The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-25
SECRETARY ROOFS REPLY
His Reasons for Granting Extra
Compensation to Army officers.
The Answer 10 the Bacon Resolution
Claims That Authority to Pay
oVer-Aiiowances Is Given by an
Act cf ConSress-Copies of Al
gers Orders PIEced in Evidence.

senate ms reply 10 UPS Bacon resolution
enquiring into the payment Of extra al
lowances to Army officers in Cuba. The
answer is comparatively brief and states
that the authority to grant extra eempen-
sation to the oneers in question is found
in an act OF Congress approved March 3,
1919. passed after the close Of the Mexican
War, for the settlement Of accounts of pub
lie officers.
The document reads:
Pursuant 10 the orders of the Secretary
OF War. dated respectively March /. 1883
April 19 1893. and May 8. 1893. copies of
which are annexed hereto. allowances have
been paid four officers Of the Army who
have been required TO live in the city OF
Havana, and TO perform important civil
functions IN oonnecti0n with the admins
tration Of the Government Of Cuba, as fol-
lows:
To the Military Governor OF Cuba, at
The rate OF $3.50 per year
To the Military Governor OF Havana, az
The rate OF 5000 per year
10 the Collector Of Customs for the ISL
and OF Cuba. az the rate OF 81 500 per year
To the treasurer OF the Island or Cuba.
al the rate Of $I.S00 per year.
These payments were in addition to the
salary and allowances which the said off,
OF the Treasury OF the United States.
am not aware OF any other payments Of
the ch haracter described in the resolution
10 any officers in Cuba. I annex hereto a
report received some months since from
the headquarters Division Of Cuba showing
That rome others have been made The
payments have been made monthly from
the dates stated in said orders until the
preset time. The precise dates Of pay
me sell In
ment OF receipts and expenditures now in
the course Of preparation under a previous
resolution Of the Senate.
Payments to the military Governor cf
Havana viii cease with the termilatioa Of
that cfice on the lst day OF May. 1900
The names and ranks OF the officers re-
ceivlng the payments were as military
Governor OF Cuba. Major Gen. John r
Brooke. until December IS. 1899. and Ma
lor Gen. Leonard Wood. United St2tes
Volunteers. since that time. a mill sry
Govenor c. Havana. Brig. Gen. william
Ludlow. as Collector Of Customs for Cata
Major Tasker N Biiss: IS Treasurer Of the
Island Of Cuba. Major 2. F. Ladd. Unite1
States Volunteers
No allowances have been made 20 any
cheer in Porto Rico other than the statu-
cory salary and allowances out Of tie
Treasury Of the United States.
The aggregate OF the payments thus
D-ade prior 10 The first DAY Of the present
month was 81 t4i. So The total receipts OF
The Island Of Cuba collected By the officers
during the period covered by TIE aforesaid
expenditure ;heTefrom amounted 10 81. -
026-572.7e. and the total disbursements un-
der their direction amounted 10 $40 ESQ
5l22f.
similar allowances 10 oneers of The
Army performing civil functions in Mexico
and California were approved by Congress
By the act OF March 3 Is49 and the acr Of
February 3. 1888. "A copy OF the second
section Of the said aforementioned act IS
annexed hereto.)
The said payments were authorized by
the President OF the United States upon
the oral advice OF the Attorney General.
that the same We're IN al respects law
ful -"
The act to which Secretary Root refers
as the authority fer granting extra allow
ances is as follows:
And be IL further enacted. That where
an Stdeer has had the supervision OF the
collection Of the military contributions at
any Of the ports in Mexico. and has. al the
same time. exercised civil functions under
the temporary government there estab-
lshed. or where an officer or other. person
shall have performed the duties Of collec-
tors At such ports, such officer or person
shall be allowed a compensation which
shall be assimilated in amount. as nearly
as nay be. Including the regular
pay and emOluments Of such Off
Ger. 10 that allowed by existing laws
TO sficers Of the customs in the United
States where the services are similar in
amount and importance: such allowance in
all cases 20 be determined by the President
of the United States. And all officers Of
the Army and other persons in public
rr~n1rN
Tor their services in collecting keeping
or accounting for said moneys. and for
other necessary services. are authorized
10 retain so much Of the amounts so re-
eelved as, in the opinion OF the President
OF the United States. may be fair eompea-
sation for said services"
Following Is the original order OF Sec
retary Alger. granting the extra allow
ances: Whereas the commanding gen
erals Of The Division OF Cuba and. the De-
lartment of Havana. and the Collector OF
Customs for the Island of Cuba. and the
port Of Havana. are respectively perform
ins, in addition TO their ordinary military
duties, civil functions in connection with
the administration OF the Government of
Cuba. which require outlays and expenses
TO maintain the proper dignity OF their
respective positions in excess OF the amount
OF salary which they receive as officers Of
the United States Army:
Ordered, that for his services as Mill
tary Governor of the Island OF Cuba the
Commanding General. Division of Cuba.
shall receive an annual salary out Of the
revenues OF the island al the rate Of 81
500 year; that the Commanding General
Department Of Havana. for his services as
Military Governor Of Havana, shall receive
out of the revenues OF the island an an
nusl salary al the rate Of s. 600: that the
Collector of Customs fer the Island Of Gu
ba, as Collector Of the Port of Havana
shall receive out of the customs revenues
at Havana. an annual salary at the rate
Of So. see; these to be in addition to their
regular salaries as officers of the United
States Army, the allowances TO begin
March l. 1899. and to be paid monthly. and
evidenced by duly executed vouchers"
Following is the order of Assistant Sec
retary Meikleichn granting extra allow
aness TO the officer acting as treasurer OF
Cuba:
Ordered. that for the payment Of the
necessary expenses incurred and to be in
CURED. incident to his representative ca
pacity, said Treasurer of Cuba shall re-
ceive out of the revenue Of Havana an al
lowance at the rate of 81. 500 per annum.
beginning with May I. iS99 and TO be evil
denced by duly executed vouchers"
Following is the order of Assistant Sac
retary Melklejohn, granting extra allow
snces TO the Collector of Customs at Ha-
vsna. That for the payment of the nee
essary expenses incurred and to be incur
red. incident to his representative capaci-
~. said Collector OF Customs for the Island
of Cuba and port OF Havana shall receive
out OF the customs revenues az Havana an
allowance at the rate of 81 500 per annuul.
beginning with January I. 1899 and to be
evidenced by duly executed vouchers"