Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-02-19
WHAT CnNGRESSMEN THINK.

the prlnclpal topic Ol ConVeTsaIiou III
Washington on Wednesday, and many
prominent congressman gave their
views to the Associated Press, which
reports the following:
Senator Morgan, of Alabama, a
member of the committee on foreign
affairs, said: "In the absence of def
mite information as to the causes and
results of the Maine catastrophe, 1
would not venture an opinion upon it..
If it was an accident, as the first dis
patches seemed to indicate, it was
most deplorable; if it was due to
treachery, as some are inclined to be-
lieve, it was most heinous and no pen
atty would be too severe for those re-
sponsible for it. But whether the ca
lamity was due to accident or treach-
cry, should like to see introduced in
congress a joint resolution providing
for the immediate construction of two
battleships equal in size and equip
ment to the Maine, and costing not q
dollar less than the ill-fated Maine
cost. Action of that kind by US would
indicate to the world whenever or
wherever one of our tentacles was cut
cut off, two would at once grow in its
place.
"It seems almost out of the question
that it was the result of an accident.
1t is usual for a ship Of the Names
class to carry her magazines in her
bow, where the explosion seems to
have occurred. But can say nothing
of that now. I Icannot guess and spec
ulate. 1t is an awful calamity. Let
us await the particulars"
Senator Perkins, Of California, who
has been a navigator all his life, and
knows thoroughly every detail in the
construction and handling of great
ships, said:
~ cannot conceive that such an ex-
plosion as that which is reported to
have wrecked the Maine could have
resulted from an accident. The
chances, it seems to me, are 999 to
1000 that the calamity did not result
from accident. 1t has been suggested
that the explosion might have occur
red while ammunition was being
handled, but that is scarcely credible
as ammunition on warship lying at
anchor is not handled at 10 o'clock
at night. The discipline Of both Of
ficers and men on the Maine, as we'll
as on every other vessel, is such that
the explosion could not have. been
caused by any action of any one Of
them. am firmly Of the belief that
the horror in Havana harbor last
night was not due to accident. l can
scarcely conceive either that it was
due to the treachery of Spanish Of
icials, or was brought about through
their cognizance. However, the situa-
ton in Havana is 80 critical and the
Spanish feel so keenly what appears
to many of them an affront that the
Maine should have been in the har-
bor that it seems not unlikely the
catastrophe was due to the action of
Spanish sympathizers. That it was
not an accident I feel assured, and
that it was due to treachery am con-
vinced."
Senator Mills, of the committee on
foreign relations, expressed the opin-
ion that the occurrence was the work
of torpedo.
II would not say" he said, "that
the Spanish were responsible for it
but someone must have been who had
free access to the waters of the bay.
I do not think it could have been due
to an accident, and think congress
should Immediately take the matter
up for a thorough investigation. If
the vessel had gone into the Havana
harbor in time of hostilities between
this country and Spain precautions
would, of course, have been taken
but there was no more reason to ex-
pect anything of the kind there than
there would be in one of our own
harbors.
ayes, we should probe the matter to
the bottom"
Senator German, of Maryland: at
is a most appalling dislster but no
one attempts, at this distance and be-
fore any more facts are given, to place
the responsibility"