The San Francisco call., 1898-02-21

@ NEW YORK, Feb. 20.-A c @ Washington special to the Her C @ aid says: Congress stands with C @ the administration in the deter 2 @ imitation to await an official ex- C @ planation of the cause of the C @ Maine disaster before taking e @ any action. There are a few Q @ hot-heads In both houses who Q @ understand little about the con- c @ ditions with which the admins e @ tration hAs to deal, and do not Q @ take the trouble to inform them (: @ selves, but who are disposed to @ @ criticize the President for not e @ moving faster Some of them e @ would not delay to make any 9 @ investigation whatever, but e @ would at once assume that the e @ worst suspicious against Spain e @ are well founded. Fortunately e o these men are in the minority @ @ and the leaders in both houses 9 @ realize that they must suspend @ @ their judgment. @
 While the administration proposes to wait for the report of the court of in- quiry before formulating any opinion as to the disaster, 1t may be impossible to prevent Congress from reaching 9 conclusion before that report is made if the preliminary examination ordered by Captain Sigsbee should seem to be at all conclusive.
 If this investigation by the officers of the Maine should indicate that the explosion which sunk the ship came from the inside and was accidental this conclusion would be generally accepted by Congress as settling the matter. and the disaster would have little effect on the future policy of Congress in deal ing with the Cuban question. Should this board find evidences seeming to show that the explosion came from outside the ship. however, there is no question that Congress would respond in some measure to popular irritation and would want an immediate and sat- isfactory explanation from the Spanish Government.
 The Maine affair may not be the only factor in influencing Congress during the present week It is the expectation of the administration that reports from Consul General Lee and other consular officers in Cuba may be sent in response to the resolution adopted by the houses. I am informed by the State Department officials that there will be very little pruning of these reports. Practically everything that has been received by the depart ment will be forwarded except pos sibly expressions of opinion by consuls. Care is being taken, however, in pre- pairing the reports for transmission to cut out of them the names and other indications of sources from which in- formation was obtained by consuls.
 There is much feeling over the De Lome incident, the Maine disaster and Lieutenant Commander Sobrals inter- view bottled up in both houses of Con- gress' and it is not improbable that if this correspondence Is sent in before any explanation of the Maine disaster has been made, it, will be made the ba- sis of resolutions and speeches which will be inspired as much by other af- fairs as by the correspondence
 However great the excitement in Congress and out, 1t will be the policy of the leaders to hold both houses In check pending the final determination of the cause of the disaster of the Maine. In the House this policy will succeed, and though there may be some speeches during the debate in committee of the whole there will be no action. In the Senate resolutions or various kinds may be introduced, ana speeches may be made upon them.
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 Will Thank the Queen.
 MADRID, Feb 2O-To-dav +bo Queen Regent gave a farewell audi