The evening times., 1900-06-01
Circulation Statement.
The Scandals of the War.

The Scandals of the War.
What a pity it is that President Nc
Kinley did not heed the warning voice OF
the independent press eighteen months
ago. and look into the scandals that then
began to develop in connection with the
purchase of old liners. yachts, tugs. tanks.
ferryboats, barges. and scows for use as
Government transports. or auxiliary
cruisers in the Spanish war. He had am
pie notice that the negotiations incidental
to the transactions in question were rot
ten with fraud and corruption. II was
declared repeatedly, by people who seemed
to know what they were talking about,
that the war emergency fund had been
enormously robbed; that owners Of the
vessels transferred did not as a rule
receive more than fifty to sixty-hve per
cent Of the price paid by the Government:
and that the difference went into the
pockets of people with a political pull.
The Hazel case. the least offensive of the
kind Of which We have heard. points the
moral and, by comparison, even adorns the
tale. Hazel acted as go-between in the
sale Of a gacht, worth perhaps twenty-five
thousand dollars, to the United States for
eighty thousand dollars Tie seller re-
ceived sixty thousand, the broker FIVE thou
sand and fifteen thousand went to some
body for personal influence. 1t was alto
gether a small affair and unworthy TO be
mentioned on the same day with the scan
dal Of the Merrimac purchase, which was
providentially put to sleep when Sampson
ordered that tell-tale, rotten hulk to be
sunk at the mouth Of Santiago H2r5or.
The Merrimac however. was not the
only pebble on beach covered with SINH
lar specimens Senator Jones appears to
have personal knowledge of one fruitful
deal. and he could easily supply himself
with data concerning a score or two more.
He could probably secure circumstantiaI.
if not direct, evidence to show that a single
obscure individual in private life and pre-
viOusly iT poor circumstances, but enjoy
ing the accident of high personal infu-
ence, was favored with a handsome COM
mission cn each one of many sales of the
sort under consideration. The whole bust
ness from first TO last reeked with ras-
cality. and it was Mr.. McKinley's misfor-
tune that he was induced to wink at the
whitewash brush. when he ought to have
sent for the police.
As the matter stands, the demand of
Senator Jones Of Arkansas for an item
lied statement of expenditures under the
fifty million dollar emergency fund is en-
tirely reasonable and will be backed BIZ
the country 1t does not involve any sug-
gestion uncOmplimentary to the President
as far as his personal integrity may be
concerned He did not handle the money
but divided it among the executive de-
partments. He may be blamabIe for squan-
dering large sums on such devices for SUD
pressing the Truth regarding outrages. up-
on the Government and its Army as
the Alger Relief Commission; but his
personality is not in direct question in
connection with the transport or other
war disclosures Of seandaIous character.
1t is TO be assumed that he will gladly or
der the most careful accounting of his
stewardship Of the handsome sum Of fifty
million dollars which loyal and confiding
nation placed unconditiOnally n his hands
at time of sudden trouble and anxiety.
In that accounting the various amounts
paid for the Merrimac and other craft by
the War and Navy Departments should
duly appear, and then the appropriate COM
mittees of Congress could summon wit
nesses and perhaps in most cases discover
who got the commissions paid for "politi-
CAL influence The report might also shed
light upon other classes Of transactions
equally profitable to the middlemen with a
pull.
The Senate should lose no time in fol-
lowing up the movement initiated by Sena-
tor Jones Of Arkansas, and a committee to
sit during the recess of Congress should
be at once authorized. with full powers to
send for persons and papers, and to take
testimony under oath. When that has b en-
provided for. there are doubtless many citi-
zens who can and will suggest to the com
mittee the names Of gentlemen of more or
less respectability and prominence who
would be extremely productive witnesses,
especially if promised immunity from sub
sequent criminal proceedings.