Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-04-18
GOT FULL REPORT.
BUT HAD TO USE A CORK
SCREW TO GETIT.
Gross Extravaganza and Political favoritism
Shown-The Presidents Autocratic Methods
Likely to Create Breach Between Congress
and the President-The Cuban Tariff Per.
picking Question to the Administration.
tFrom our regular correspondent.)


and the President-The Cuban Tariff Per.
picking Question to the Administration.
tFrom our regular corrcspondent)
WASHINGTON, April 10, 1902.
Events in Congress during the past
week have operated TO seriously dis
credit the War Department and Sec
rotary Root, and the Senate Commit.
tee on Military Affairs has expressed
its disapproval by a vote which is al.
most an aflront to the President and
his favorite Secretary. refer to the
refusal of the Committee to report ia
vorably the nomination of Captain
Crozier as Chief OF the Ordnance Blu.
reau. Through the publication, at
the demand of Congress, of the CORE
spondence between General Miles and
the President, the Senate Philippines
Committee became aware that, while
the Secretary of War had professed to
submit to the Committee all the re-
ports touching on military affairs in
the Philippines, he had withheld that
Of the civil Governor of Tabayas,
which reflected seriously on the mill.
tary conduct in the islands. A reso-
luton of the Philippines Committee
brought the report with very feeble
excuse from Secretary Root.
The Senate Committee on Military
Affairs is indignant because the Sec
rotary withheld from it the report on
the transport service which afterwards
was sent to the House on the demand
of that chamber. The report con.
tains unquestionable evidence OF gross
extravaganza of administration, politi.
cal favoritism, etc. That these facts
should have been made known only
by the Intervention of the Democrats,
who introduced the resolution calling
upon the Secretary for the reports, is a
source Of modification and chagrin to
the Republicans who appreciate that
the onus of suppressing information
to which the public is entitled. rests
upon them. While space will not
permit a recitation OF the many dis
graceful facts which the reports re-
veal, it may be said that they bear ev-
idence, among other things, that the
expenditure of large sums Of money
was entrusted to political favorites
without the slightest qualifications
for their disbursement; that, for in
stance, 100000 was paid for the
transport Meade" vessel already
twenty-seven years old and which has
since required repairs which have cost
upward OF $5S0,OOO. According to
General Young, preference was shown
to particular firms and goods pur-
chased through them which they were
not in position to supply and for
which they charged, in some in.
stances, 100 per cent. more than the
current market price. Extensive pur.
chases were made from political favor
ties without competition or even the
supervision OF a competent officer.
The refusal of the Senate Commit
tee on Military Affairs to approve the
nomination Of Captain Crozier to be
Chief OF the Ordnance Bureau is be-
lieved to have even more serious sig.
niticance than the reputation OF the
Secretary OF War, and it was rumored
about the capitol yesterday that it
was the beginning of an organized
warfare on the President by Senators
who object to the formers autocratic
methods and his refusal to appoint
their political henchmen to govern
ment positions. 1t is well.recog.
nized fact that were Mr.. Roosevelt
obliged to depend upon the Republi.
can politicians for denomination his
chances would be absolutely nil, and
it is believed by some that the Sena.
tors. having become exssperated. have
determined to discredit the Chief Elk.
ecutive by opposing his nominations
in the Senate.
The Presidents energetic champion
ship OF Cuban reciprocity is a cause of
serious annoyance to a number OF Re.
publican Senators. They say, with
good reason, that it the party makes a
cut on the only tariff schedule which
does or can protect the farmers and
leaves intact those schedules which
are recognized as protecting the Steel
Trust and other gigantic corporations,
their Western constituents will lose
all faith in the party and will hearken
to the Democratic contention that the
Republican party is dominated by the
great monopOlies and stands ready TO
sacrifice the interests of the people
rather than those of the trusts. This
view is believed to be held by Senator
Allison and many other Western Sen.
ators and, while they propose to op-
pose the Cuban reciprocity bill when
it comes from the House, they are in
dignant that the President should
have put them in the position OF dis.
regarding the popular clamor for the
relief Of Cuba on the one hand, or of
laying themselves open to the charges
specified on the other.
On Tuesday the House OF Represen-
tatives took up the Cuban reciprocity
bill and Is now considering it in the
Committee of the Whole. The Dom
ocrats will make every effort to amend
the bill so that it may reduce the
tariff on the schedules and Mr.. Burle.
son OF Texas will endeavor 10 have the
reduction apply to all Of those pro.
ducts which are used especially by the
farmers. A contingent. led by Repre-
sentative Tawney of Minnesota, will
attempt to have the differential on
refined sugar removed so that
the consumers may profit by reduce
ton OF the price. Mr.. Payne, in his
opening speech on the bill, was forced
TO admit that the consumers paid the
tariff on sugar and his statement will
be taken AZ basis for the action.
While it is feared that, under tho tyr.
rannical Reed rules, the bill will be
forced through the House without
amendment, the Democrats will leave
no plan untried in their efforts to sc.
cure for the consumer some advantage
from the tariff reduction.
The testimony which General Mac
Arthur offered to the Philippines Com.
mittee on Tuesday caused consterna-
ton among the Republicans. Gene
raj MacArthur stated that he did mt 70