The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-19

! my opinion. Is a decent and dignifed
reticence in the face of the appalling
calamity that has fallen upon our neo-
pie. There are times for speaking and
times for silence. and this IS the time,
! when we face the awful calamity that
has overtaken us. when we should re-
tain any expression Of an opinion or
our belief as to how this awful disaster
was brought about. until in proper.
regular and formal way, an inNestiga-
ton may be had. which we all know
will be conducted with the utmost up
rightness ana the utmost integrity.
war Not Distant.
..Mr PRESIDENT speak as one who
sympathizes deeply With the citizens Of
that unfortunate island now engaged IN
this terrible and deplnrahie conflict.
WELD to nobody in nay desire to see the
conclusion of that war. but ! do say
If ever there WAS a moment Wnen we
should abstain from outrageous and
cratuitous insult to a friendly nation,
That time is to-day. IT there was ever
a time when we should refrain from
unjust criticism, il II to-day MI
President, the day may COME think
myself the day may not be Tar distant
and when ii comes. we Will nght *
alone. for there viii he no other nation
10 lift a hand TO fight for us. When
that aav comes, our course must be
grounded on the right. and until II
comes there is nothing that so beiitfies
this people in my opinion as THESE ul-
inst and outra geouS attacks upon a
friendly government Mr.. President,
war is grim decision and when Il
comes ii must come so that the people
of the world. whether they fight with
us or not. can at least respect our con-
duct and our position, and above all.
Mr. President. 1t must come under cir
cumstances which make us respect our
selves"
Mr.. wolcott was followed Immediate
ly by Mr.. Lodge. He said: Mr.. Pres
fdent--I have no desire and no inten-
tion of saying one word in regard to
the war which is raging In Cuba. No
one can detest the horrors enacted In
+ that island more than I. No one desires
more than / to see the Spanish power
swept from that island, as 1t has been
from all the states of South America:
but. Mr. President. that question Is not
here. We are face to face at this mo-
ment with a great national calamity.
The Americans have received the awful
news of the sinking Of the warship
+ Maine with "A splendid silence and self
restraint both in congress and through
out the country. They are waiting
sternly, quietly, to know the truth. and
the truth they will have. This Is not
question which involves Cubans or
Spaniards-this is 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.
There is only one way tn get at the
truth of this matter and that is through
the naval officers who have been select
ed already TO perform that duty. Can
anyone suppose that the naval officers
of the United States. men on whose ca
Teer in the past and whose conduct in
the present there is not and has never
been a blemish, would seek to conceal
the facts in such case as this? /
would rather trust this investigation to
the officers of the American navy than
10 any other men In the country. Does
anyone suppose that Captain Sigsbee is
going to lie about his ship? The secre-
sary of the navy is a man of distinguish
ed ability, honor and patriotism. IL
anyone imagines that Secretary Long
will not tell the truth and insist upon
the whole of il, he little knows the char
hcter of the man who has the honor to
fill that great post at the head of the
navy, and l. for one, trust that con-
gress will await the action of the proper
department charged with this inquiry
and will not attempt to do anything
which could in the least degree derogate
from the attitude which the American
people and congress should hold in the
presence of calamity so dire and so
tragic as that which befell the battle-
ship Maine.
Il think those who know Hon Theo-
dore Roosevelt would be slow TO believe
that he would seek 10 conceal the truth
in regard to this disaster. Mr. President
i am sorry that debate has arisen on
this question. 1t seems to me that the
attitude of congress ever since the aw-
1uI news arrived has been in the high
est degree dignified and worthy-worthv
of itself and worthy of the American
people. We have not speculated or
talked. We have waited in n silence
of much deeper meaning than AIRY
words
A Signal Vengeance.
We want TO know the truth. Ii it
was an accident which destroyed the
Maine. then let us provide So far rs
human foresight can against q recur-
renee. II it was treachery. then the
righteous wrath of the American people
will take signal vengeance for the
Treaehery that sent the ship to The Eo:-
tom. and let no one think TO stay L.
Mr. Mason replied; '.Misauotation
and general snasm will not drive me
from the discussion of this question =
He shared. he said. In the general adj
miration of the various departments OF
the executive branch of the govern
ment and MIR. Wolcott would not exec
him in that respect.
Il am sorry" he said, that while the
lecture about the navy department, HI
does not slop over and give the treas.
ury department some OF his praise"
He lMason) fully indorsed all tina
Mr.. Lodge had said about the heat
of the navy, with whom he had served
in the house and whom he knew to bs
a. man of ability, of great head and
warm heart. But, Mr.. Long could no
himself object to an investigation ant
it was no part of friendship 10 him /,
try to shield him from such an inquiry
as was proposed. If he himself wer,
managing the department he would
under the circumstances, want the in
vestigation. He denied that his re
marks contained any reflection upol
Mr.. Longs integrity or honor. or tn
integrity or honor of the officers of thl
navy. But while this was true he ha,
also had regard for the honor and tn,
lives of the common seamen He ais,
resented the intimation that he ha,
{nfq hE fa nd q