Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-19
KEEN EXPECTANCY
Report Of Naval Court Anxiously Elk.
ected--Survivors Of Maine Dis
aster Call on President.
REORGANIZATION OF ARMY
Senator Chandler Fears That Should Re.
port Be Made Public at Once War
Would Be Declared Regard
less Of Conditions.

Washington, March 19.-The keenes
expectancy was apparent at all oflicia
quarters today in anticipation of al
early receipt of the report from th,
court OF inquiry regarding the Maine
disaster. Warlike preparations con
tinued with unabated vigor. A cabine
officer said that the report would bt
here early next week. The chief devel
opment this morning was the arrival ol
four survivors OF the Maine disaster
who held long conference with Secre.
tary Long, and later were taken to the
White house for talk with the presi.
dent. These survivors are Lieutenant
Holman, navigator of the Maine, Lieu
tenant Geo. r. Blow, Lieutenant A. B.
Catlin and Boatswain LarlSin. 1t was
stated authoritatively after the confer
ence, that the main subject of conversa-
ton was the explosion itself, comprising a
detailed narrative of the officers and a
narrowing description Of the calamity.
Whether the cause of the explosion was
under discussion, could not be learned.
Proceedings In House.
In the house Mr.. Dingley offered the
bill reported from the ways and means
committee providing for the free entry
into this country Of guns, ammunition
and other naval supplies, and all war
material purchased abroad until jan
uary /, 1899. Some of the Democrats
poked fun at Mr.. Dingley by asking him
why these supplies should be admitted
free of duty if 1.-THE foreigner paid the
tax" Mr.. Dingley replied rather sharp
ly that it was perfectly understood that
the purchaser paid the duty. Mr.. Nc
Millen said he believed the government
should always have the right to import
and thought there should be general
statute for that purpose. The bill
passed without division.
Mr.. Henry Dem. Mass.) claimed the
floor as question of privilege, and sent
to the clerks desk for the purpose of
having it read, a quotation from an in
terview with the Spanish ambassador at
Vienna, in which the ambassador said
II the United States in the event Of war,
should incite the. Philippines to revolt,
Spain could revenge herself by raising
revolts in American southern states
The speaker held that Mr.. Henry had
not presented question Of privilege
and he was taken of the floor. The
house then resumed consideration OF
the postoffice appropriation bill.
1t was agreed there should be an
hours debate on the paragraph appro-
priating 30,50O, 900 for inland t-pns.
portati0n OF mails. Mr.. Bland MO, j
championed the reduction Of rates paid
railroads for transmitting malls at least
20 per cent Mr.. Castle (Dem., Calif.) Of
fered an amendment to reduce the ap-
preparation to $3,512,0OO. Mr.. Gros-
venor defended the appropriation.
Bill to Roorganize the Army.
The military affairs committee in the
house held special session today to
consider bill for the reorganization Of
the army. The bill, so far as it reor-
ganizes the army into three battalion
form, met with unanimous approval.
Some OF the members desired the Ian
ruage Of the bill to forbid unequivocally
the strengthening Of the army except in
time of actual recognized and declared
war, and this suggestion was unani-
mously concurred III and the change of
phraseology was ordered.
Senator Chandler's Remarkable Statement.
Senator Chandler, after conference
with the naval officers today, expressed
the opinion that the report Of the board
Of inquiry would be received next week.
SIT Is possible" said the senator, "the
character Of the document may be such
as to render it inexpedient to give 1t out
until congress can be made aware grad
ually Of its contents. If it indicates be-
yond doubt the culpabilitv Of the
Spaniards In connection with the Maine
disaster, 1t would not be wise to place
congress in the immediate possession Of
the facts officially for fear war would be
declared instantly and without due re-
gard to all the conditions"