The Portland daily press., 1898-02-19

Mason would not press his substitute
Inc disaster. he said, was even now being
thoroughly investigated by the govern
ment, and as soon as tangible results
| We're reached the facts would be commu-
| nlcated to Congress. He said that he had
An interview with the Secretary OF the
Navy, and that the Secretary had already
SET on foot an investigation which was
always made by the department In the
case OF any disaster. Mr.. Hale urged Mr..
Mason to withdraw his substitute, MS 1t
| would tend only to embarrass the execu-
tive department..
Il had hoped" said Mr.. Hale, THAT
this entire matter might be disposed OF
today without debate. 1t seems to me
that In the circumstances and in the light
of this most melancholy affair 1t is now
4 inopportune to indulge in debate upon
| it. -
Mr.. Hale said he was willing to with
draw his objections to the resolution OF
Mr. Allen, but the substitute suggested
by MIR. Mason was even more objection
able in It's form.
Mr.. Mason followed Mr.. Hale In
speech Teplete with sensational utferances. !
| tie said that he had no disposition TO III
flame situation already SO exciting, put
he felt that this substitute was 1uily
justified by the feelings and desires OF
the people. He understood that the Navy
Department was making an investigation
of the disaster, but Congressional IN
vestigation was demanded by the people.
The people were fast coming to the con-
clusion that matters concerning TINS
/ Cuban affair, including the de LONE
letter incident and the loss of the Maine
of which they ought to know, were pelng
concealed from them.
Mr.. Mason, said he did not desire to
reflect upon the motives or honor OF any
| body, but he suggested that the officials
of the Navy Department in making their
| Investigation would naturally endeavor
to cover up any blame that might attach
| to them.
''The trouble with us isl declared Mr..
Mason with great yehemence, lis that we
have adopted the Spanish policy OF
Let this disaster be thoroughly investi-
gated by Congress and then we shall
know that it will be done right The
country, he continued, was tired OF the
| secret consideration of such questions.
He was not willing to strike out the,Word
| immediate from the resolution. Every
one was interested in knowing who blew
up the Maine. and all wanted that in
formation. Why delaya We were told
| three years ago to wait. In the meantime
the Spanish diplomats had sat at our
tables and partaken of our hospitality.
| while we were still waiting and had con-
| tinued to wait until the series of calami-
ties had been crowned by the Maine
catastrophe with its loss of 200 precious
| American lives.
Mr. Hale interrupted Mr.. Mason to say
| that there was no proposition to postpone
inquiry. Tho whole subject matter was
even now undergoing investigation, and
in view of the promptness which had
4 been exercised, there was no reason for
impunging the motives Of the officials Of
the department.. He thought the Senate
could reasonably wait few days until
the results of the investigation could be
given to the public. He hoped the Senate
would see the propriety Of not making
, this an occasion for infiammatory speeches
and that all would take the view that in
, the presence of calamity which had ap-
palled the whole world, today was not
, the proper time for an appeal to passion
, and prejudice.
Replying, Mr.. Mason said there was nc
, CALAMITY so great as q failure on the
part of those In power to appreciate the
l real situation when it was so serious as
] that was. And no sorrow SO profound as
that Of over Indifference to the situation.
a He had letter from Mr.. Julian Haw
J thorne read to show, as he claimed, that
| murder was the policy of the Spanish
government in Cuba. Autonomy he de
J nounced as sham, a fraud and de.
lusion and the de LONE letter only served
} to emphasize the treacherous character o.
i the Spaniards He declared that he would
not be willing to serve on the proposed
) committee, as he would not want to si1
at the table with Spaniard who might
, have stiletto under his clothes unless ht
himself was ironolad. The record Of ths
. who appeared to be laboring under con
l siderable excitement, was one continuous
: treachery, aud we had experienced thai
) treachery IN our history for the pas
hundred years. We were told that thu
4 naval board might be able to reach
Havana by next Monday. Tomorrow, al
I ways tomorrow. In the meantime. WHIT
| knew but that more dynamite would b.
put i'm and the evidence of the catastrophe
Q averted. In conclusion he appealed fol
a prompt inquiry and said he thought th'
i Senate should vote 5000, 600, 900 if neces
3 sary, to save its honor and dignity.
Mr.. Wolcott spoke next. 1t was eviden
that he was laboring under considerable
s feeling. He had listened to Mr.. Masol
, with i'll concealed feelings of emotion
: He said Mr.. Mason's resolution however
inopportune, might we'll have been per,
mitted without comment had it MT beer
for the remarkable utterance which Mr
Mason had given to the effect that th'
people of thes3 United States had los
confidence in one of the great depart
Inents of the government.
Mr.. Mason interrupted to say that III
made no such statement. Mr. Wolcot
had Mr.. Mason's remarks read and ther
said that the Senate would bear him ou
that he did not misquote the Senator
from Illinois.
Resuming he said II desire to resen
as utterly unfounded the suggestion tina
there is patriotic citizen in this lane
who has not the fullest and most gloriou
confidence in every. department of thi
government and in the department. of tn
navy particularly.
Today as always, the officers of our nav.
are honorable, courageous, upright mel
and above all, they tell the truth. l
may be that the public career of the cap
tain of the ill-fated battleship is ende,
forever, but the disaster that overtcol
his ship will count for nothing by com
parison with the degrading inainuation
made here that an officer OF orr coun
try, with the oath, and with the hai
above him, would lie and cast responsi
J bility where it did not belong. Their
is one thing this country. can never stan
and that Is to listen and without resent
| ment, to an insinuation that the officer
OF our navy are not men OF honor an
integrity and of truth. The officers ap
pointed to investigate will do their duty