The times., 1898-02-19

Let us appropriate IL necessary
TO save the honor of the Government.
I'VE have been led in there like com
mon confidence game in the opinion OF
the people.
81 cannot tell whether the explosic-
came from the inside or the outside. But
out of 70, 00.0o0 of people there is not over
six or seven million that will believe
that We took our ship down there to blow
it up.
Let the investigation be made so that
each day we will know-when the man
goes down in the diving bell-the exact
truth. We want the facts, and the best
! way to get the facts is to have an open
! investigation.
MI Wolcott for Delay
| Mr.. Wolcott took exception TO the Ian
! guage of Mr.. Mason, saying he had no
| right to cast discredit on any branch OF
the Government. Mr. Mason replied that
| he had spoken in the highest terms of
| the naval officers who were to make the
investigation; that it was not the per-
sonnel, but the method of secrecy that he
! objected to.
Mr. wolcott called for the reading of
! Mr.. Mason's words, where he spoke of
the people not having confidence in the
investigation, and then he spoke as fol-
lows: II desire to resent as utterly un-
/ founded the suggestion that there is a pa
/ triotic citizen in the broad confines of
/ this land who has not the fullest and
most splendid and glorious confidence in
every department of this Government
and especially in the Department of the
Navy said he. ''In every administra-
ton since the time of Washington the
people have never been called upon TO
distrust this Government, and they never
will while the flag floats. Least of all, in
this chamber and in this calamitous time,
she l.x. 1Aa 81,
navy of our country.
From the time of Paul Jones until now
our ships have sailed in every war. face
always TO the foe. The records of our
naval battles have been most glorious
for the last hundred years or more, and
from the earliest days until now there
has never been II step backwards. Today
the officers OF our navy are honorable,
courageous and patriotic men. and above
all, they tell the truth.
THE captain of this Inflated batteship
was walking his deck on the night of the
18th, when this awful explosion happened.
Ii may be that his public career is ended
forever, but the awful disaster will count
for nothing beside the degrading insinua-
ton made here that the officers of our
navy will lie. and cast the responsibility
where it does not belong.
Mr.. President, we can stand much dis
cussion and debate in this chamber; we
can endure much public discussion when
there should be silence, but there is one
thing this country will not stand. and
that is to listen quietly and without re-
sentiment to the insinuation that the Off
GERS of our navy are not men of honor,
integrity and truth. i know there is not
one patriotic citizen who will stand up
and indorse the utteTances the Senator
has made.
al do not underrate the Importance of
pf ha ha
lfeve in the dignity, the Importance and
the openness of its decisions. We should
have a decent and dignified reticence in
this awful calamity. There are times for
speaking and times for silence, and this
is a time when we should restrain all eX-
pressions of opinion or belief as TO the
means by which this awful disaster was
brought about. until, in the regular and
formal way. this matter is cleared up.
1 speak as one who sympathiZes deeply
with the citizens OF that unfortunate ISL
and now engaged in this deplorable con-
fict, and yield TO nobody In my desire TO
see the conclusion of that war. But | do
say that if there ever was a moment
when we should refrain from outrageous
insults TO a friendly nation: if there was
ever moment when we should lend our
help TO every department of the Govern
ment, it is now.
War May Come
war may come. l think myself its
day may not be far distant, and when il
comes we will fight il alone, for there will
be no other nation to lift a hand TO fight
with us. and when that day comes our
case must be eternally grounded in the
right. Until it does come there is moth
ing that SO belitties this people, in my
opinion, as these unjust and outrageous |
attacks upo ma friendly nation.
'Ah, Mr.. President. war has a grim |
visage, and when 1t comes it must come |
so that the people of the world, whether |
they fight with us or not. must at least |
respect our conduot and our position,
and, above ALL Mr.. President 1t must |
come under circumstances which make |
us respect ourselves
Mr.. Mason: II charge the Senator from |
Colorado with making a statement which |
is not borne out by any quotation from |
the remarks / previously have made. / |
understand well he does possibly
the admiration we have for all of our
departments. At least. that l have. be-
lieVing as do in government by and
for the people. My only sorrow is that in
his great admiration for the Navy De-
partment he does not give some of his
admiration and alteration to the Treasury
Department. tLaughter.) We must stand
or fall together
Il had the honor to serve with Secre-
tary Long, and / state that no one in
dulses a greater confidence or has |
higher regard for him than | have. /
thought l was doing all the departments
justice when ] suggested that if | was
the Navy Department | should
be glad to investigate, and also have my
colleagues approve of my findings by sub
stantiating them.
1T has been said. do not let Congress
investigate for fear that we would step
Dn the sacred toe of the Secretary of
he Navy. but / believe he would say,
Go ahead and throw ali the light you
an on it, and if Congress can find out
lnything that ] cannot, | will be glad to
Know it.
Il deny the insinuation that / said any
hing that reflects on the honor of any |
me. L honor the poor seamen who went |
iown as much as | honor the Secretary |
# the Navy, and 1 want the people to
NOW how that ship went down.
Mr.. Hoar: Did l understand the SEN
tor to say that he would not serve on
his committee if one were appointed?"
Mr.. Mason: 81 think there are some
N this floor who would not be i'm dam |
er. l am willing to sacrifice the Sena-
ors who sympathize with SPAIN,
Mr.. Lodge: Mr.. President, / have no |
esire and no intention of saying one |
rord in regard TO the war that is raging |
n Cuba. No one can detest the horrors |
hat have been enacted in that island | ;
nore than l do. No one desires more
han 1 do to see Spanish power swept | ,
rom that island as it has been swept
rom every South American state, but
hat question is not here today. We are ,
ace to face with a great national calam-
". The American people have received ,
he awful news of the sinking of the ,
acIai Afa,,,