Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-02-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
PRUDENT ACTION OF PRESIDENT. WAL
Colts CALM JUDGMENT AND PATRI-
OTTO SPEECH. THE BANKBUP-
TOY BILL PASSED.
wAsnIxaroN. Feb. 81. 1898

ACSluOht mOANliiO9 anu NNCly nlOih-
Der of the Cabinet since the awful
news was received of the blowing
up and sinking of the battleship
Maine, in Havana harbor, and the
death of $50 of it's crew. In the
midst of the excitement consequent
upon the sensational rumors of
Spanish treachery, they have not
for a minute lost their heads. A
Naval Court of Inquiry was at once
appointed to ascertain whether the
loss of the Maine was caused by ac-
cidcnt or by design, aud by the time
this is read it will be at work Un-
til it succeeds in getting at the truth
the administration joins with brave
Captain Sigsbee, of the Maine, in
asking for a suspension of public
| Judgment Not a scrap of news
concerning the catastrophe received
by the administration, or an order
issued by it has been concealed, and
nothing will be concealed That the
President is fully alive to our every
interest is shown by his promptly
refusing the request of the Spanish
authorities at Havana to partic pate
in the investigation, and that he is
calmly performing his usual duties
was shown by his departure for
Philadelphia, to deliver an address
before the faculty and students of
the University of Pennsylvania, on
the 22nd inst, in accordance with an
engagement made months ago Hi1
example should be followed by good
citizens everywhere.
Senator Wolcott, of Col, has more
than once shown himself to possess
the faculty of calm Judgment in
times of public excitement, and to
be real, not a buncomb patriot
but never more strikingly than in
the short speech he made against
the misguided attempt to plbliSh t.
the world a distrust of oar Nav
Department, by providing for Il Con
gressional investigation of the wreck
of the Maine. Mr. WolcOtt said
81 desire to resent as utterly un-
founded the suggestion that there
is patriotic citizen in the broad
confines of this land who has not
the fullest and most splendid and
glorious confidence in every depart
ment of this government, and in the
department of the Navy in particu
lar, and it has been true in every
administration since the time oi
, Washington. The people of the U
s., have never yet been called upor
to distrust one of the coordinate
branches of this government, ant
they never will while the flag floats
The officers appointed to investigate
this tragic disaster will do theil
duty. / do not underrate the i'm
pOrtance of the legislative branch o.
the government Ibelieve in its dig
= nifty and in its wisdom, and in til,
r openness of its discussion of public
r questions but what we need now
in my opinion, is decent and digni
) fed silence in the face of the ap
palling calamity which has fallei
upon our people. There are time
for speaking and there are times fo
= silence, and at this time, when W,
! face the awful event that has over
taken us, we should restrain any ex
preston of opinion or expression o
our belief as to the causes of thi
terrible disaster until in a proper
regular, and formal way, an investi
t CATION may be had by the Navy de
= partment, which we know will b.
, conducted with the utmost upright
ness and the utmost integrity.
Senator Lodge of Mass, said on th
same subject: "Does any one sup
+, pose that the Captain of that ship
q who, wounded and stunned by th,
explosion remained the last uDol
the sinking vessel, and who, in tin
midst of that awful excitment, sen
?? a dispatch showing a GOODNESS whicl
/ is an honor to the American name
q is going to lie about his ship? TIL
Secretary of the Navy is a man O
u distinguished ability, of honor AM
patriotism. If anyone imagine
t that Secretary Long will not tel
: the truth and insist upon the Who'll
8 of it, he little knows the characte
OF the man. / think those VIII
u know Theodore Roosevelt would b
p slow to believe he would seek {
) conceal the truth in regard to thi
a disaster. We want to know tn
truth. If it was an accident whic
. destroyed the Maine, then let n
q provide, so far as human foresigli
% can against a recurrence. If it wa
q treachery, then ike righteous wrat
- of the American people will take
" signal vengeance for the treacher
, which sent that ship to the bottom
5 And let no one think to stay it.
Z Congress showed its good sense b
;, combining its action on this subjeC
to making an appropriation of 5000
N 600 to be used in trying to save a
y much of the costly equipments {
Z the Maine as possible.
The House, by a vote of 159 to Il
passed the Bankruptcy Bill whic
y wasrepOrted from the committee 4
ID substitute for the Nelson bill
~ which NVas nassad hv the Sannta ,