The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-03
Explanation by MIR. LodEe--A Cable.
gram From Chaffee.

y Washing ton, May 3.-At the conclusion
of routine business in the senate to-day
the resolution previously offered by Mr..
Patterson (Col) requesting the president
to cause the secretary Of war to cable
Major Gardener, in the Philippines, to
come to Washington to appear as a wit
ness before the Philippines committee,
was laid before the senate.
Mr.. Lodge (Mass.), chairman of the
Philippines committee, explained that
when it had been learned that Major Gar
dener's regiment would not leave the
Philippines until about June s15 THE COM
mittee on Philippines had decided to SEE
cure Major Gardeners press 4ca as soon
as possible. Later it was Sfound that
Major Gardener had fled mo- specifications
of the charges he had made to" the Philip
pines commission The committee. then
had rescinded it's action calling for Major
| Gardener. Yesterday he said the war de-
partment was notified that Major Gar
| dener had filed few specifications, very
| indefinite in character and mentioning
| the name of only one officer. When an
| investigation was ordered Major Gardener
| complained that the investigation had
| developed into an attack upon him and he
asked for counsel. A board was appointed
|
| some time probably would elapse before
the board could make it's report. Under
the circumstances the then Philippine
committee had thought it we'll to permit
Major Gardener an opportunity to prove
before the Philippines authorities the
truth of his charges, an opportunity
which he would have, full and talr.
Mr.. Rawlins said it was evident that
Major Gardener thought the investigation
| to be made of his charges was in un-
= friendly hands. He said the bias of Cen
| eral Chaffee, as shown in his cable
gram, indicated that Major Gardener was
reluctant to submit himself to an 1nvestl
| cation by officers who had been the sup
iect of his criticisms.
Now Mr.. Rawlins said it is proposed tt
go through the farce of awaiting the
Specifications filed by Major Gardener ant
the result Of an inquiry made by the
board. He sympathized with the motives
of the Washington officials. that tn
charges should be fully investigated; bu
he held that some tribunal ought TO D.
selected to make the investigation W1thou
the possibility of the charge of partiality
He believed the committee ought not t
~ refuse to send for Major Gardener as hi
testimony was extremely important.
Mr.. Spooner said the remarks Of Mr.
Rawlins were quite characteristic OF tn
action of the democrats in this debate
= He had READ carefully Ztue. leleSIdnu IL VI
General Chaffee and had discovered moth
ing Indicating any bias on his part.
"The senator from Utah" said MI
2 Spooner, z"sceems to be blinded with suspi
cion of the army and almost everybod
charged with any responsibility in tn
Philippines.
It seemed to him that there was a to-
great Willingness on the part of the mi
nority to impeach the whole America
army.
Mr.. Rawlins seemed to think no arm
board could be constituted which woul
, investigate searchingly the case of Majo
Gardener.
He denied emphatical1y that the off
: GERS constituting the board of inquir
were those who had served in the PROVING
. of which Major Gardener was governor
The cablegram from General Chaffe
stated that board consisting Of Colonel
Z Whit, Duncan and Captain johnson wer
Investigating the charges made by Majo
Gardener but up to the present tim
Z. Major Gardener had furnished the name
: Of only one man, although saying he ha
several witnesses.