The Washington times., 1902-05-04
Difficult to Collect Re-
quired Figures Of Philip
pine Expenditures.
FACTS NOT MATTERS OF ACCOUNT
Supplies Distributed at Various Points
to Army-Records Not Kept in Ac-
cordance With Geographical Lines
Approximation Only Possible.

Secretary Root has written the Senate
explaining the reason for the delay in
not complying with the Culberson resolu-
/ tion calling for a statement of expendi-
lures in the Philippines from May /.
1898, to the present time. Secretary
Root points out the difficulty of supply
ing this information, and transmits men,
oranda from the Quartermaster General,
the Surgeon General, and the Chief Of
the Signal Corps. showing the trouble in
volved in securing the Information sought
by the resolution. and making 1t impos-
sible to comply with the resolution for
several weeks to come. He says:
The difficulty arises from the fact that
the answer to the question, What parts OF
the different classes of expenditure for
the support of the army are properly as
signable to the conduct of operations in
the Philippines. depends upon a great
number OF facts which are not matters of
account, but which have to be ascer-
tanned from other records than the books
of account"
Distribution of Supplies.
Thus the quartermaster, commissary,
and medical departments purchase sup
plies which go into store, and are from
time to time issued to troops upon a
vast number of separate acquisitions The
books show what was paid, and what was
received for the money. Every dollar is
accounted for and reported to Congress
under its appropriate head. and when the
stores are issued the property accounts
of the officers fix in detail the RESPONSE
bility for every article until 1t is used
up; an examination of the many thousand
individual returns on the files of the
Auditor for the War Department would
show in detail what has become of every
article: but it has never been deemed
useful to carry these details into the
books of account.
In order to ascertain such facts ii is
necessary TO learn outside of those books,
where the troops were from time to time
when they used the articles The accounts
of the War Department never have been
kept with reference to geographical lines,
or arranged to show in what particular
place the supplies of the army are expend-
ed after they are issued.
The pay of the army is rigidly accounted
for and reported to Congress, but there
has been continuous stream of troops
passing to and fro between the United
States and the Philippines during the last
four years.
Many troops have been paid in the
United States for services in the Philip
pines, and many have been paid in the
Philippines for services rendered In the
United States. and we must 60 out of the
books OF account to ascertain what part
OF the money paid to the army is proper
ly assignable to one place, and what part
to another.
Time and Painstaking Labor Needed.
Large quantities OF supplies and equip
ment have been sent to the Philippines
and thence to China, and portions Of them
to the Philippines. Large quan-
titles originally sent to China were sent
from there to the Philippines. Where the
different parts of these supplies were
expended the books do not show and can
not show. Much time and painstaking
labor will. therefore. be required TO an
swer the resolution. and at the best the
answer can be but an approximation.
The work is being done with as great
rapidity and care as is practicable. and
1t the earliest possible day the results |
will be transmitted to the Senate
Attempt to Account Ridiculous.
Army officials say it is ridiculous to |
attempt to account for the expenditures |
in any one locality. The equipment of |
he Sixth Cavalry is cited to show how
absurd such a proposition is. The Sixth |
Cavalry was equipped in the United |
States and sent to China. where fully |
half of its horses and clothing and |
equipment was used up. 1t was then sent |
TO the Philippines. so that during the time
called for in the resolution they saw ser
vice in three separate countries.
In addition to this large quantities of |
stores on hand in the Philippines were
sent to China. and these cannot be ac-
counted for any more than il can be told |
where pair of shoes drawn by a soldier
n the United States are worn out il he
4