The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-22

WASHINGTON, March 21. The
house today unanimously passed the
bill for the relief of the survivors and
victims of the Maine disaster.
The bill reimburses the surviving Of
ficers and men for the losses they sus-
tanned to an amount not to exceed a
years sea pay and directs the payment
or sum equal to a years pay to the
legal heirs of those who persisted.
The remainder Of the day was oc-
cupied in the consideration of the old
for 1891 200. No action was taken upon
the claim.
Immediately after the reading Of the
journal, the speaker recognized Mr..
Boutelle Rep., Me.), chairman Of the
committee on naval affairs, who called
up the bill for the relief of the surviv-
ors and victims Of the Maine disaster.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations, offered an
amendment allowing the surviving
officers and men twelve months sea
pay without rations, in full compensa-
ton for losses sustained by them.
Mr.. Boutelle at this point concluded,
as debate was to be INDUCED in, that
it would be we'll for him to make a.
general statement He then explained
briefly that it was the idea Of the COM
mittee that congress should be as lib
eral toward the victims Of the Maine
disaster, as it had been toward those
who suffered in the Samoan disaster
The committee did not believe that the
survivors should be reimbursed beyond
the actual losses incurred
Mr. Bailey asked what the sea paw
Of the highest officer of the unfortunate
vessel was.
Capt. Sigsbee's pay is about $4,5OO,"
answered Mr.. Boutelle.
Then under the proposed amend
ment he would receive that amount no
matter what losses he had sustained"
Mr.. Boutelle said he did not imagine
that Capt. Sigsbee or any other Of the
gallant officers Of the Maine would
dream of being reimbursed beyond the
actual amount of the losses they sus-
tanned.
Mr.. Boutelle and Mr. Cannon had a
rather spirited exchange Of personali-
ties. The former criticised the latter's
attitude toward the bill and the latter
said he was responsible to his con-
stituents and the general public senti-
ment of the country, not to the gentle
man from Maine, for his position.
''The gentleman does not live on
Gods footstool," said he, "who possess
es the ability to merit the appreciation
of the gentleman from Maine" Gaugh-
ter)
Tribute to the Dead.
Mr.. Cousins (Rep., Io.) changed the
whole tenor of the debate by the de-
livery Of brief but eloquent tribute
to the American sailors who went
down with the Maine. Mr. Cousins
said:
The measure now proposed Is most ap-
propriate and just, but hardly is it men
tonable in contemplation of the great ca
lamity to which it appertans. 1t Will be
merely an incidental, legislative foot-note
to page of history that will be open to
the eyes of the republic and of the world
for all time to come. No human speech
can add anything to the silent gratitude the
speechless reverence already given by
great and grateful nation to its dead de-
tenders and to their living kin.
No act of congress providing for their
needs can make restitution for their sac
rifice Human nature does in human ways,
its best and still falls deep in debt. Elk
pressions 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. ten
derest words of sympathy for that gallant
crew who manned the Maine.
After paying a high and flowery
tribute to the men of the Maine, Mr..
Cousins closed with these words:
lowering above the dark waters of that
mysterious harbor of Havana, the black