Evening star., 1898-03-21
WITHOUT DIVISION
The House Passes the Maine Relief
Bill.
BASED ON THE SAMOAN MEASURE
Scene Between Messrs. BouteIle
and Cannon.
SEN SHORT SESSION

The Maine relief bill was passed without
division by the House of Representatives
today.
The blind chaplain of the House, in his
invocation today. prayed that the members
might meet with patience the problems Of
the week and dispose of them to the high
est and best interests of al concerned
Immediately after the reading of the
journal the Speaker recognized Mr.. Bou-
teIle (Me.). chairman of the committee on
naval affairs who called up the bill ior
the relief of the survivo ors and victims OF
the Maine disaster.
Mr.. Bcutelle said that the purpose and
provisions of the bill were well understood.
and so far he was concerned he. thought
debate unnecessary. Still. he was ready to
yield to the desire Of the House.
Mr.. Bailey said there was no disposition
on his side of the House to debate the bill.
Such matters as members on his side de-
sired to speak about in connection with the
disaster they would reserve for the naval
appropriation bill. He gave notice of an
amendment he would offer.
Without debate. therefore. the bill was
read by sections for amendment.
Several minor committee amendments
were agreed to.
Mr. Cannon chairman of the committee
on appropriations, offered an amendment
to allow the surviving officers and men
twelve months sea pay without rations in
full compensation for losses sustained by
them. This provision, he thought, prefer
able to one to idemnify them for the
losses sustained limited in amount to
twelve months sea pay. He called atten-
ton to the fact that in the case of the
Samoan disaster the comp ensation n each
case was about the maximum. He thought
q provision for compensation for actual
losses might lead some of the survivors
into the temptation of magnifying their
claims There would be also this advdnt-
age in voting directly years sea pay. 1t
would obviate delay and the mediation of
claims attorneys. While Congress was do
ing this act of Justice, he said, 1t should
do the generous thing.
Reimbursing the Survivors.
Mr.. Boutelle at this point concluded, as
debate was to be INDUCED In, that it would
be well for him to make a general state
ment. He then explained briefly that 1t
was the idea of the committee that Con-
greSS should be as liberal toward the VIC
Tins of the Maine disaster as It had been
toward those who suffered in the Samoan
disaster, and the bill had been drawn
along the lines of the bill passed for the
relief of the Samoan victims The commit
tee did not believe the survivors should be
reimb 1rsed beyond the actaal losses in
Cured The provision relating to the fl
ing of the schedule of losses, made and
sworn to, had been carefully hedged about
and could not be criticised successfully.
VI
the highest officer Of the unfortunate ves-
EEL was.
Captain sigsbee's pay is about $780,"
answered Mr.. Boutelle.
Then under the proposed amendment
he would receive that amount, no matter
what losses he had sustained"
Exactly
What was the largest amount paid un-
der the bill for the relief of the Samoan
victims?"
About $1,000
Mr.. Boutelle said he did not imagine that
Capt. Sigsbee or any other of the gallant
reimbursed beyond the actual amount of
the losses they sustained.
Exchange of Personalities.
MIR. Boutelle and Mr.. Cannon had a rather
Spirited exchange of personalities. The for
her criticised the latter's attitude toward
the bill. and the latter said he was re-
sponsible TO his constituents and the gem
eral public sentiment Of the country, not
the gentleman from Maine. for his position
Inc gentleman does not live on Gods
ICotstoOi, said he, who poss ssses the
ability to merit the appreciation of the
gentleman from Maine" Qaughtero
Proceeding. Mr.. Cannon again advocated
his amendment. pointing out that the aver
age value Of the regular equipment of a
ships crew was $66 yet, in almost every
Instance the members of the crews of the
ships which went down at Samoa obtained
practically years sea pay. Americans,
Cinnamon and others on those ships SUBJ
mitted schedules detailing losses aegre-
eating practically the maximum amount
they could obtain under the Samoan act
AS practical legislator. he thought his
amendment was wise and should bs
adopted.
Mr.. Bailey said at first he had been dis
posed to favor the Cannon amendment He
mad heard something of the scandal In con-
nection with the Samoan act and did not
desire repetition Of that diskracsful epi-
scde- But upon closer examination, Re
II ought the provision in the bill preferable
He had long been of the opinion that the
best part of the Lords prayer was con-
tained in the words: Lead US not into
temptation" But this amendment would
make IT more profitable not to fall than to
iaH IL would give to the honest man more
tnan the dishonest man would claim
Mr. Hilborn (Cal) denied emphaticallv
that there had been any whol.sale fraud in
Connection with the Samoan act He read a
list OF the officers in the Samoan wreck
toeether with their salaries and The amount
or their claims In proof of this Several cf
ths Officers claimed nothing at all, and all
OF them claimed only small fraction of
their salaries.
Mr. Cousins Qowa) changed the whole
tenor OF the debate at this juncture by the
delivery of brief but eloquent tribute to
the American sailors who went down with
the Maine
An Eloquent Tribute.
Mr Cousins said: The measure now pro-
posed is most appropriate and just, but
hardly Is 1t mentionable in contemplation
OF the great calamity to which 1t apper-
tains- II will be merely an Incidental. leg
isiative loot note to page Of history that
viii open TO the eyes OF the republic and
OF the world for all time to come No hu-
man speech can add any thing to the silent
gratitude. the speechless reverence, al
ready given by a great and grateful nation
to its dead defenders and to their living
Kim No act OF Congress providing for their
Feeds can make a restitution for their sac
rtfce- Human nature does In human
ways. Its best and still feels deep In debt
Expressions of coincidence have come from
every country and from every CLINE. and
every nerve of steel and ocean cable has
carried on electric breath the sweetest
tenderest words of sympathy for that gal
liant crew who manned the Maine"
After paying a high tribute to the men of
the Maine. Mr. Cousins closed with these
words: Hovering above the dark waters
OF that mysterious harbor of Havana, the
black-winged yulture watches for the be-
lated dead. while over 1t and over all there
Is the eagles piercing eye. sternly watch
ing for the truth Whether the approprja-
tion carried by this resolution shall be ul-
timately charged to fate or to some foe
shall soon a0lear Meapwntla n>+t.,k