The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-19
Demands Congress Investigate Maine Dis
 aster-Reflects on Navy

Demands Congress Investigate Maine Dis-
 aster-Refiects on Navy.
 Washington. Feb. 1S.-A debate, de- edly percipitated in the senate to-day over the consideration of the resolu- tion of MT. Allen of Nebraska, directing the committee on naval affairs to in vestigate the disaster to the Maine. MT. Mason of Illinois proposed sub stitute providing for an Investigation to be conducted by joint committee of the two branches of congress. Upon this, the Illinois senator, diregarding an appeal not to force discussion at this time of so melancholy an af- fair, delivered a speech in which he said the people demand the truth con- corning the explosion and declared that they would not be satisfied with the investigation to be conducted by the officers of the navy, who would virtually try their own case and would cover up any blame that the facts might show attached to them. He fiercely denounced the policy of the government in dealing with the Cuban question, into which he went at length, and declared that the United States had adopted the policy of Spain in put ting everything off until tomorrow
 MT. Mason had g. letter from MT. Julian Hawthorne read to show, as he claimed, that murder was the policy of the Spanish government. Autonomy he denounced, was sham, fraud and a delusion, and the De Lome letter only served to emphasize the treacher- ous character of the Spaniard. He declared that he would not be willing to serve on the proposed committee, as he would not want to sit at the table with Spaniard who might have a stiletto under his clothes, unless he himself was iron clad. The record of the Spanish nation is one of continu- ous treachery and we have experienced that treachery in our history for the past hundred years. We were told that the naval board might be able to reach Havana by next Monday. Tomorrow always tomorrow. In the meantime who knew that but more dynamite the Maine destroyed.
 Senator Wolcott, trembling with in- dignation, answered Mr. Mason as fol- lows: T desire to resent as utterly un- founded the suggestion that there is a patriotic citizen in this land who has not the fullest and most glorious cOnfi- dence in every department of this goy- ernment and in the department of the navy particularly. The people have | never yet been called upon to distrust one of the coordinate branches of this government, and they never will. Least of all is it decent that in this chamber there should be insinuations cast at this critical time that there is lack in the minds of the people of the United States of confidence in our na- | Wy To-day, as always. the officers of our navy are honorable, courageous,
 bright men, and above all, they tell the truth It may be that the public ca | reer of the captain of the ill-fated bat l tleship is ended forever but the disas- l ter that overlook his ship will count | for nothing by comparison with the in- situations made that an officer of our | country, with the oath and the flag
 above him, would lie and cast respon- sibility where it did not belong. There | is one thing that this country can nev- | CT stand, and that is to listen, and
 without resentment, to any insinuation l that the officers of our navy are not
 men of honor and integrity and ot truth The officers appointed to inves- | tigate will do their duty. do not | know what slums the senator from
 Illinois may have dragged to find the
 expression of an opinion that there is
 lack of confidence in the personnel o1 our navy, but know he cannot fin6
 an honorable or decent or patriotic | citizen who will endorse the statements l which the senator has made.
 If there was ever a time when we
 should lend our help to every depart
 ment of the government, it should be | day. War may come. I think the l day may not be far distant and when 1 1t comes we will fight it alone. When | that day comes our course must be eternally grounded in the right, and until 1t comes there is nothing so be- | littles this people as these unjust and l outrageous attacks upon friendly government. When war comes 1t must | come so that people of the world can respect our conduct and our position and above all, it must come under cir
 cumstances which make us respect our selves"
 1 Senator Lodge, in a brief but fiery speech defended the honor of the navy
 Senator Hawley said that the investi. gation could not be made in Washing
 ton. It would have to be conducted or the spot where the disaster occurred
 He expressed full confidence in the of ficers who were to make the investiga-
 tion for the navy department. DO the gentlemen who talk so loudly think we
 are ready for war;" he asked. The res. olution went to the calendar.
 ANOTHER BROKEN IDOL.