The San Francisco call., 1898-02-18
CONCRESSMEN
 TALK OF WAR Even the Conservatives Are Aroused by the
 Calamity. They Say That American Honor and Liberty Must
 Be Vindicated. It Is Time That the United States Drove the Spanish Soldiers
 From Cuba.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

Call Office, Riggs House,
 Washington, Feb IT
 At the capitol end of the avenue there is the same feeling of suppressed ex- citement that prevails at the Navy De- partment, but very much to the sur prise of everybody there have been no outbreaks on the part of those who have heretofore lost no opportunity to criticize the administrators foreign policy The only way the Maine in- cident figured at all in the days pro- ceedings in Congress was in the Allen resolution calling for an investigation, but there was very little of this. for 1t went over under the rules. It will be called up tomorrow but will probably be sent to a committee, the majority of the sentiment in the Senate being that nothing should be done at this juncture that can possibly interfere in any way with the plans of the execu- tive department.
 But off the floor there was talk, and plenty of it. A few members of the Senate and House cling to the accident theory, but the great majority inclines
  did the work, and that it was sent against the American man-ofwar by Spanish hands.
 Perhaps the most significant indica- tion of the growth of this feeling IS found in the attitude of certain Repub- lican members of the House Commit tee on Foreign Relations. That com mittee held long session this morning at which the whole Cuban situation was gone over at length. Representa- tive Adams of Pennsylvania, who is chairman of the subcommittee having l charge of the Cuban end of the com mittees work, has all the time been en- gagged in sitting down on all efforts of the other members to get at the facts in the Cuban situation, and in this he has had the active assistance of Quigg of New York Indeed, Quigg has been regarded as the most conservative member of the committee, not except ing Chairman Hit. But to-day Quigg, Pearson and Smith of Michigan, all Re publicans, gave strong indications of purpose to do their part toward fore ing the administration to aggressive action. Quigg was particularly out spoken outside of the committee room. He declared that not only he but the business men of New York are now convinced that a war cannot be avoid ed, and the sooner 1t was entered upon the better In view of Quigg's close re- lationship with Senator Platt this talk was regarded as most significant This is, however, but one indication of the general feeling that the terrible disas- ter to the Maine is the spark that will 1 ignite the war spirit.
 1 But the conservatives believe that no official expression of the administration or of Congress should be given until something definite is ascertained as to l the cause of the, explosion. For this reason most Senators and Repre- resentatiyes are guarded in their ex- pressions to interviewers. As one of the most conservative Republican members of the Senate Committee of Foreign Affairs put it this evening, We have been working along for many months with a lot of live wires crossed and recrossed and touching at many points. So. long as we were able to keep each in place and all properly insulated there was no danger. But we have all realized that were the insu- lation to wear off there would be a flash that would only mean war;
 The same Senator declared that if in- dications of torpedo's work. were