The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-19
Leads all Oh0r North Carolina Da08 in B0h News and Circulation

that the Navy Department Is making
an investigation Of the disaster, but l
also understand that Congress has the
authority to make an investigation. 1t
rs Il Congressional investigation that
the people arc demanding. They are
fast coming to the conclusion that mat
ters concerning this Cuban affair, i'll
Guiding the de LONE letter 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.
Mr.. Mason said he did not desire to
reflect upon the motives or thel
honor of anybody, but ne sug-
gestcd that the officials of the Navy
Department in making their investiga-
tiGn would he trying their own case
and would naturally endeavOr to cover
up any blame that might attach toI
them.
He was not willing to strike out of
his resolution the word Immediate.
Every one was interested i'll knowing
who blew up the Maine, and all wanted
that information now. Why delay:
Why adopt the Spanish custom of put
ting of until tomorrow what should be
| done today?
Mr.. Hale interrupted Mr.. Mason to
make a 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 proposed
by the Navy Department would If not
interfered with. There was no propo-
sition to postpone inquiry.
Replying Mr.. Mason said there was
no calamity so great as Il failure on the
part of those in power to appreciate the
real situation when it was so serious
/ It's it now is and no sorrow so profound
as that over Indifference to this situa-
tion.
PEOPLE WANT THE FACTS.
The people were sick and tired of
secret Investigations and reports 10y
! cipAer and of having information sup
pressed and then doled out to them as
some executive officer might think suit
able. He wanted Congressional in
vcstigation and wanted it open to the
world An investigation by Congress
would only strengthen the finding of the
Navy Department in case the explosion
proved to be an accident He had no
desire to stir up trouble but would only
insist. as he had done before, upon the
warfare in the adjacent island.
He had a letter from Mr.. Julian Haw-
t0r1le read to show, as he claimed, that
murder was the policy of the Spanish
government in Cuba. He Also had Mr..
De Lomes letter read and asserted that
the late Minister had been defended in
the Senate until he had confessed out
of his own mouth that autonomy was a
fraud and that he was the author of the
letter quoted. This plea of autonomy
tsssd been used to secure delay on the
part of the administration in interfer-
cnce in affairs in Cuba and it was for
this reason Mr.. Mason said that he
wanted an immediate report upon his
resolution for Intervention. In view of
Mr.. De Lome's confession there was no
longer excuse for delay. Autonomy he
denounced as n sham, a fraud and Il
deusiOn and the De LONE letter only
served to emphasize the treacherous
J7charaeteP of the Spaniard. AS for him
self he would not. if eligible, be willing.
to serve ON the proposed committee as
he would not want to sit at the table
with n Spaniard who might have still
etto under his clothes, unless he himself
was iron clad.
/ ~ L
| The record of the Spanish ma
ton, continued Mr.. Mason, who
! appeared to be labOring under cOnsidera-
bhe excitement, is one of continuous
treachery and we have experienced that
treachely in our history for the past
hundred years. 1t had been made evil
dent that the Spaniard could not be
trusted in any capacity and for this rea-
son we should now have American div
ers investigating the hull of the Maine
and not be depending upon those of an
unfriendly power. We are told, he said
that the Naval Board may be able to
reach Havana by next Monday. Man
! ana" he exclaimed, ''Mananav' tO-mor-
row-always tomorrow. That is the
Spanish motto and we are falling into
it,"
In the meantime who knows but that
some dynamite will be put in and the
evidences of the catastrophe averted
/ the repeated that he wanted immediate
action, but did not want to he ON the
committee He did not want to be any
where that a Spaniard could reach him.
He closed with an appeal for a prompt
! inquiry and said that he thought the
Senate which had voted 100000 to save
! the property Of the United States could
and should vote $200000,000 if neces-
sary TO save its honor and its dignity.
Mr.. Mason had scarcely taken his
seat when Mr.. Wolcott addressed the
| chair.
: WOLCOTT REPLIES TO MASON.
Mr.. President" lie said,and the words
shot forth like a bomb to he exploded
| in the Senate. 1t was evident from the
! Colorado Senator's countenance and
manner to say nothing of the intensity
of his voice, that he was laboring under
considerable feeling.
He had listened to Mr.. Mason with i'll
concealed feelings of emotion, his face
growing redder and redder and his brow
! more and more like thunder cloud as
the Illinois Senator proceeded. He spoke
! with great rapidity and occupied only u
few minutes of the Senate's time, rcfus-
ing to be interrupted and speaking very
sharply when Mr.. Mason sought to dl-
vert him. Mr.. Wolcott spoke as fol-
/ lows:
Mr.. President. the resolution of the
Senator from Illinois, however inoppor-
time it may be, at this time, in the opin-