Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-08-09

! ~ - o@"o ~ IL I4oo"y OhsdiS " OepOSlt Nv
Foreign Banks or Run the Chances Of Being
Robbed-The Claim of Fine Woods in the
Philippines is unfounded-Poor Cuba-Ha-
waiian Sugar Planters Want CooIic Labor
More Petty Meanness in the Naval Depart.
ment.
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, August 2, 1901.
If it took Secretary Root three
years to make up his mind to take the
first step toward putting a stop to an
illegal practice on the part of army
officers in the Philippines, who handle
government money, how long will it
take to stop the practice? That is the
conundrum suggested by Secretary
Roots request that the heads of bu-
reaus in the War Department submit
suggestions as TO the best way of re-
lieving the responsibility of officers
who handle public money in the Phil.
ippines, and what ought to be done
about those officers who have been
and are violating army regulations
and making themselves liable to court.
martial by depositing public funds in
foreign banks, instead OF taking the
chance of keeping them in their possess
sion. Three years ago the attention
Of the Secretary of War was called to
this matter, and Congress had jab
at it, but did not improve the situa-
ton. 1t authorized the deposit OF
United States funds in banks in China
and elsewhere, provided the banks so
designated would deposit United States
bonds with the Treasury Department
to the value of the deposits. A num-
Der of banks were designated as de.
positories of public funds under that
act, but every one of them refused to
buy and deposit United States bonds.
This left the officers of the Paymas-
ter's Department the choice between
violating both law and army regula-
tions and keeping the money near
them and taking the chances OF hav-
ing it stolen. Most OF them chose the
first and recent report from one Of
ficer shows that he has mole than
5000, 600 in Hong Kong bank. An
other officer, who was among the few
who chose the last, was recently
robbed of $780, 900, which he had in q
small safe and of which no trace has
since been found. Surely it was high
time that the War Department took
the matter up. 1t is true that moth
ing can be done TO relieve the situa-
ton except through an act of Con-
gress, but it is also true that the War
Department should point out to Con-
gress what ought to be done, in order
that the failure of the last legislation
on the subject shall not be repeated.
One by one the stories OF the means
by which fabulous wealth was to be
obtained from the Philippines are be-
ing swept away as actual knowledge
gained. One of the most reasonable
of these stories concerned the great
forests OF fine woods on the islands
that American makers of fine furni.
ture would gladly pay fortunes for.
This is the way that story, with all it's
variations was punctured by United
States government forestry expert
Capt. G. P. Ahern-who has just re-
turned from the Philippines "a
mistaken idea prevails in this country
that most OF the Philippine timber is
of varieties very valuable for cabinet
making. There are seven or eight
varieties which take a fine finish, but
apart from those none OF the native
woods are likely to find their way to
the United States"
Intelligent observers just from Cuba
report business in q bad way all over
the island, owing to the uncertainty
of the future. Merchants are afraid
to invest any more capital until they
know more about what the Cuban
government is to be, and they are un.
usually careful in selling goods on
credit. The worst part of the bust
ness is that there is no hope for any
change for the better in the near flu.
ture, as the shortest estimate of the
time that will be required to establish
q Cuban government is eight months
from the date upon which Gen. Wood
issues the orders for holding the two
elections that will be necessary, and
Gen. Wood is now in this country, or
rather in the waters adjacent thereto
on board government vessel, which
he is using as his private yacht, and
the orders will not be issued until he
returns to Havana. which he sage will
he in about three weeks.
Agents of Hawaiian sugar planters
are in Warrington trying to find out
if they can legally import Filipinos or
Chinese from the Philippines to work
on their plantations. They attempt
ed, through third parties, to get an
opinion from the Commissioner Gene
raj of immigration on tho matter, but
he declined to express one, saying
that it was not his business to decide
questions until they came before him
officially. He did, however, inciden.
tally express the opinion that If the
Hawaiian sugar planters would pay
sufficient wages they could get all the
laborers they wanted, from the South
ern States-laborers who would make
ideal hands on sugar plantations.
But that is just what these planters
do not wish to do. Many of them
have grown rich by importing coolie
labor from Japan, . practice that had
to be stopped when Hawaii was an.
nexed to the United States, and it is
that class OF labor they wish to get
from the Philippines, because of its
cheapness, both in wages and keep.
Rear Admiral CrOwninshield, Chief
OF the Bureau Of Navigation, popular
ly known as the Bureau of Fabrica-
tion," because Of its method of attack
ing Admiral Schley. took advantage OF
his being acting Secretary of the Navy
between the departure of Secretary
Long and the arrival OF Assistant Sec
rotary Hackett to make showing OF
animosity toward Schley which was as
small as it was disgusting, by issuing
an order forbidding employees OF the
Navy Department to assist Capt. Par
ker, assistant counsel for Schley, who
is examining the records to prepare