Arizona republican., 1898-02-19
The House Authorized the Navy
 Department
10 BEGIN WORK OF SALVAGE
InQuirie s by the Members for
 Inform atiOn
A Highly Sensational Cuban Debate Was Precipitated in the senate Growing Out of the Resolution Directing the Investigation.

i Washington, Feb. 1S.-The house i debated on the bankruptcy bill until noon and then immediately after the i reading of the journal, MT. Boutelle, republican of Maine, chairman of the naval committee, asked unanimous consent for the consideration of the resolution prepared by the navy de- partment and passed by the senate. The mere mention of the Maine disas- ter on the floor brought members in crowds from the cloak rooms and lob
 bies and they thronged down the aisles to listen. The spectators in the gall 1eries leaned over with breathless in- terest as Secretary Longs letter was read.
 "It is unnecessary to say," said MT. Boutelle at the conclusion of the let ter from Secretary Long, that the work of salvage should begin at once and that arrangements with the
 wrecking companies which have nec- essary outfits should be not de- 1ayed. I deem it proper to call atten- tion to the fact that Secretary Long
 recognizing that congress is in ses- sion, has come here for authority to do this work instead of straining any authority he might possess inde- pendently."
 MT. Bailey called attention to the fact that the resolution only spoke of
 recovering the bodies and not of their
 return to this country, but, he added, that there was no need to be any stick
 ing on this point. MT. Boute1le re-
 piled that the secretary had referred
 in his letter to his duty in that regard He said he had just received a tele- gram from Secretary Long this morn from Captain Sigsbee, and that it
 might be of interest to the members.
 Read it," Tread it," came in a
 chorus from the members, and MT.
 Boutelle then read a cable from Cap
 tain Sigsbee which had already been
 given out by the navy department.
 Mr. Sulzer, democrat of New York, asked MT. Boutelle if he had any in
 formation otherwise that threw any
 light upon the cause of the disaster.
 ''I must reply as I did yesterday"
 replied MT. Boutelle, "that I regret to
 say have not, but all information at
 hand seems to strengthen the belief that it was due to an accident"
 The resolution was then adopted
 unanimously.
 A HOT SENATE SESSION. Washington, Feb. 1S.-A debate, de- cided in it's sensations, was unexpect- edly precipitated in the senate today over the consideration of the resolu- tion of MT. Allen of Nebraska direct
 ing the committee on naval affairs to : investigate the disaster to the Maine Arrangement had been made for its adoption with a minor amendment without debate.
 MT. Mason of Illinois, however. pro- posed substitute providing for an l investigation to be conducted by 8
 joint committee of the two branches of congress. Upon this the Illinois senator, disregarding an appeal to not force a discussion at this time of SC melancholy an affair, delivered 8 l speech in which he said that the peo-
 pie demanded the truth concerning the r explosion and declaring that they l would not be satisfied with an in 5 vestigation conducted by the officers ol \ the navy, who would virtually try theil ) own case and would cover up any
 blame that the officials might show attached to them. He fiercely de
 nounced the policy of the government : in dealing with the Cuban question y into which he went at length, and de l clared that the United States ha( . adopted the policy of Spain in putting - everything off until tomorrow. , Sharp replies to Mr. Mason's charg 0 es were made by MT. Woicott of Colo !; rado and MT. Lodge of Massachusetts : The speeches of both senators bristlet , with cutting criticisms of the remark :. made by the senator from Illinois an,
 it was clear that both senators regard
 ed the situation as grave in the ex
 treme. Senator Wolcott freely ad
 mitted that war might come and tha S he thought the day might not be ia q distant. He, like Senator Lodge, de o precated any utterances on the foo of the senate calculated to further az T gravate the serious state of affairs r The resolution which precipitated tn l. discussion finally went to the calen
 dar.
 s