The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-19

dent that he was laboring under con-
siderable feeling. He had listened 10
Mr.. Mason with ill-concealed feelings OF
emotion. Mr.. Wolcott spoke with great
rapidity and occupied only n few min
utes of the senate's time. refusing to be
Interrupted and speaking very sharply
when Mr.. Mason sought to divert him.
lie said that Mr.. Mason's resolution.
however inopportune, might well have
been permitted to pass without comment
had it not been for the remarkable ut
terance which Mr. Mason had given TO
the effect that the people of these United
States had lost confidence i'm one of the
great departments of the government.
Mr. Mason interrupted 10 say that he
made no such statement.
Mr.. Wolcott had Mr.. Mason's remark
read from the reporters notes. and then
said that the senate would bear him out
that he did not misquote the senator
from Illinois. Resuming. he said: "I
cesire TO resent as utterly unfounded
the suggestion that there is patriotic
citizen in this land who has not the full
est and most glorious confidence in every
department of this government, and in
the department of the navy particularly.
never yet been called upon to distrust
one OF the coordinate branches OF this
government, and never will. Least OF
all is it decent that in this chamber there
should be insinuations cast at this criti-
cal time that there is lack in the minds
of the people of the United States. OF
confidence in our navy. Today as al
ways, the officers of our navy are hon
orable, courageous, upright men and,
above all, they tell the truth. 1t may be
that the public career of the captain of
the ill-fated batteship is ended forever.
but the disaster that overlook his ship
will count for nothing by comparison
with the degrading insinuation made
here that an officer of our country. with
the oath and with the flag above him.
would lie and cast responsibility where
it did not belong. There is one thing
this country can never stand, and that
is TO listen ard without resentment to
an insinuation that the officers of our
navy are not men OF honor and integrity
and of truth. The officers appointed TO
investigate will do their duty. / do not
know what slums the senator from IL
linois may have dragged TO find the eX-
preston OF an opinion that there is lack
of confidence in the personnel OF our
navy, but know he cannot find an hon
orable or a decent or patriotic citizen
who will endorse the utterances which
the senator has made. We should re-
strain any expression OF opinion or belief
as to the means by which this awful dis
aster was brought about until in a
proper and formal way an investigation
may be had, which we all know will be
conducted with the utmost uprightness
and integrity. IL ever there was a time
we should lend our help to every de-
partment of the government IL should be
today. War may come. think the day
may not be far distant and when il
comes we will fight II alone. When that
day comes our course must be eternally
grounded in the right, and until il comes
there is nothing so belittles this people
as these unjust and outrageous attacks
upon friendly government. When war
comes IL must come so that the people
of the world can respect our conduct and
our position, and above all IL must come
under circumstances which make us
respect ourselves"