At the instance of Mr.. Pratt of Con-
necticut, the. resolution of Mr.. Bacon
was deferred to the committee on con
tingent expenses.
The resolution as to the Montana
senatorial case was postponed until
Wednesday, the Goth inst.
sponer on Philippines Again.
Mr.. Spooner then resumed his speech
on the Philippine question. He main
tanned that the facts proved that the
attack upon the United States troops
was not only made by Aguinaldo, but
had been long Dremeditated.
Mr.. Spooner declared that nobody
but an 'anti-imperialist' who by his
words and actions desired the dishonOr
of his country and the making of
campaign material in a presidential
year, 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 pre-
CipitatiOn of hOStilities."
In discussing further along the re-
sponsibility for the continuation Of
the hostilities, Mr.. Spooner quoted a
dispatch from General Otis giving an
account Of an interview he had had
with Judge Torres, one of the Filipino
commissioners, who suggested that a
neutral zone be established between
the hostile armies
Mr. Allen interrupted to say that an
army officer-a friend IF his-had in
formed him that that statement of the
interview with judge Torres was not
true: that General Otis has misrepre-
scented it.
AN officer who charges falsehood
against his commanding officer" re-
torted Mr.. SDOoner. ought to make it
in the OPEN
IF he should make the charge in the
Open" said Mr.. Allen, his position
would be imDeriled. The statement
made by General Otis is not the truth. ;"
Denial as to Lawton.
A few moments later, Mr.. Spooaer
said the last words of the chivalrous
Lawton were, THAT men over here, the
so-called anti-imperialists, were pro-
longing and melting the Philippine re-
bellion I wish to God said Lawton,
The whole truth of this Filipino situa-
ton could be known as I know it. If
am shot by a Filipino bullet 1t might
as well be by one of my own men
Mr. Pettigrew Pop. s. ID inter
rupted to declare that there was no
foundation for that statement; that it
had been denied.
This is an extract from a letter
written by LawtOn to John Barrett. .
said Senator Soooner. 1T is authentic
I have not the original, but l can and
will produce it..
Brings In Bryan's Name.
Continuing his argument, Mr.. Spoon
er said there had been an attempt to
make an issue of Imperialism" where
none actually existed It was dore
merely for political effect and too OBJ
scure the political issues of 1896. The