The times., 1898-02-19
TOT ndIe py III b"oEstIftis or ~ Tie FURNISHES
J. b. LIPPINCOTT COrlPANY
PHILADELPHIA.

Committee on Naval Affairs to either
| send a subcommittee to Havana an1
make an investigation and take their tes-
| timony without delay, and lay the result
before the Senate. Whether they will dc
| that not. do not know. l share some
| of the suspicious of the Senator from Illi-
| nois that there is a purpose somewhere
| 10 secrete the real truth concerning this
| unfortunate affair.
Mr.. Gray: VIII the Senator state the
J ground for his suspicion?
| Mr.. Allen: l am speaking for myself and
can give the ground for it, and a ground.
! / think. every citizen will recognize as
| being well founded. ] have been mem
Der Of this body for five years, and have
seen investigation after investigation. and
! have never seen one completed and the
real truth divulged.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut: What inves-
LEGATIONS does the Senator refer to?
Mr.. Allen: The very air of this Capitol
| is ripe constantly with secrecy. We are
not permitted 10 know here anything
| about what is going on in some of these
| committees. The Senator from Delaware
| (Mr Gray) is n member of the Committee
n, ~o~eign Relations. There are many
| matters before that committee that this
| Senate ought 10 know, yet it would be
like pulling teeth to get a solitary fact
from that committee. | do not know that
! am criticising that committee. We
seem to he proceeding upon the idea that
some Senators, by virtue of their superior
intellect. are entitled to have secrets of
public character. and secrete them from
the public. AS a member of this cham
ber. j protest against ii.
Mr. Platt, of Connecticut: 1t seems to
me that this is an argument against your
resolution.
Mr. Allen: The Senator is reaching his
own conclusions from his own frame of
mind. ] had three Senators whom | could
name here. call me to task less tran four
years ago. for disclosing cert ain cond-
tions in the financial circles of New York
saying TO me that L ought not 10 make
the statement because it was harmful
to the country. We appointed a commit
tee here less than two years ago 10 in
vestigate a scandal in regard to the sale
of certain Government bonds. l would
like any gentleman here to produce any
report made by that committee
Mr. Gray: Why does the Senator want
such an investigation?
Mr. Allen: ] want the Committee OH
Naval Affairs TO investigate this matter
and return the truth and the whole truth
The responsibility will then be with them.
and not with me. / want this resolution
voted on. anu as tne time Is almost up,
will stop righs here.
Senator Hale: ! decline absolutely TO
follow the Senator from Illinois into
general discussion of the Cuban situation.
/ have no desire to take advantage OF
the melancholy subjects attending us at
present in order to exploit myself. l be-
lieve it wollld have been better and more
fitting, and more in accord with the dig
nifty of this body if there had been no jar
and no warning on this floor today on this
subject.
Mr.. Hale then presented for the clerk
to read the last telegram received from
Capt Sigsbee. This telegram had been
published in the morning papers, and was
offered by Mr.. Hale for the purpose of
of taking up the time until o'clock,
when the resolution would go to the cal
andar. according to the rules of the Sen
ate. After the clerk had finished read
ing. he looked at the clock. and with an
exultant smile on his face, said 81 be-
lieve the hour has arrived when this
resolution according to the rules, goes
to the calendar. / do now move that the
Senate proceed to the consideration OF
executive business.