The times., 1898-02-19

| food, and then poisoned the world agains
| us.
/ Now when ask for an immediate in
| vcstigation of this terrible explosion, tn,
| Senator from Maine says strike out tn,
| word immediate. My answer is. never
| with my consent
I'VE want an investigation and we want
ii now.'
Mr.. Hale to Spain's Rescue.
Mr.. Hale: II want 10 interrupt the
! Senator and say that so far as there be.
| ing any desire to delay the investigation
even one hour, IL is, L think. the desire oi
everybody that IL should go on at once
| In fact, II has already taken its depart
ure. There is no proposition here to de-
| lay the investigation, or to add to 1t the
| Spanish tactics of tomorrow. as the Sen
| ator puts It. The whole. subject matter
| of this amendment Is that Ii be investi-
gated and the Senator must concede that
| il is being Investigated, and fairly.
don't think we should impugn the mo-
| dVes or suspect the great department OF
the Government of making an incomplete
investigation. or delaying for 1t is being
done just as fast as human ingenuity can
90 ii. 1t does seem to me that this is
not an occasion for the Senate to en-
bark in an exclusive discussion of the
| incidental eXents of the situation. Can
not the Senator wait a few days and see
what another branch of the Government
is honestly doing?'
Mr. Mason: ''Mr President, there is no
calamity so great as the failure on the
part of this Government to appreciate
and understand our situation. The SEN
ator says the solemn OCCASION am
surprised that the Senator will admit that
anything could occur in Cuba that could
be solemn or serious.
1--WE have pleaded here. the friends OF
Cuba, for three years, first with one
President and then with another, to DO
something in the interest of civilization.
and something in the interest of fair
warfare as against barbarsm and crime.
II have no desire TO make this the or-
casion of anything. The occasion is al
ready made. / do not contribute the oc
casion. Ii / did, i would want TO be in
reSiigated.
There could be no tliscredit on the Ma
Wy Department. Personally. / might be
satisfied, for l have the highest regard
for the integrity of the Secretary of the
Navy as a man, and also of his peculiar
fitness for the position he fills. What i
want to say TO the Senator from Maine is
that the investigation into this terrible
calamity must bring out all the facts
and lay them before the people. and Il
Congressional investigation cannot inter
fere with the Navy Department in the
least.
THE people are sick and tired of these
Investigations that are being made behind
closed doors, and the facts to be doled OUT
whenever il suits the President to dole
them out and give them to the people.
lone of our great battleships has gone
down in the harbor of a friendly people.
| repeat, a friendly people. We want the
world TO know and the people TO know
how she went down.
How does ii hurt the Navy Depart
ment if Congress should investigated
Would ii not be stronger If the Gov
ernment should find in its executive de-
partment and I'm its Congressional de-
partment the same state of facts?
Would ii not tend more to produce peace
in this country If the Navy Department
should determine that il was pure ac-
cident and the Congressional department
should find the same state of facts?
Would not one report uphold the other.
and strengthen these departments with
the people? Would they not say at once
the investigation has proceeded along fair
lines?
THE people OF the United States want
open doors on this case. With 25S Amer
lean sailors lying in Havana harbor, the
time has passed for secrets.
THE people want to know whether this
shin was blown up, or whether it was
spontaneous combustion. Suppressed
murmur of approval in the galleries)
Il desire but a few minutes now.
want TO show the Senator from Maine
and those who want to put off a Congress
sional investigation and shirk the respon-
siblity that the people have put upon US
that / am lighting for the same old
cause-for the right of life and liberty
The time now has come when we should
stop the traffic In human slaves on this
continent"
MIR. Mason here requested the clerk 10
read an article by Julian Hawthorne de-
sCribing the natural beauties and re-
sources of the island of Cuba, and also
the miserable and starving condition of
its people.
Resuming he. said: ITO make my state
ments as near consistent and in order as
possible I desire to have Incorporated as
a part OF my remarks the De LONE let
ter leaving out the opening and closing
which have nothing TO do with
the situation, also leaving out that para
sraph which refers to our President. /
think every radical or conservative Amer
lean citizen must feel highly pleased with
the Christian-like craftsmanship with
which our President has handled this
which was somewhat personal to
himself.
"The President has done well and ap- /
peals strongly to the hearts of the people 1
by his course in absolutely Ignoring the |
personal insult given by this Spanish min |
Ster
II do not wish TO appear in the world |
as a prophet, say L told you SO. but
when I took occasion TO speak on this
subject few days ago j declared that
lfter a hundred years of Spanish diplc-
macy in this country there had been no
President that had not complained of the
H. ,s..la
diplomat. | predicted then, and call at
ention now, to the fact that the praises
f Mr. De LONE, that distinguished Span
sh statesman and diplomat, We're sung |
onger and louder even than were Wey-
er's.
II call attention TO the fact that the
ecord of Weyler was defended in this
enate long after the present Admins
ration took possession of the affairs Of
his Government, and that he was never
ishonored until he was dishonored in his
wn country.
Il call attention TO the fact that the
eople who are now so anxious 10 go slow
! the investigation of this great calam-
Y defended the Spanish minister until
e was convicted out of his own mouth
nd by his own confession
Spain's Peculiar Diplomacy.
'.The reason given by President Nc
,inley for not interfering, as given in
is message to Congress, was We owe ii
D Spain to give them chance TO try
utonomy' Meanwhile the gentleman
ho was the Spanish minister was wink
lg the other eye behind the closed doors
f the Spanish headquarters in this city.
Some of the Senators say they are OPP
osed to any further investigation of this
tuation than is being made. l believe
investigating il from every stand
oint and I want the Senator from Maine
understand that i had supposed that