The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-05-24
CUBAN
FRAUDS
Will Be Investigated and the
Guilty Punished.


versy those on the democratic side OF
the chamber, anomalous as it may seem,
had little to do What bY far seeing
senators is rc~arded as likely to be the
paramount issue of the approaching ma
tional campaign was the subject of two
notable speeches, one by Mr.. Platt, OF !
Connecticut and the other by Mr.. spoon
er of Visions The former was an an
swer to the speech delivered a few days |
ago by Mr.. Bacon of Georgia, on his res |
olution demanding an investigation OF |
financial affairs in Cuba. Mr.. Platt IA |
vored the adoption of the resolution, but |
deprecated what he declared was a cheap !
effort to make political capital out of a
shameful condition of affairs, which the
republican pa"'y needed no prodiing to
induce it to probe to the bottom.
The speech of Mr.. Spooner was a con-
tinuation of lis address of yesterday on
the Philippines question. In its course
he became inN olved in heated and SEN
sational collocuy with Mr.. Hale, over
governments conduct of affairs in our
"insular posse ssions."
1t was a remarkable controversy be-
tween two Of the best equipped debaters
in the senate and was listened TO with
profound attention by senators, many
representatives and crowded galleries.
Mr.. Spooner will continue his speech TO-
morrow.
about a month ago." beg an Mr.. Plat,
| Connecticut, who is chairman of the
Wood the governor general of Cuba,
was led to ose that there had been
irregularities IN that portion of the gov
ernment of Cuba under the supervision
of the director of posts He Immediately
! Il Nfph hoe
unsparingly rlessed.
THE senator from Georgia Mr.. Bacon,
seems to think, as do some of the news
papers, that all the malfeasance in Of
flee and fraud have been brought to
light not by the United States govern
ment officials but by outsiders But it
is to General Wood that the credit of the
discovery of these frauus and wrong do
ings belongs, and to the administration
belongs the credit Of D. obing to the bot
tom Of these frauds. The senator from
Georgia has 40 monopoly on the shame
and humiliation which every patriotic
man is affec' ed by recent disclosures
They are shocking They are direct
blow to every citizen of the United
States.
IF tie wr.nS doing had occurred in
Boston, New York or Washington 1t
would have been sad and shameful, but
it would not havA been so sad and
shameful as II is. since it occurred on
the island of Cuba. where the admins
tration is engaged IN great work Of
freedom and philanthropy.
"But nothir.; has occurred in the his
tory of defalcations that has made such
an impression on TIE pJblic mind as this
and justly so. More than ever it is In
cumbent upon the government to probe
this matter to tho bottom, unfinchingly
uunsparingly. TH' republican party
never tolerates freud, or peculation or
embezzlement N3ither the republican
administra tior nor tho committee on re-
lations with Cuba need any prodding
from the oppo' itou party to induce them
. the make most seartLIng investigation
and to use every effort to punish severe
ly any 2ersoI guilty Of wrong doing or
fraud in the island Of Cuba.
"But some things ought to be remem-
bered by those parrots who. in this pres
idential camIs'". year, hold up their
hands in hol" horror and seize upon
what has been disclosed in an endeavor
, to cast dscredit Sot only upon the ad-
ministratIon but also upon their coun-
try. 1t ough: to lie remembered that IN
the three years and three months of ~
present admit listration. this is the first
opportunity tNey hs We had to critic'se II
that respect
Mr. Platt 81 d that for congress to in
terfere with tie investigation instituted
by the postmaster gel 6ral might defea
the ends Of Justice and he announced
that the inve9Iigdt!on " ould be thorough
and searching
Continuing Mr. / att said: The peo
: Pile have confidence in VIII am McKin
ley No presi cent While he was presiden
. had the con1ienC Of the people to tn
- degree that President Mckinley has 1t
Other presidents have been cannonize'
- - after death and II has been evidences
u then that they had the confidence of tn
people, but NJ prcson in office ever es
= capped the cri: cism and innuendo tina
Mckinley has ESCAPED. The people woul
be glad to leave this investigation t
him. They krcw there would be no con
doning of fratT, ne covering up OF or ms
e. But when chargeJ are made simply 70
campaign PURPOSES, 'hink we may a
well make an in yestigation for ouI
selves"
Further alhlg NJ. PIatt paid a hig
tribute to General Woo :. General Brook
and others and said no army officer ha
On even charged with anything lii
fraud in Cuba.
HAS the senstor had his attention d
rected to the railroad construction alon
the south side of the harbor OF Havana?
inquired Mr.. TillTs an.
"If the se"ator, retorted Mr. Pla
warmly "has any '1formahon as to tht
railway, l wish he would produce it,"
81 did not say had any information