The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-19

sons Speech was the one at which the
Illinois senator aimed.
He in turn was followed by Senator
Lodge, who defended Secretary Long and
the navy department.
During this episode there was the great
est excitement. both on the floor Of the
Senate and in the galleries, which were
crowded to their fullest limit. Every one
felt the intensity of the situation, but IT
is characteristics OF the spirit of an Amer
lean crowd that there were no outbreaks
either of applause or of criticism. But
despite this fact, the situation was one of
great tensity so great that to relieve it,
Senator Halle, as soon as the speakers
had concluded, moved an executive session,
and the galleries were cleared.
Both houses of Congress passed unani-
mously the bill suggested. by Secretary
Long appropriatng 900 for the purpose
of recovering the remains of the officers
and men lost on the Maine, and for saving
as much of the vessel and her equipment
as is possible.
Senator Bacon introduced in the Senate,
and viii doubtless secure its passage in
due time, a resolution providing for
memorial tablet in memory of the Off
GERS and men who lost their lives in the
Maine disaster
At the White House the President au-
thorized a statement of his views, or rath-
er of his position, with regard 10 the cause
of the disaster. This was that he believed
and hoped that the disaster was the result
of an accident. This statement of course
created no surprise. nor did it throw any
light on the situation.
The cabinet meeting, which was watched
with deep interest, was likewise unproduc-
tive of results. The expression of the cabi-
net officers were all on the line of those
of the President.
There is a good deal of criticism among
members of Congress and others in official
position, of this hasty endorsement of the
accident theory especially in view of the
fact that suspension of Judgment is ask
ed of everybody else. While everybody
realizes that this is given out for the pur-
pose of keeping down public excitement
the result is that the efforts of the ad-
ministration are diseounting themselves.
Outside of the events here in Washing
ton, three or four developments have at
tracted great attention. These are the
rather unfriendly and suspicious tone of
the Madrid press, especially in the de-
mands that Spanish divers be allowed TO
examine the wreck of the Maine along
with American divers. The second of the
events much discussed is the visit of the
Spanish battleship Vizcaya to New York,
and the great precautions which have been
rotary of the Navy has issued adyices to
the authorities of New York that every
precaution should be taken to prevent an
unfriendly outburst toward the Spanish
visitors The third event, and 1t is this
that has made the deepest impression, Is
the apparently sincere expressions of sor-
row on the part of the people of Havana
and of the direct representatives of the
Spanish government there. While few
doubling Thomases were inclined to dis
count the first expressions and manifes-
tations of sorrow, the cablegrams from
Capt Sigsbee and oSa. Lee have
removed all doubts. There has never
been a moment when the truth Of what
ever Gen. Lee has said has been doubted,
and his testimony to the sincerity of Gen.
Blanco and his fellow officers, and of the
Havana populace, has gone a great way
toward tempting the excitement here.
Tonight all is quiet. There is, how
ever no abatement in the feeling that the
disaster could not have been the result OF
internal accident. 1t will require the most
positive proof to the contrary to stem the
tide of popular feeling. No negative proof
will do this. In the meantime, until there
is a report from the investigation of the
wreck, there can be little change In the
present status beyond secret preparations
on the part of the government toward
placing both the navy and the army in the
best possible position to meet an emergen-
cy.