The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-05-14
WASHINGTON.
From Cur Regular Correspondent.

Washington, May II, 1903.
To the CONSERVATION and disgust
of the Administration, the Porto Rcan
smuggling scandals will not down.
Mail advces of the situation and
sentiment in the island are now be-
ginning to arrive and reveal an ugly
feeling which has not bsen equaled
since it was decided that the Porto
Ricans were not American citizens.
1t seems that Mr.. John S. Hord, chief
of the internal revenue bureau, order
ed the prosecution of Captain Dunlop
Robert Giles and Captain Metz IN the
absence of Treasurer Willoughby but,
he alleges, bv Mr.. Willoughby's orders.
when Mr.. Willoughby returned to San
Juan he made public an emphatic
denial of Mr.. Hord's allegation and
the latter Immediately resigned. His
resignation was promptly accepted
and the people are indignant beyond
expression at what they regard as the
forcing out OF an official who perform.
ed his duty without fear or favor, be-
cause he refused to be party TO the
favoritism of the American Admins
tration and nullfy the prosecution Of
officers because of their rank and In.
fluence.
***
Another feature of the incident
which has excited the btterest COM
ment is a communication from Secre-
tary Moody in which he ntimated that
San Juan was likely to lose the naval
station it is proposed to establish there
if the prosecution of the smugglers is
persisted in. The strongest objection
is made to the minimizing, by the
members of the Cabinet ,ofthe extent
of the smuggling which, 1t is claimed,
amounted to not "a few cigars and a
few bottles of wine" but to hundreds
of boxes and cases of these luxuries.
Hobart S. Bird, editor of the San Juan
News, has been fined $40 and senten-
ced to five days in jail for contempt
of court because he alleged partiality
IN the decision of the court and the
whole of the San Juan section is in a
fever of indignation atthe high handed
proceedings.
XXX
Representative Loud has come to
| Washington, evidently to protect his
friend Mr.. Machen, Superintendent OF
the Division of Free Delivery, from
the results or the current PoStottice
Investigation. Mr.. Loud's method ol
accomplishing this end is unique. He
is not attempting to minimize the ex.
travagance Of Mr.. Machen's admins.
tration but is endeavoring to create
the impression that this has arisen
purely out of the opportunities OF
Congressman and detects in the system
which a reorganization of methods will
lectiiy, implying that Mr. .Machen will
be all right in his present position Il
the system is corrected. Senator
Lodge has urged upon the Postmaster
General the expedlency of suspendng
Mr.. Machen because he fears the
, effects of the scandals upon the politl
| cal future of the party but Mr.. Payne,
who describes himself as ''no spring
| chicken" is determined to make nc
more enemies than he is obliged to
and is as loath to suspend or discharge
Mr.. Machen as he was to call TO
, Judge Tyner's, or Mr.. ChIlstlancy'
resignation. Like all men of his stamI
0 however, Mr.. Payne will be unable tc
= hrd words with which to express his
contempt for Mr.. Machen if, as re
S suit of the discoveries of Fourth Assis
: lant Postmaster Gene raj Bristow, TIL
President demands Machens dismissal
This was the course which Payne pur
| sued with Judge Tyner, and expressing
= h,mselt With regard to Mr.. Christiancy
d whom few days before he had favor
ed as a successor to Mr.. Tyner, uset
d terms that would look very ugly il
e print. Mr.. Payne's assumed indlgna
: ton is, of course, intended to impress
the President with his sincerity and
IL aimed onlv at men whose friendsh