The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-30
\ SENSATION BREWING
About 100000 Spent by The 18th.
milan Canal Commission.
WORKED EIGHT WEEKS IN THREE YEARS
Admiral Walker Defends tbs cenu,lssen
and Says Vouchers for Al Ex-
pen6tures Ara On File.
Especial to The Post.)

washington, December 20.--Comment nm
the amount Of money paid tho old 18Th
milan canal commission, Of which Admiral
John G. Walker Is president has developad
during the holidays into what is regarded
by many Washington officials as great
scandal The case in nutshell is this:
Three years ago congress passed bill
creating the commission aud appropriatine
S1,ooo,ooo for It's expenses. Admiral walk.
er was appointed president. The other
members appointed were ex-senator Pasco
OF Florida, Alfred Noble Of Chicago Colo
mel Hams and Lieutenant Ernst of the en-.
eipeer corps Of the army, Prof Lewis
Haupt Of Philadelphia, George s. Morrison,
Prof. Emory Johnson and william II. Burr
of New York, with lieutenant Commander
tary
II has been intimated by Senator Nor
gan of Alabama and Representative Hep.
burn OF Iowa that the commission has been
actively employed but eight weeks during
the three years Of It's existence Admiral
walker has drawn $4,000 per year as his
salary and the other commissioners have
/ drawn $4,000 per year each. The com.
mission has not yet spent the last half OF
the Sl,0o0OoO appropriation, hut IL IL un.
derstood that large sum has been expend.
ed in travel, surveys, clerk hire aud vari-
Gus other items IN connection with the
WORK Of the commission.
Senator Morgan nrst brought the large
expenditures and small labors Of the com
mission to the attention OF congress 10 q
speech IN the senate the day of adjourn
ment for the holiday recess. On the same
day Mr.. Hepburn introduced q resolution
IN the house calling on the secretary OF
state for a statement of the names Of the
/ commissioners, together with the list OF
expenditures, etc: The, reply to this In.
quiry Is expected to bring to light tho
things which are now said In some circles
10 constitute tue scandal There will very
probably be discussion of the case In the
/ house and senate ana some salty things
/ are likely to be heard
Mr.. Hepburn charges that the commits
sion has made places for sons Of army
/ and navy officers, senator's and representa-.
tiYes and others prominent In political aud
| social life.
He has said that many employees have
been added who have drawn pay fur be
yond the measure of their usefulness II Is
a list of these employees and their pay that
his resolution seeks TO bring 10 light
IL begins to look as II the members OF
the commission have made an altogether
TOO tree use or confidential fund entrust.
ed 10 them by the government and II the
charges already circulating are proven
there will be a National sensation
Senator Morgan, on the senate door, said
he bad been unsuccessful, after months OF
labor in getting II list Of the salaries paid
10 the employees.
Concerning the allegations Of Senator
|
has this 10 say;
''If had not read It IN the Congressional
Record ] would not have believed that Sen.
ator Morgan ever made such j statement
"a that he was unable to obtain any Off
cial information as TO what salaries We're
being paid 10 the members 81 the commits
sion and to those IN It's employ note
TO the president to the secretary of state,
to the auditor, or comptroller Of the treas
ury, or to me would have promptly brought
the desired Information.
COLA .aF 41.sra
mission vera liked by President Mchlu-
ley at $4,000 year, together with the
actual and necessary expenses OF travel.
Large sums hSw necessarily been spent
for travel, surveys, salaries, etc. but not
| . single voucher allowed by the commission
Las been disalowed by the higher autholt.
ties. Neither has ruling Of the commits
sion in stopping the payment Of any Claim
been reversed The voucher for every eN'
pense after being carefully scrutini5ed ~
this Office has gone 10 the secretary Of
state for his approval thence TO- the audi
tor Of the treasury, and finally TO the
comptroller OF the treasury. The total APP
: propriations for the commission have been
81 ,075, coo, nearly all Of which Is spent.
''There is not and has never been, q
my knowledge or the knowledge Of any
] one IN this Office. IN the employ OF ms
: commission the son Of single army Of
. naval officer, senator or representsuye
2 or Of any person prominent In political 81
social life The salaries allowed thos'
employed was. only sufficient 70 Secur,
! work required Of them.
] "a list Of the employees and their sal
D aries has never been published for th'
reason that no provision has ever beef
made for the publication Of the commits
sion's report. We have nothing TO secrete
and nre always prepared 20 furnish lni9r
nation on any subject connected with IN
, commission and it's work 10 those entiue,
to II.
. Regarding the relative cost Of main
= tenance OF the Panama and Nicaragua
I routes as referred to By Senator Morgan
: the figures were mover adopted by m
commission and are IN no manner ofnciaI
The totals were used by US, but only 10
comparison ana as tho best obtainahle to
formation These estimates Of the cost q
maintenance were made by LleutennD
Colonel Ernst aud submitted "a tho com
, | mission. They were not embodied ~ w
report however, ms II was thought the
might hc excessive.
$ ION the completion OF the hrst repor
. | OF the commission August Il, 1901, M @
The members OF the commission, Win "a
evceDtIop of ex-senator Posco and mysel
r we're furloughed This action was take
G after consultation with the secretary o
, stale we both agreed that this cours
was preferable to q permanent uissolnlo
Of the commission ms II uight be desN
able 70 call them together again at som
I future time,
MOVEMENT OF OCEAN VESSELS.