The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-30

matter for profound regret. ought not to hurt tho
administration In this or any other state il the
situation Is promptly and vigorously dealt with
and II The discovery leads to the establishment o
better system and service"
Ana. indeed, this Is the plain, unyarnishcd
uuth' lhe most bitter enemies Of the admins
eeuon could contrive for its ruin no more deadly
empiication than the appearance Of q desire on
'ts part to hide the facts and screen the crimi
nais in this disgraceful and abhorrent scandal.
The American people are not dupes and fools
They cannot be placated by the sacrifice OF one
victim when they know. in their hearts, that there
are othe.s equally IL not more guilty The worst
thing that can happen to Mr.. Mckinley is a sus.
picion that some one. acting by his authority, is
trying to immcrse the whole episode In the opaque
puddle OF red tape. star chamber confabuation
and interminable inquiry. The bunder OF Porto
Rico would be as nothing In comparison.
Imperialism In CubG.
or course all goCu citizens Of all par.
ties had hoped that Neely's case was
only sporadic case Of thievery and
did not indicate that the Cuban -Ameri-
can postal revenue system Is rotten to
the core. but latest developments show
that such a hope was destined to dis
appointment. 1t now wappears that many
besides the greedy Neely were busy gob-
bling great gobs of the public money,
whether Cuban or American shall not
undertake ut this writing to say, but
ono or tother or both. Even the be-
loved Rathbone seems to have led the
van. His desire appeared to be to DEM
onstrate the preposterous capers which
can be cut by "a beggar on horseback" :"
or, In this case, a beggar In the post
office department.
IL we had recognized the independ-
ence Of the Cuban republic, rs we
should have done, we would have
avoided this huge and unsavory scan.
dal, together with many other unpleas.
ant things, but when We went in for
establishing and maintaining n "sta.
BILE" government over there we got into
oil sorts Of trouble and at last into dis.
grace.
Rathbone cut such an amazing dash
that l am afraid that Republicans
would accuse me Of drawing the long
bow IL. In my own language, gave
an account. even plain and unvarnish-
cd. Of his imperial goings OH and do.
ings. But Republicans ought to be.
heve Republicans. as nobody else will
believe them. So I quote Republican
papers for the edification Of Republic
nm readers-those doubling Thomases
who still hug the delusion that there is
anything good In tho G.. o. p. Here is
an excerpt from tho Washington cor
respondence Of the Cincinnati CONNER.
ciai Tribune. thick and thin Repub.
lican organ:
Major Rathbone's exaggerated estimate Of his
own importance a. q government ofEsial in Cuba
and his PERSONAL cxtraysSancs are the subjects Of
stories here.
These stories are chiefly related ty civilians,
army ofhccrs and government employees who have
returned from the island. They include anecdotes
OF Major Rathbones fashionable residence furnish.
Cd and fitted out from the Cuban revenues and the
somewhat regal manner in which he lives and en-.
tcrtains.
Among the expenses paid o3t of these revenues
Was an item Of Chinese lanterns with which the
grounds OF Rathbone's residence were illuminated
upon the occasion OF fashionable gathering.
some OF his social functions entalcd an outlay OF
hundreds OF dollars, but Rathbone's personal in.
come did not suffer thereby. Boats and yachts
were freely placed at the disposal OF Major Rath.
bones friends and guests. Upon these boats there
were merry excursions. aud the Cuban revenues
paid the BILL Ono instance Is related where wo.
man correspondent. who announced that she in.
tended to print an article laudatory OF Major
kathbonc had a boat placed at her aisposal for
an extended junket. during which she visited all
the important seacoast towns. 1t is said upon au-
thority here that Rathbonc made four visits to the
united States, accompanied by his family, and
tor cac! OF these visits turned in an expense bill
OF 5000. which paid. None Of these bills
found its way to the postofice department at
Washington. The Cuban system since the outset
has been practically independent Of the service
here.
A fragrant Scandal.
That mark you. is an excerpt from
q Republican paper.
IL IL will not be considcrcl as rub.
bing it In. hereby commend to Re.
publicans this rich editorial from the
Philadelphia North American, a Re-
publican paper from away back:
OUR THIEVES IN CUBA.
10 Is extremely unfortunate for the policy OF
expansion that the first attempt at the manage.
nent u the Cuban postal system by American OF.
heials should have put fortune into the pockets
OF thief. IL Is unfortunate for its eject upon
The United States and for what it forebodes as to
the future course Of colonial administration.
Cuta IS 100 miles from tne mainland OF the
United states. IL Is ovcrrun with American yis-
iiors. Delegations of business men and politicians,
both American and Cuban. circulate in both iii.
rectiols. Vet this fragrant scandal. which ought
to have been discovered within a month. was al.
lowed to run on for nearly year under our eyes.
Tic Philippines are 5000 miles away. Nobody
goes there who can stay away. II takes three
months IT, send letter and get an answer. II
The cl'ief financial agent Of our postal department.
In Cuba has beer able To steal an amount various
ly cs'imatcl at from $1,000 to S50o0o what
may happen at Manila?
Some things are certain. One IL that wherever
the technical legal liability may rest the United
States ought TO make this theft good TO the peo.
PIC ot Cuba and recover whatever il can from
Nicely and his bondsincn. We are running the Gu.
Ian government Oh the ground that the Cuban
people are not yet capable Of running IL Tor them.
selves. We assumed the responsibility without be.
Ing asked. and we can do nothing less thsn live I'D
TO IL.
Another certainty is that We must make such