The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-05-18
COLONIAL SERVICE
Is IMPLICATED.
Investigation May Turn Up
More Than Is Desired.
WILL HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE
People Will He Inclined to Place the Blame
where 1t Belongs And That Is At
The Door of the Appoint
Ing Power.

where 1t Belongs And That Is At
The Door of the Appoint
Ing Power.
Especial Correspondence
Washington, May 16-Thc Cuban
scandal grows, not so much in its own
essential details as in the revelations
brought out by it. The chances now
are that unless the administration
succeeds in finding some excuse for
hushing up the affair and limiting the
extent Of the investigation, the entire
colonial service will be implicated,
directly and indirectly. Probably
congressmay be forced-solely against
the will of the majority-to investi-
gate the conduct of the administration
in the island, including its deliberate
and wanton disregard Of resolutions
adopted by the senate and house ask
ing for information. For q time 1t was
supposed that these resolutions were
ignored because it was difficult to get
the information, now it is believed that
they were ignored because to answer
them would be to betray details which
the officers were interested in keeping
quiet.
ary II, the senate adopted the follow
ing resolutions:
THAT the secretary Of war be and IL
hereby directed to send to the senate
an itemized statement Of public receipts
from taxation, customs and other
sources, collected in Cuba, and also Of
public expenditures, including salaries
paid to all officers and incidental ex-
IN, Cub a,,t ~
ed since the United States government
assumed control Of that island"
The reply of the secretary of war was
dated February 10. 1t was pre-
pared under the supervision of Assis-
tant Secretary Meiklejohn, who has
had entire charge of insular affairs in
the war department ever since that
duty was first assigned to him by
Secretary Alger, nearly eighteen
months ago. In the latter transmitting
the report It was explained that ":f
an itemized statement in greater detail
than is shown in the inclosed copies Of
reports and certificates is desired. re-
course must be had to the accounts
kept in Cuba" and it was added "A
copy of the resolution of the senate Of
January II has been forwarded to the
military governor Of Cuba, with a
direction that such a detailed state
ment be prepared. and that without
awaiting the completion of such full
detailed statement. statement show
ing the. salaries paid to all officers and
incidental expenses be prepared and
transmitted to this department when 1t
will be forwarded to the senate"
This was three months ago, and, so
far as ascertained, the detailed state
ment of salaries, etc, has not yet been
received and sent to the senate. Is
this on account of want of time or of
distance? Or is it for some less cred
liable reason?
On January 20 the senate passed a
resolution directing the secretary of
war to send to the senate full and
exact copies of all proclamations and
orders that have been issued or made
respecting the collections Of customs,
internal and other revenues in the is
lands of Cuba, Porto Rico, and the
Philippine archipelago since the seiz-
ure thereof by the government of the |
United States; the rate Of such customs |
internal and other revenues; the total
amount thereof; list of the person or |
persons engaged in such services; and |
how such customs, internal and other |
revenues have been and are being dis
bursed, and whether the same or any |
portion thereof have been covered into |
the treasury Of the United States"
The senate has not yet received any
response whatever to this resolution,
which 1t adopted nearly four months
ago. Why? Because the department
had to send for the information. Yet
the regulations prescribing the duties
Of auditors and treasurers Of the re-
spective islands which We're promul-
gated year ago or more, require the
auditor to forward to the secretary Of
war, not later than ten days after the
expiration of each month, certain re-
ports, among which was IAN itemized
statement of all disbursements" Both
of them were also required to trans
nit certified copies Of the statements
70 the governor-general, without
whose signature Of approval no warrant
could issue.
The "itemized" statement for Cuba
an item Of $96,S34 paid for
he salaries for the postoffice there in
he first six months in 1899-only this
md nothing more. How many en-
oloyes there are and what salaries they
ire paid, this "itemized' statement
loes not show and nobody seems to
xnow. 1t Is strange that scandals re-
suited when they could be obscured in
such cloud Of mystery. Will 1t be
strange IL the people hold responsible
,or 1t an administration whose head Is
100 weak to insist on perfect frankness
and openness, and who let's men no.
tOrfOusly selected for r,a rfiean n rea eopa |
work their will without supervision?
Reunion Notice.
Relatives and friends will take notice
[hat the Immel reunion will be held at