Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-22
RELIEF FOR SURVIVORS AND FOR
VICTIMS FAMILIES.
HOUSE VOTES UNANIMOUSLY.
SPIRITED DEBATE. OVER A PRO-
POSED AMENDMENT.
Cannon Sought to
:: Avoid Repetition of the Alleged
Scandals in Connection
~. With the Samoan
Disaster. .-'-s

Washington, March 21.-The house to-day
unanimously passed the bill for the relief
of the survivors and victims of the Maine
disaster The bill reimburses the surviv-.
Ing officers. and. men for the. losses they
sustained to; an amount not to exceed a
years pay. and directs the payment of
sum equal to a years pay to the legal
heirs of those. who persisted. There was
quite,a spirited debate .over an amendment
suggested by Np. Cannon to give each of
the survivors a years pay out of hand
instead of attempting to reimburse them
for actual losses. Some old alleged scandals
in connection with the reimbursement of
the survivors of the Samoan disaster were
raked up but the debate in the end was
saved from rather sordid tone by beau
tiful tribute paid to the gallant dead by Mr..
Cousins. of Iowa, in a short but eloquent
speech. He aroused the galleries to spon-
taneous applause when he said that while
the vuIturcs might be watching over the
dark waters of Havana harbor for the be-
lated dead, above all the eagles piercing
eye was watching for the truth. The re-
mainder of the day was occupied in the
consideration of the old claim of John
Roach, the shipbuilder for s3Sl 900. No ac-
tion was taken upon the claim.
The blind chaplain of the house, in his
invocation to-day, prayed that the members
might meet with patience the problems OF
the week and dispose Of them to the high
est and best interests of all concerned. Inn
mediately after the reading of the journal
| the speaker recognized Mr.. Boutelle, Re
publican. of Maine. chairman of the COM
mittee on naval affairs. who called up the
bill for the relief of the survivors and vic
| Tins of the Maine disaster. Mr.. Boutelle
said that the purpose and provisions of the
bill were well understood, and, SO far as
he was concerned, he thought debate un-
| necessary. Still, he was ready to yield to
| the desire Of the house.
| Mr.. Bailey said there was no disposition
on his side of the house to debate the bill.
Such matters as members on his side desir-
| ed to speak about in connection with the
| disaster they would reserve for the naval
| appropriation bill. He gave notice of an
| amendment he would offer. Without de-
| bate, therefore. the bill was read by sec
tons for amendment.
Several minor committee amendments
| were agreed to.
Mr.. Cannon. chairman, of the committee
| ON appropriations, offered an amendment
! to allow the surviving officers and men
twelve months pay without rations in full
| compensation for losses sustained by them.
| This provision he thought preferable to
one to indemnify them for the losses sus-
| tained, limited in amount to twelve months
sen pay. He called attention to the fact
| that, in case of the Samoan disaster, the
| compensation in each case was about the
1 maximum. He thought a provision for
compensation for actual losses might lead
| some OF the survivors into the temptation
of magnifying their claims. There would
be also this advantage in voting directly a
years sea pay. 1t would obviate delay and
/ the mediation of claims attorneys. While
congress was doing this act of justice, he
said. it should do the generous thing.
debate was to be indulged in, that it would
be well for him to make a general state
ment, He then explained briefly that it
was the idea of the committee that con-
gress should be as liberal toward the VIC
Tins Of the Maine disaster as it had been
| toward those who suffered in the Samoan
4 the lines of the bill passed for the relief
lsof the Samoan victims. The committee
did not believe the survivors should be re-
imbursed beyond the actual losses in
! Cured. The provision relating to the filing
| OF the schedule of losses. made and sworn
TO, had been carefully hedged about. and
could not be criticised successfully.
Mr.. Bailey asked what the sea pay of
the highest officer of the unfortunate ves-
sci was.
Captain Sigsbee's pay is about $780,"
answered Mr.: Boutelle.
Then: under the. proposed amendment.
| he would receive that amount no matter
| what losses he had sustafned?"
| Exactly" .-....-,.
| What was the largest amount paid un-
der the bill for: the relief of the Samoan
| About 5000"
| Mr.. Boutelle said he did not imagine that
CAPTAIN sigsbee , or any ,,,s Of the gallant Of
| reimbursed beyond the actual amount of
the losses they sustained.
Mr.. Boutelle and Mr.. Cannon had a rath-
| er spirited exchange of personalities. The
Former criticised the latter's attitude toward
the bill and the latter said he was respon-
| sible to his constituents and the general
| public sentiment of the country not TO
the gentleman from Maine. for his posi-
ton.
footstooi" said he. who possesses the
ability to merit the appreciation of the
gentleman from Maine uaughter)
| Proceeding Mr. Cannon again advocated
his amendment. pointing. out that the av-
erage of the regular equipment of ships
| crew was $50 yet in almost every instance
which went down at Samoa obtained prac-
iegitator, he thought his amendment was
Mr. Bailey said at first he had been dis
| posed to favor the Cannon amendment
He had heard something of the scandal
inot desire repetition of that disgracefu
episode. But upon closer examination he
thought the provision in the hill preferable
best part of the Lords prayer was contain
| ed in the words Lead us not into temp.
| tatiou." But the amendment would make
| il more profitable not to fall than to fall
1t would give to the honest man more thar
the dishonest man world claim
/ Mr.. Hilborn. Republican. of California
| denied emphatically. that there had beer
1 any wholesale fraud in connection with the
Samoan act. Several of the officers claim
ed nothing at all. and all of them claimed
only a small fraction of their salaries.
Mr.. Cousins. Republican. Of Iowa, change:
the whole tenor of the debate at thi.
iuncture by the delivery of a brief bu
| eloquent tribute to the American sailor.
who went down with the Maine
Mr.. Cousins said:
THE measure now proposed is most ap
| propriate and just. but hardly is ii mention
able in contemplation Of the great calamt,
an incidental legislative footnote 10
page of history that will he open to tn,
ewes of the republic and of the world fol
| all time to come. No human speech cal
speechless reverence already given by
| great and grateful nation 10 its dead de
1 Tenders and to their living kin. No act O
congress providing for their needs cal
| make n restitution for their sacrifice. HUI
| man nature does. in human ways its best
| and Still feels deep in debt. Expression
Il of coincidence have come from every coun
| try and from every cline. and, every nerv
| of steel and ocean cable has carried OIL
| electric breath the sweetest. tenderes
| words of sympathy for that gallant crev
| who named the Maine
to the men OF the Maine, Mr.. Cousin
closed with these words:
'Hoveripg above the dark waters of tha
mysterious harbor of Havana the black
| winged vulture. watches for the belate,
dead, while over it and over all there i