The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-17

Maine. Hc said that whatever could
have caused the catastrophe he was
sure that no friend of Spain could have
been guilty OF such conduct for the rsa-s 4
son that II there had been no higher
motive the act would have been very
foolish and foolhardy one. He said the
Maine has cost. according to his ,recol-
lection, between $3,ooo.o0o ond $4,000, 900. Z
Senator Fairbanks-""Thcr reports arc !
so meagre that IL Is impossible 10 de-
termine the cause OF the explosion or To-
cate the responsibility II anyone Is at
fault. a thorough investigation doubt.
less VIII be Instituted by the proper aii-
thorit!es. II 10 n most dcplorable acci-
dent and one which win awaken tho
most general sympathy" &, ,ttilS
senator Warren. OF Wyoming--"It II
should develop that the Spanish had
anything to do with the occurrence,
both the United States navy and the
army ought 10 be summoned "a take the
matter up In earnest. II Il should prove
10 be nm accident, 1t should be carefully
investigated. for II Is high time thas
such accidents were brought to close.
II has apparently come TO be true that
our naval vessels cannot make any
move. cannot go up n stream or down
stream or out to sea without ground-
Ing, or having some other accident be-
lall them. hope. therefore, that no
time Will be lost In determining Tho
cause and placing the responsibility for /,
the occurrence, whether due to the hand
OF foreigner or a member OF our own
forces" u
Senator Pasco-"It Is a depiorablc oc-
currence. but II is impossible to say
whether anyone can be held RESPONSE
BILE or blameworhy. Certainly. most
rigid investigation should be made into
the accident by the navy department
and II It should subsequently appear
that legislative action Is necessary, Con-
gress should take the matter In hand.
For che present. however, II Is fair to
presume that the President and navy
department will take the proper steps 10
the matter"
Senator Clay, OF Georgia-"The pre-
sumption is that the navy department.
VIII give careful and thorough attep-
tlon to the matter and that II will make
such report as It may deem necessary.
II, then, 1t becomes necessary for Com
gress to act, am sure there will be no
hesitation In dealing with the matter. 4
There Is no proof that the Spanish are
In any way responsible for this serious
calamity and We should be slow to
slow to make charges without proof to
substantlate them. therefore, content
myself with saying that investigation
Is all that is needed for the present and
that this investigation should be rigid,
letting the blame rest where It may
Senators Chandler, Mason and Carter
were In the senate committee ON post
offices and post roads and OF course,
we're talking about the account. Senator
Chandler said that no one could tell
now how the accident occurred. It
might have been torpedo under the y
bows OF the shin or 1t might have been
an accident, while handling ammu1!-
ton. But they are not likely TO have
been handling ammunition at 10 o'clock
at night" put in Senator Mason.
"Oh. they might have BEEN" contin-
ued Senator Chandler "It the explos. 4.
ion was from within It was no doubt an
accident; II from without, then. no
doubt, 1t was by design"
Senator Carte. said It was q most
serious and awful disaster. He ex-
pressed the opinion that no amount OF h
investigation would clear up the mys-
terry OF how 1t occurred. The explosion
would leave no trace OF what took place
before and the burning ship would OBJ
literate all possibility OF learning much
OF wh0t took place.
The Maine incident formed the prin-
c!pal topic for consideration by the
senate committee on foreign relations at
Its meeting to-day. The affair was not
officially before the committee, but Il
was nevertheless allowed to dispIace
almost oil other business. The opinions
generally expressed by members of the
committee in this informal conference
were to the effect that the occurrence
Is one OF very serious Import and that Il
may. result in grave complications un-
less Spain can make It very plain that
no Span!ard was In anyway responsible
FOR 1t. a prominent member Of the
committee said after the close OF the
meeting that Spain would be expected
TO make an explanation that would en-
tirely clear up the mystery and that its :
she did not this country would have
rlsht TO demand such explanation. Most
OF the members OF the committee ref,,s-
ed after the conference TO express any
opinion concerning the occurrence. "it
is 100 serious to talk about at present."
said Senator Lodge, while Senator chi.
!om said: Il can't see why the explo-
sion could have been the result of an q
accident and think the time Is ranidlv
approaching when this country must
do something" So
Senator Clark would only say: .It ia a
singular that such accidents happen AZ
such npnnrfuna firnea y ~ -.