Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-21
PASSED BY SENATE
Bacon Resolutions Regarding Army
Officers Compensation,
LIVING EXPENSES EXCEEDED PAY
Mr.. Perkins Advocates the Seating
Of Quay
HOUSE PASSES NAVAL BILL

A bill increasing the limit of cost of the
IeadviIIe Col. public building to S11I,oO0
was passed soon after the Senate con-
vened today.
At the request of Mr. CullOm 0lls.) the
conference report the Hawaiian civil
Government bill was laid before the SEN
ate. 1t was disagreed to and new con-
ference requested, Messrs. Culiom. Morgan
and Clark CWyoD being named as con-
ferees.
Mr.. Jones CArkD offered and secured the
adoption of Il resolution directing the At
tnrue.y General to send to the Senate
statement of the action taken by him in
the case of Jorge Cruz, Il resident of Porto
Rico alleged to have been brought into
this country under contract to labor IN
the nited States. and what steps, II any,
nave been taken or are in contemplation,
looking To proceedings against either the
said Jorge cruz or the party bringing him
into the United States
Compensation of Army Officers.
The two resolution offered by Mr.. Bacon
yesterday the one calling upon the Secre-
tary of War to inform the Senate whether
I-nited States army officers in Cuba and
Porto Rico were in receipt of salaries or
other compensation for their services in adj
.iition To their regular pay as officers, and
the second calling upon the Secretary of
War for detailed Information respecting
the amounts expended for quarters, decora-
tiuns of quarters, equipages intended for
army officers in Cuba and Porto Rico, were
laid before the Senate.
The senior senator from South Dakota
delivered a characteristic address IN support
Of the resolutions. He criticised vigorously
the statements made by the President ana
War Department in response to his res"lu-
tons maintaining they We're not complete
satisfactory.
Mr. Hawley chairman of the military af-
fairs committee. resented the statements OF
The. South Dakota senator as RECKLESS and
unwarranted," and asserted that all tntor-
nation required by the Senate would be
furnished in due time.
Mr. Carter CMontO in an explana ton of
the subject which he had investigated. said
that additional salaries had not been grant
Cd IL army officers on ServiCssfn Cuba or in
Porto Rico. When the United States as
suned the functions of government in tuba
and in Porto Rico army officers were as
signed To perform civil as We'll as military
fiuties These officers, Mr. Carter said, were
thrust into positions where their expenses
necessarily were considerably increased.
Couldn't Live on His Pay.
He instanced the case of an officer of his
OWN acquaintance who found it impossible
t. Meet his additional necessary expenses
out If his regular pay. He therefore asked
to I,- relieved from duty in Cuba or given
an allowance. for expenses. He was given
an allowance of 81 SuO a year. because the
Secretary of War and the President felt
that the officer ought not virtually to be
fined for the performance of duties to
which h. was assigned
In response TO an inquiry from Mr.. Cock
raII a~ t. the sort of expenses which made
the allowances to otncers necessary MI
Carter replied that there We're scores Of eX-
peiI<eS attendant upon official position
which no gentleman could or would refuse
IL meet
-
United States and it was true of the gov
ernor general of Cuba 1t was evident that
thu officers in Cuba needed the additional
money for expenses which they would not
INCUR in the discharge Of their regular mil
itary duties There was no pretense, so
far as the senator knew that the allow
ancas made To officers were to be regarded
as additional salaries.
Mr.. Tilman suggested that it might be
we'll TO wait until the resolutions Were an
swered before entering upon discussion
of them
We on the other side" said he. want
to know something this question. and
have not had the advantage Of information
from the War Department"
How can the senator know he will be
on the other side interrupted Mr.. Chand-
Ter. until he hears the evidence?" Laugh
ter9
I'm always safe in being on the other
side from the senator from New Hamp-
shire" retorted Mr.. Tilrnan.
Mr. Stewart supported the War Depart
ment in making allowances to the officers
IN Cuba for extraordinary expenses made
necessary by reason of their duties.
Mr. Bacon's View.
Mr.. Bacon of Georgia. the author of the
resolutions. discussed them at some length.
He dssented strongly from the proposition
that the President could collect and dis
burse according to his unrestrained judg-
ment the revenues of Cuba.
He did NOT have unlimited n0u-ar
He maintained that the law of the United
States expressly forbade the giving to army
officers any additional compensation above
their regular pay. If allowances We're nec-
essary by reason of their assignment to
duty in Cuba, the matter ought to have
been brought. in his opinion, TO the atten-
ton of Congress He believed it was a
dangerous precedent for the executive
branch Of the government to fall into the
habit of violating the law thus openly
In an extended discussion of the subject
UT. fiatt Comm expressed the opinion
that 1t would be found that officer had
received an additional salary. Allowances
probably had been made and he deemed
such allowances as perfectly proper.
He pointed out that Cuba was not now
and probably never would he a part Of
? the United States 1t was foreign terri
tory, II was occupied b. the army of this
: country under command of the President
I'm coESonance Of international law In this
case, he said, the military authority was
supreme and was limited only in its ad-
tit'9'Itlipil OI the StlldlrS the Island by
the provisions of international law. The
President was chief power on the island
and there could be no other power there
we have heard something" said Mr.
Plat. about regal extravaganza in Cuba
l think there has beer nothing of the kind
There has been no extravaSance. l have
been there The public building or palace
es il is called there. was put in shape iii
10 live IN Nothing more was done II
Congress desires the Information of course
II can ascertain how much Gen. Brooke paid
his cook and how much he paid his cham.
berulaid. but / do not think extrlvagant
expenditures have been made
Authority in Cuba.
Mr.. Plat thought that if there had been
extravaganza it ought to be rsmedied but
Congress had no control over the present
administration Of Cuba. 1t was under mill
sary-executive-and not legislative control
Can We not direct the President to with
draw the army from Cuba?" INQUIRED Mr..
Tillman. "
That is one thing We can do repled
Mr.. Plat p'40u
DO not the acts of Congress control IN
Cuba2 asked Mr. Daniel Of Virginia 49,
No. replied Mr.. Plat. sharply.