The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-19

Mason hoped that provision would be
made for transportation of the bodies
to the United States, and for their
burial in this country. To that end he
prepared an amendment to the resolu-
ton, after the word therefore" and
before the word and" insert the fol-
lowing:
And for the transportation and bur.
ial Of the remains of the officers and
men so far as possible"
The amendment was agreed to. and
the resolution as amended was passed
The resolution offered yesterday by
Allen of Nebraska, directing Che Com
mittee on Naval Affairs to make an
investigation of the disaster 10 the
Maine, was then laid before the Sem
ate. It precipitated the most furious
debate.
Chandler of New Hampshire thought
if the word immediate" be stricken
out and the matter left within the dis
erection of the committee there would
be no objection to the resolution.
Mason of Illinois proposed ar amend
ment striking out all after the word
resolved" and inserting the follow
ing:
BY the Senate, the House of Repre-
sentatives concurring. that a joint COM
mittee of five, consisting of three men,
bers of the House Of Representatives
and two members Of the Senate. be APP
pointed to investigate the disaster to
the battleship Maine
Hale expressed the hope that Mason
would not press his substitute The
disaster he said, was even now being
thoroughly investigated by the EXecu-
tive Department of the Government,
and that as soon as tangible results
We're reached the facts would be COM
municated to Congress-
Hale urged that Mason withdraw his
substitute. as it would tend only to
embarrass the Executive Department
Il had hoped said Hale. that this
entire matter might be disposed Of to-
day without debate 1t seems to me
that in the circumstances and in the
light of the utmost facilities it is idle
to indulge in debate"
Hale said he was willing to withdraw
his objection to the resolution-of Allen,
but the substitute by Mason was even
more Objectionable in its formula.
Mason followed Hale in q speech re-
plete with sensational utterances. He
said in the beginning that he had no
disposition to inflame a situation al
ready so exciting. but he felt that his
substitute was fully justified by the
feelings and desires of the people
II understand" said he. that the
Navy Department is making an investi-
cation of the disaster, but / also under
stand that Congress has no authority
to make an investigation. 1t is a Con-
gressional investigation that the people
are demanding. They are fast coming
to the conclusion tht matters concern
ing this Cuban affair, including the De
LONE incident and the loss of the
Maine, of which they ought to know,
are being concealed from them. The
people want to know the facts and they
will know them
Mason said he did not desire to re-
fleet upon the motives or honor of any
body, but he suggested that the Off
Gals of the Navy Department. in maxi
ing the investigation would be trying
their own case and would naturally
endeavor to cover up any blame that
might attach to them
The trouble with u.s." declared Ma
son, with great vehemence. lis that we
have adopted the Spanish policy of put
ting everything off until tomorrow. Let
the investigation of this disaster to our
navy and to our country be thoroughly
investigated by Congress. and then we
shall know that it will be done right"
Spanish diplomats. he said had sat at
our tables and partaken OF our hospi-
tally, while we were still waiting and
had continued to wait, until the series
Of calalnities had been crowned by the
Maine catastrophe with it's loss of 237
American lives. In view of these facts.
he could never consent to striking out
the word Immediate" I'VE want an
investigation" he said land we want
it now, now, the eternal and everlasting
now
Hale interrupted Mason to make
statement. He said that so far from
having any desire for delay, he was
anxious to have it go forward from
this very time. as the investigation pro-
posed by the Navy Department would,
If not interfered with There was no
proposition to postpone inquiry. rs
any one so much interested as the
Navy Department and the officers of
that department in ascertaining the
real facts and in locating the response
bility of the disaster?" asked Hale.
Who could conduct the investigation
so we'll as they, or who do as much to
get at the bottom of the facts?''
He hoped the Senate would see the
propriety of not making this an oc-
casion for making infammatory
speeches. that all would take the view
that in the presence of the great calam-
ity which had befallen us, a calamity
which had appalled, the whole world,
to-day was not the proper time for an
appeal to passion and prejudice
Replying, Mason said there was no
calamity so great as a failure on the
part of those in power to appreciate
the situation, when it was so serious as
it now is and the sorrow so profound
as that of indifference to this situa-
ton. He was surprised that Hale
would admit that the occasion was a
solemn one, surprised that the Maine
Senator would admit that anything,
any occurrence in Cuba was of SOL
emn character. AS for himself. he had
no desire 10 make this an occasion for
anything, the occasion was already
made. What he was contending for
was all the facts should be brought to
the surface, and he could not see how
a Congressional investigation would in
any way interfere With the Navy De-
partment's inquiry. The people were
sick and tired of secret Investigations
and reports by cipher. and of having
information suppressed and doled out
to them as some executive officer might
think suitable. He wanted Con-
gression investigation, and wanted it
open to the world. An investigation
H. W., \
finding of the Navy Department in case
the explosion proved to be by accident