The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-17
SPONSOR FOR GENER AL WOOD Root Shoulders the Whole
 Burden. AUTHORIZED EVERYTHING
 - Committee VIII Recommend Confirmation, s to 2. ssspstssy q War 1szusd ordss AZ fsctins cuba's Judiciary aystsm and ia zssponsibls for yai
 Alai conesssiou.
AUTHORIZED EVERYTHING

waahinxton. Dec. 1s.--rhe Senate Com mittse on military AfEairs tonight con cIuded its investiSation of charges aEzinst General wood filed tor the purpose Of preventing his confirmation as naiof kssa- eral. Secretary Root was the oniy mitncns ts- day. He was oa the stand for two a.lsi a half hours at tho forenoon sessIon ana occupied tho attention Of the committed tonight from o'clock until 1f:z0. rho committee VIII meet tomorrow 10 prepare It's report. It Is understood that con1f
 nation will be recommended by vote oE 2 Q 2. A minority report wiil he made by the opposing members Of the coaa- mittee.
 The Only nsfsnae.
 The testimony oF Secretary Root is practically the only defense that has been offered in the hearing which has extend ed ainco about the beginning of the ex- |traordinary session Of Congress. This ses- tiEnony. however. covered tho entsxa range of the eyldsnce produced asainsk General Wood and was supported iil many instances with colrespondence ana other data taken from recordg at tue War penartment covering the period nl Geif- efal Wo6d'c administration as spTcffng general of Cuba.
 Secretary Root undertooiS 10 aszsins flls whole responsibility for tho ordefs is~ sued by General Wood afkectIns lhe judi { cial system in Cuba and concerning the concession granted % the Tai Aiat cors- pany at Havana ft justified the accept= anee by General Wood of tho present o< the silver seryice rom the J6i Aial Com.
 Root Given Latitude
 At tne forenoon session of tne eoA1n1ft4 Geo SacrHtAfx Root Wu9 NiVen e*8fr iafzs kpdea ir telling hia story of fhz 4SEssxa sss kh1 5pi9iN and rsfsstnK tha c4akxea <lIzt fa4 been tz1ade by . naiiibef of #Il5tss1s< aalkAd b9 senA tor Teller which confined Inc Secretary fo n,incisis l6tter. tld val AiAis the Rathbone trial, Genefai woods grieudship for BeIiairs. and the question of seniority as a means of rec03nizin& military service. Many of the daeetloAs were pointed and isi some instances severe upon General Wood. but in er4fv eass General Wood found warm de- 7 Secretary Root was asked ssDeciaiiy about the chargb which Major Rafhbuns haa made that General Wood liad lng0S enced the courts in iho prosecution of katebone and had tempered wlth tlis e0iifts
 Court ayntsm Explained.
 The Secretary explained at a1uae lenrtn the court system in Cuba. saying that the nourt of first instance was in reality an ndJeeg directed to prosecute and to obtain evidence He was something like d rrarid jury In finding evidence but was further empowered te 90 out and obtain evidence, mingle with the paople procure aflldavffN and otherwise to collect evidence against alleged offenders The Secretary said ho knew what General Wood was doing in this matter and approved t. The Secretary said that in fact he oa- racked that the prosecution of the offend- ass Do vigorous agfd General Wood was qcting In this matter under orders from tna War Department
 The Secretary also took up the subject of the Tai Aiai Company concession and Faid that this was not a gambling com pany nor was the game pelota p'ayed un- der the management of the company a horse race or . game of baseball MAn could bet on the results as upon other games of skill.
 The Jai A1ai Concession.
 He said that the concession or right Of fha Jai Aiai Company was granted before the American occupation and that the concession for which General Wood had been criticized was that of an addition to the building of the company The oniy question in regard to this grant was whether or not 1t would be contrary Co the Foraker amendment.
 The whole matter was referred fp tha War Department by General Wood. The subject was first considered by Jndee Maeoon. law offiGer of the bureau of iss- sular affairs. who after most careful review of the case had held that the ex- tension did not come within the Foraker amendment preventing the granting of franchises in Cuba The Secretary said he reviewed. Judge Magnon's opinion ana came to the same conclusion. re au@ therity granted to the company was then approved by the War Department so thst General Wood In this matter acted under .~tru~tionS md with the approval of ehe War. rox,arffaent