The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-17
House 4 Hermann, isg is,:5 St 90l-9O3 9TH St.

SO largely disproportionate to the cxpen.
| ditures in any States of the Union would
| even ii there were no rumOrS OF i'm
| propriety, extravaganza. or corruption cal
trumpet -tongued on Congress to make q
thorough, searching investigation 10 see
whether or not that large amount had
been properly expended.
He quoted Mr.. Ayers order as Secretary
of War allowing compensation to the
commanding general of the division OF Gu
ba, to the commanding general of the de-
| partment of Havana, ard to the collector
of customs at Havana CT $500, s5,010, and
$500 per annum respectively. in addition
! to their army pay. and referred to subse-
quent allowances to the same officers for
expenses. and he said that those additional
allowances were in violation Of law.
This. said Mr.. Bacon. lis government
of law. and no officer CT the Government
has a right to violate the law. 1 do not
| care how high that officer may be. The
| higher the officer. the greater the obliga-
| ton on him to observe the law. and The
| greater the transgre ssion when he violates
the law When the Secretary Of War made
| these additional allowances there was on
the statute book positive prohibition that
| he should not do it,
Does the Senator" Mr.. Hale asked
refer to any special act Of prohibition be-
yond the general provision and the un-
varied custom that no official OF the Gov
ernment shall ever receive any pay aside
from his regular salary? Does he refer
to special statute?''
Yes" Mr.. Bacon replied, II refer to q
special statute in the case of army officers
specifically"
RathbOne and Nicely.
1t had been first given out that the de-
falcation was by one man, said he: now
it was said that there were several con-
cerned, and 1t has been further stated that
there was ramification which might in
clude a great many. Mr. Bacon read the
order on which Mr.. Rathbone was acting
in Cuba and Mr.. Hale referred to It as
giving absolute, unrestrained, and unlim-
tied power to Rathbone
III you go on in that way" Mr. Hale
said. "and If that is your fashion of teach
ing self-government to Cuba, you will
never be rid of the island
Mr.. Bacon went on to read a newspaper
resume Of Rathbone's and Neely's doings
in Cuba. He referred to Neely's contracts
for brick and street paving In Havana and
said that ugly rumors were afloat as to
persons connected with contracts In Cuba"
II those ruLaors were true. the facts ought
all to be known. and 1t was the duty o!
Congress to Investigate the subject. He
understood, he said. that the majority
members Of the Committee on Cuba did
not desire to have the investigation made
and that 1t was proposed to have the reso-
luton referred to that committee with
view to its modification or rejection. He
understood that members OF that committee
were rather startled at the magnitude OF
the work. but that was no argument
against the propriety of the investigation.
II Senator'S on that committee did not de-
sire to undergo the labor. there were other
Senators who were willing to undertake it.
Mr.. Bacon went on to question the legal
ity OF Americans being in Cuba at all.
"Are we there" he asked. ''in the exer-
else of any war power? Certainly not. Are
we there In possession of conquered terri
tory? Certainly not. We stand pledged
not to acquire Cuba. We were to go there.
not to develop 1t or to educate 1t. but for
the sole purpose of paeifying 1t.
"our presence In Cuba today is justified
solely by the question whether or not
what we arc doing there is in a line with
and essential to the pacification Of the
island. Whatever we have done since
to the pacification OF the island was in |
accordance with law, and whatever we
have done that was not necessary and |
proper for the pacification of the island
was not in accordance with law There |
has not been a hostile shot fired there |
for two years.
by what right did We proceed to in
troduce our postal system in Cuba? |
Where is the law that authorizes anybody |
to confer on military officer in Cuba
the title of Governor General? Why do |
we delay in turning over Cuba to it's |
own people? Is 1t that they may be edu-
Gated to a higher plane of civilization? |
Are they not as high in development and |
civilization as the inhabitants of the |
States Of Central American"
Referring to the Porter tariff In Cuba,
Mr.. Bacon said that 1t had been given
out in the War Department that that
tariff was to continue another year. I've
have held control Q! that island for nearly
two years." Mr.. Bacon said, "and now IL
is in contemplation. under Executive
orders. that We shall hold II for at least
another year. Is there any excuse for
our extravagant waste Of the Cuban reve-
nuesf It may be said that we are not
plundering tho Cubans to the extent that
the Spanish Government plundsred them
that while Spain wrung from them forty
millions o year. our wringing from them