Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-15
Republican Repression.

Republicans have a curious sense of pro-
priety Listening to them during the Philip
pine debate, it would seem that they and
they alone had care for the honor of the
army. When an Individual outrage was
alluded to by Democrat. Tray Blanche and
Sweetheart at once cried out the whole
army was attacked, When Senator Culber-
son had charges against certain officers
spread of record, according to Republican
logic, it was an attack upon the army.
When, however, Senator Beveridge out
ragged all rules of common decency by ask
ing if the information given out by the
Texas Senator was furnished by Lieutenant
General Miles, Notwithstanding, he was the
6rst military officer in the land, was an
attack upon the individual. It is true it
was an attack upon the individual, an in
vidious, insinuating, cowardly attack upon
an honored gentleman, and one that ought
not to have been made without solid facts
to base il on but it was as much an attack
on the whole as any Democrat had ever
made in reciting individual outrages, with
this difference, that Democrats always had
facts to substantiate charges and their
charges were never made by innuendo.
What hurt in this whole wretched bus
mess was the fact that Senator Culberson
gave out cold facts which had been pur-
posely withheld by the War Department
Senator Beveridge had nothing save his
own suspicious and his knowledge of the
hostility of the administration toward the
lieutenant general. AS a Senator looking
for further favors he wanted to make a
point against the head of the army, and
if possible justify the i'll treatment and
snubbery Of that officer by the War Sec.
retary. There will be some people Of in
/ quiring minds who will wonder why an
! exposure of. individual acts of cruelty, Of
torture of the rules of civilized warfare is
an attack on the army when such break
as that made by the Indiana Senator is only
striking at the individual
Recurring to the action OF Senator Culber.
son in all candor why was not the informa-
tion asked furnished long ago? The Repub-
licans had suppressed a resolution calling
for it. Senator Spooner said the Republi.
can party dared to do anything He is
right 1t does dare to do anything 1t has
during the last FIVE years suppressed in
formation on many things that the public
ought to know. The Republicans are not
indignant now that wrongs have been per-
petrated but mad because they have been
found out They do not want to punish the
men who committed acts of cruelty but
those who exposed them.
The policy of repression of facts has
been persistently pursued by the RepubH-
cans ever since the advent of McKinley's
first administration. When the custom
house scandal was exposed an investigation
was demanded and denied. Although that
was an unsavory scandal and one that could
not be defended all the facts that could be
concealed were covered up. Although Sec
retary Gage was almost openly charged with
making corrupt deal with Rockefeller's
bank, and the circumstances surrounding
the transaction were of such nature as TO
create grave suspicion Of the Secretary s
honesty--his honor did go to the wall-the
Senate and House of Representatives re-
fused to investigate.
when attenuon was called 70 the Donu
purchase and information was asked for by
the public press, how much Of the one.tenth
Of one per cent was retained as expenses to
put out SI98, 600 worth of bonds. Sec
retary Gage refused to give figures or infor-
nation regarding il. When that same Sec
retary was openly charged with sending
Vanderlip abroad to study European finance
in ninety days at public expense he remain
ed dumb and the public to this day don't
know the truth. It can only surmise and
that surmise is not at all creditable. II is
true that the charges made and the infamy
hinted at was the cause Of Cages retiring
from the Cabinet Even the administration
could not stand that burden, but still the