Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-08
OBJECT TO ROOTS ACTIONS
Democratic senator ChRrRes secretary
with Unfairness aud Demands
Governor TR.tA Report.

WASHINGTON, April THE hearings by
the senate committee on the Philippines
on the situation in the archipelago were
resumed today. with Major General Arthur
Macarthur on the stand, but before he had
begun his testimony Senator Culberson, one
of the democratic members of the com
mtttee, took occasion to call attention to
the omission of the repor. Of the civil gov
ernor of one Of the Philippine provinces
from the record OF Governor Taft's testi-
mony This is the repert referred to in
the correspondence between General Miles
and Secretary Root, Of which the secretary
said
The reference In the memorandum to the
war, dated February 4 1900 is TO a letter
transmitting for the purpose of an In
Nestlgation by the military authorities, a
report by the civil governor of the prov
ince of Tayabas, containing in general
terms and without specifications or names,
serious charges against the military ad-
mlnlstration in that province and against
the conduct of the army generally In its
relations to the civil government.
Senator Culberson quo ed this paragraph,
saying that Governor Taft had promised
to supply these reports OF the civil govern
ment to tha committee es they should be
received.
He added that the repo t in question had
been received by Govern n Taft while he
was before the committe 1t was evident
that this report had reflected on the mill
tary administration OF the Philippines and
he moved that the chairman OF the commit
tee be requested to procure and present
this report. He took occasion to object to
what he characterized as the effort OF the
secretary of war to direct and control the
proceedings of a committee of the senate.
nothing OF the report that had been with
held until he had read the statement
quoted and he had then learned that 1t had
been referred to General Chaffee In order
to secure his comments Upop It. Undoubt-
edly, he said the secretary had thought
that the charges against army officers
should not be sent out without an explana-
tion OF them.
Senator Allison suggested that Governor
Taft had been i'll since his appearance be-
fore the committee and that he should be
written to upon the subject.
Senators Rawlins and Patterson endorsed
the position of Senator Culberson. Mr
Rawlins said that If the Investigation was
to be more than a mere farce the report
should be called for. He took occasion to
say that the secretary of war had withheld
other information which had been called foI
even by the senate and he instanced the
report made by that official on the ques-
tion Of the transport service. saying that
the secretary had in his reply withheld tho
reports made by government inspectors
which we're on Ale in the department.
Senator Culberson changed his resolu-
tion so as to call directly upon tho secre
tary OF war for the report. with request tc
forward any information he may have from
General Chafee. and in this form the res
olution was adopted.
General Macarthur then began his state
ment. which, he said. would be review o.
his observations IN the iin%ds and opinions
he had formed. He said t4IIt after a cold
plete study of the situation he had con-
cluded that permanent American oecupa.
tion OF the islands was advisable
The general had not concluded his state
ment when the committee adjourned unit
10 80 o'clock tomorrow.