The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-29
Treasury and Customs Ac-
counts Under Scrutiny.
EXPERTS MAKE GUARDED REPORT
They Tell Gen. Wood that the Bookkeep-
ing IL Above ReProaeh, and They BE-
lisVe that Everything, 20 Far as They
Have Gone. l. >aIi.factory-Gen. Bri.-
10" Reducing Expenses in the Postal
>ervice-Reeyes TO BE Put in Jail.

! Havan. May 2S.-Gnn. Wood received to-
i Gay report from the auditors who h, We
. o'tn investigating the treasury aud the
/ customs departments Tie audirors say
I they have not finished their work. but re-
/ li've that everything. 50 far as thev have
gore, Is satisfacpry. At all events. the
/ method OF keeping the books is perfact.
| and does not present any diffrcultv to the
examiner. The auditors are not Havana
F employees, but have been brough- -speci-
s'iy from the United States. because Of
/ their records as experts. Although the
/ investigation has not been completed.
much qualification Is felt by the officials
az the provisional report
II is nov believed that scandal does not
touch any other branch OF the service
tEan the postal
Ai the Cuban clubs. however. they say
hat the postal frauds alone settle the
ql tStion Of American occupation" con-
I teLdlng That this must cease as soon as
the military are Withdrawn. because. as
tho CubanS put it. the only civil depart
| lneht not under military supervision turns
| cut 10 be a gigantic fraud" The arou-
n'"nt Is that the Americans will not at
! tempt after these revelations. TO impose
civil government upon Cuba.
Bristow's Investigation,
The postal department investigation is
proceeding. Reeves. as soon as his ser
vices are no longer required. will be re-
moved to jail or placed under bail. This
may take place almost Immediately.
Acting Director General Bristow is still
endeavoring 20 reduce expenses in the
postal department To-day he ISSUED an
order cutting down salaries in the Ha-
vana local office, the pay Of the postmas-
ter being reduced from 81 800 to 80. 900. that
Of his assistant from $1,000 to $3.50. and
that of ten other employees by amounts
ranging from 5000 to S4O0 Mr.. Bristow
says he is fixing the salaries at figures
slightly above those paid in the United
States because of the abnormal conditions
existing here.
Seven clerkships have also been abol-
ished making reduction of another
$3.50. In the order Mr.. Bristow says that
additional reductions can be made in the
local office without detriment
The printers Ruis have been called upon
by Mr.. BristOw to explain their connec-
tion with the postal department. as many
of their contracts are suspiciously low.
and the firm is charged with getting
paper fUFdN from NeelE- VINO GiG not
have 10 pay duty on paper as he brought
it in for the ostensible use of the depart
meRt
Professors Lose SineCures.
The recent decree of Gen. Wood order
ing professors in the University Of Ha-
vena who are without pupils to cease ~
hOlG their positions had the effect Of
causing many to lose sinecures. In one
branch of the university there were
eleven professors. whose compensation
aggregated $4,000. teaching only zine
pupils.
Gen. Wood has ordered the secret pGlice
10 be placed under the direction of Capt. !
Pitcher
Mgr. Sbarretti, bishop of Havana to-day !
protested to Gen. Wood against the con |
hscaiOn of church property by a number !
of municipalities, Gen, Wood replied that /
this was matter for the courts 10 de- !
eide, ard that he did not feel he had a |
right TO make military order on an ex |
parte statement.