Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-19
WORK Or CONGRESS.
Continued from First Page,


synipa thizes deeply with the citizens Of
tna- unfortunate island now engaged
this terrible. deplorable conflict. l
| yiecd IL nobody in my desire to see the
| conclusion of that war, but do say if
| ever there was moment when we
| should abstain from outra geous and
sratuitous insult to friendly nation.
| that time is today If ever there was
time when we should lend our help to
| every department Of the government, it
| should b oday. If there was evera time
| %Ien We should refrain from unjust
and ignorant criticism. ii is today. All,
| Mr.. President, war may come. I think
/ myself the day may not be far distant
and when it comes we Will fight it
| alone, for there will be no other nation
t. lift hand to fight for us. When that
day comes there is nothing SO belittles
This people in my opinion as these I'M
| just and outrageous attacks On a
Friendly government. All. Mr.. Pres-
dent. war is grim decision. and when it
comes it must come SO that the people
of the world, whether they fight with us
or not, cen at least respect our con-
duct and our position and. above all.
I Mr. President. il must come under Cir
| cumstances which make US respect our
| Sc yes
MIR. Wolcott was followed Immediate
II ty Mr.. Lodge. OF Massachusetts,. who
| Mason's reflections upon the Navy De-
fEartment.
He, TOO. spoke with intense earnest
| lie: s. saying:
| Mr. President. l have no desire and
no intention of saying one word in re
| gard 10 ;'le war that is raging in Cuba
| No one can detest horrors enacted in
| shat island more than l. No one de
sires more than l to see the Spanish
| power swept from that island as it has
been from all the states Of South Amer
lea, but Mr.. president. that question
< not here. We are face to face al this
moment with great national calamity.
The American people have received the
! awful news of the sinking Of the war
ship Maine with a splendid silence and
self restraint, both in Congress and
throughout the country. They are wait
ing sternly. quietly. 10 know the truth,
ana the truth they will have. This is
rot question that involves CubanS or
|SponiardS. This IS a question which in
| wolves brave American seamen gone to
their death in a foreign port. In the
presence of that calamity. what we
| want is the truth. How are We to get
Il? l would rather trust this investga-
ton to the officers Of the American ma
Wy than to any other men in :he coun-
-ry. Does anyone suppose that the
aptain of that snip who wounded.
stunned By the explosion. remained the
asst upon the sinking vessel. and who,
n the midst Of all that awful terror
| and excitement With every duty nob.y
lone, sent a dispatch To this country
showing Il cuolness and a nerve which
are an honor to the American name"
| Does anyone suppose that Captain
Sigsbee. ca pabe of such splendid CON
luct. is going to lie about his ship?
irtc Secretary of the Navy is a man of
distinguished ability, of honor and pa
,r.otism. If anyone imagints that Sec
rotary Long VIII not tell the truth and
insist upon the whole Of it, he little
llntrWS the character Of the man who
has the honor 70 ill the great post a I
! the head of the navy. l. for one, trust
.2at Congress Will await the action of
he proper department charged with
,his inquiry, and will not attempt to
10 anything which could in the least
degree derogate from the attitude
wniCa the American people and Con-
Sress should hold in the presence Of a
za!amty SO dire and tragic a chat
which bafel the hatteship Maine
Mr.. Lodge also paid tribute to As
sistant Secretary Roosevelt.
Mr.. Mason was in calmer mood when
| ne rose to reply.
''MiSquotatior and general SpaS1il will
not drive me from the discussion of this
question in the Senate" he began Con-
tinuing. he charged Mr.. Wolcott wlth
making a statement Which was not
borne OUT by the record or by any re
marks he had made. He shared. he
said. in the general admiration OF the
various departments of the executive
| branch Of the government. and Mr..
| Wocott could not excel him in that re-
srect- He CMason) fully endorsed all
hat Mr.. Lodge had said about the
mead Of the navy, with whom he had
served in the House and whom he
knew 70 be a man of ability. Of great
head and warm heart. He denied
chat his remarks contained any reiec-
-on upon Mr.. Longs integrity or nom
or or the integrity or honor OF the Off
| rers of the navy. He also resented the
intimation that he had gone into the
sums to find words With which to char
acterize the Navy Department. and re
oeated his loyalty to the navy and 9TH
II departments.
sired to secure a vote upon the resolu
ion. but he desired TO reiteratt. The Sus-
picons expressed by Mr.. Mason that
he investigation by the Navy Depart
nent would not be satisfactory 10 the
country.
Can the Senator give the grounds
COR his suspicions?" inquired Mr.. Gray,
| If Delaware. His statement is i'm
| oortant.
my statement is Important" Mr..
Allen replied. II want to say that l
have not in my five years experience
n the Senate known one of thee in
vestigations to result in anything
Pending a motion by MIR Hale that
he Senate go into executive session,
Mr.. Bacon. of Georgia, introduced the
following joint resolution:
That there sha,l be prepared under
the direction of the Secretary of the
Navy. and placed upon the wall of
statuary hall in the capitol building. a
bronze tablet commenrora live to the
officers and men of the United States
navy who persisted in the loss Of the
battleship Maine, in the karbor of Ha-
vana. Cuba, February 10, 1885
The said tablet shall contain the
names of said officers and men, and
shall be an enduring memorial to their
honor and perpetual token of the sor-
row of the nation"
Referred to the committee on naval
affairs.
until Monday.
HOUSE CF REPR!ESE yNT ATIvES
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-The House
today promptly and unanimously voted
the 100000 asked for by the Secretary
ot the Navy to recover the bodies lost
n tine Maine disaster and TO raise the
wreck If that is deemed advisable.
| II nF he -.