The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-19


burial in this country. To that end he
proposed an amendment to the resolution
as follows:
after the word thereof and before
the word and insert the following: And
for the transportation and burial of the
remains of the officers and men, so far
as possible
The amendment was agreed to, and the
resolution as amended to was passed.
INVESTIGATION RESOLUTION.
The resolution offered yesterday, by Mr.
Allen (Neb). directing the committee on
naval affairs to make an investigation ot
the disaster of the Maine, was then laid
before the senate.
It precipitated the most furious DEBATE.
Mr. Chandler On. h. thought that II
the word immediate" be stricken out ana
the matter left within the discretion OF
the committee there would be no obJec-
ton to the resolution.
Mr.. Mason O1D.. proposed an amend
ment striking out all after the word re
solved" and inserting the following:
by the senate, the house of represen-
tatives concurring, that joint commit
tee Of five, consisting of three members
members Of the senate, be appointed to
investigate the disaster of thebattleship
Maine"
Mr.. Hale expressed the hope that Mr..
Mason would not press his substitute.
The disaster, he said, was even now being
thoroughly investigated by the executive
department of the government, ans as
soon as tangible results were secured the
facts would be communicated to congress.
Mr.. Hale urged Mr.. Mason to withdraw
his substitute as it would tend only to en-
barass the executive department.
II had hoped" said Mr. Hale, that this
entire matter might be disposed of today
without debate. It seems to me that in
the circumstances and in the light Of the
utmost facilities, it is idle to indulge in
debate
Mr.. Hale said he was willing to with
draw his objection to the resolution Of
Mr.. Allen, but the substitute suggested
by Mr.. Mason was even more objectioan-
able in its form.
MR.. MASON IS WARLIKE.
Mr.. Mason followed Mr.. Hale in speech
replete with sensational utterances. He
said in beginning that he had no DISPOSE
ton to infame a situation already so eX-
citing. but he felt that his substitute was
fully justified by the feelings and desires
of the people.
81 understand" said he, that the navy
department is making an investigation Of
the disaster but 1 also understand that
congress has the authority TO make an
investigation. 1t is a congressional inves-
tigation that people are demanding. They
are fast coming TO the conclusion that
matters concerning this Cuban affair, in
GLIDING 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 re-
fleet upon the motives or honor Of any
body, but he suggested that the officials
of the navy department in making their
investigation would be trying their own
case, and would naturally endeavor to
cover up any blame that might attach to
them.
THE POLICY OF DELAY.
1.-THE trouble with US" declared Mr..
Mason 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
viii know that it has been done right"
let the people," said Mr. Mason,
have the facts. They wanted nothing less
than an investigation in their interest
by the senate and the house. Only in
this way could the facts which were lock-
ed up in the departments be got out. The
country was tired of secret considerations
of such questions. He was not willing to
strike out of his resolution the word i'm
mediate" Every one was interested in
knowing who blew up the Maine, and all
wanted that information now. Why de-
lay? Why adopt the Spanish custom of
putting off until tomorrow what should
be done today? We had already waited
too long We were told three years ago
TO wait. We had waited until night had
followed day; winter had followed sum-
mer, and time had gone on. while the ter
rible cruelty had continued. In the
mean time Spanish diplomats had sat at
our tables and partaken of our hospital
ity, while we were still waiting, and had
continued to wait, until the series of ca
lamities had been crowned by the Maine
catastrophe with its loss of 30 American
lives In view of these facts he could
never consent to a striking out of the
word immediate
we want an investigation" he said.
"And we want il now, now, the eternal
and everlasting now"
MR.. HALE INTERRUPTS.
Mr.. Hale here interrupted Mr.. Mason
to make a Statement. He said that so far
from having any desire for delay. he was
anxious TO have it so forward from this
very time. as the investigation proposed
by the navy department would. if not in
terfered with.
There was no provision to postpone in
curry The whole subject matter was
even now undergoing investigation ana
in view Of the promptness which had beer
exercised there was no reason for impug-
ming the motives Of the officials Of the de
partment. This being the true state of az.
fairs, there was no OCCASION for a discus
sion of incidental matters. The members
of the board selected to investigate tn,
Maine disaster were not officers of thai
ship and they had already been summon
ed to appear as witnesses before the in
vestigators. In view OF this fact ht
thought the senate could reasonably wal
a few days until the results Of the invest
cation could be given 70 the public.
as any one so much interested as ar
The navy department and the officers @
that department in asertaininE the rea