Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-02
Feeling ip Congress in Regard to
Secretary Longs Declaration.
POLICY OF JUSTIFICATION
It Prevents Action on Measures
Really Needed.
MIN ORITsY's POSITION


Under any conditions are able to check all
action, because the rest cannot get such an
aVowai from the administration as would
warrant them in going ahead. The atti-
tuoe OF secretary Long is cited as peculiar
~ perplexing, while some of his utterances
are regarded as indiscreet and unnecessary
"A considerable number of men in Congress
VINO are opposed on general principles to
any increase of the military force, except
ior an emergency, are perfectly willing to
vote Whatever is needed either to avert
war or to prepare for it If it is threatened.
others who are strongly in favor of the
needed increase of our defensive force even
II danger Is not imminent do not feel that
they can justify their insistence upon i'm
mediate emergency action If the admins
.raion Is not prepared to sustain requests
'A'e nave peen made by the departments.
The Policy of Mystisicntion.
The policy of mystiiication is disarming
those who want to do the patriotic thing
ana placing them at the mercy of the small.
put strong, opposition. The special legisIa-
ton to provide for two additional artillery
regiments ard for authority for the Navy
department. to enlist 1,50O men, necessary
10 man the vessels in reserve at League Is
iano' could not be hung up as it is it is
CANNED. II the administration would stand
requires such action 1t is represented
ncwever that the administration shrinks
from committing itself to the statement
tEat there Is anything in the present stu
aion winch demands such legislation at
this time rather than heretofore or here
AFTER 1t appears that there is a persist
ence III the form of request that these in
creases are needed, without reference to
any present danger, and this gives the OBJ
position the chance to contend that there
Is no need of haste, If, indeed, the legisla-
ton should be had at ALL
IL TIE obvious facts are cited as showing
the pressing need that preparations should
be made for an emergency that is moment
arily threatened, this is met with quota
lions from Mr. Long to show that there Is
no reason for apprehension. 1t is not felt
by those who think preparation should be
made that 1t is necessary for the admins
tfatlon to make any sensational utterance
cut only that requests made by the de-
partments should not be discredited by the
heads OF the department themselves. Dig
mined silence On the part of members of the
administration on the subject of the Maine
disaster and private assurance that the
measures asked for are really needed and
desired wouki, it IFS believed, insure the ad
.nln1sfration2 all the assistance required
from Congress INCORPORATION for an emer-
gency. + 81
Secretary Longs Declaration.
The declaration by Secretary Long yes
terday thatfhe idea of Span's having any
participation in the destruction of the
Maine has caused the utmost dissatisfac
ton in Congress except among those who
do not want any preparation for defenses
to be made. 1t iSFregarded as a gratuitous
anticipation fof the finding of the board Of
inquiry, foy which the public have been
admonished to wait with patience The
personal opinions and the official opinions
of a csbiret t officer are necessarily SO close
ly associated. thatit is felt to be wiser for
cabinet officer not to express personal
opinions on subject concerning which his
official opinions would be untimely and out
of place. aca eztel
The belief is very generally held in Con-
gress that steps should be taken promptly
to man whatever guns and fertilization
We have along the coast and to train the
men in the manipulation of the big guns
the management of which they are now in
entire ignorance; and to man, equip and
put in commission all of the naval vessels
that are now in reserve; but this cannot
be done If the departments after asking
for the authority say on being questioned
aboutit that there Is no special reason why
the request was made. One of the repub-
lican members Of the House military COM
mittee said today that the attitude of Off
GERS of the administration was absolutely
bewidering, and he added that the decla-
ration OF Mr.. Long with respect to the
sponsibility of Spain for the Maine explo-
sion was uncalled for and unwise.
The chairman of this committee, who Is
in charge of the artillery bill, said this
morning that he was going to try to get
action IN the measure as soon as the Loud
bill was disposed of by the House. but in
order to do so he would have to get the
assistance of the committee on rules and
that had not yet been secured
Proposed Resolution.
Representative ]. Hamilton Lewis pro-
DC ses TO introduce a resolution in the
House disappearing Of Mr.. Longs discus
sing with the public, in advar &c of the re-
port of the board, his theories of the Maine
disaster He will probably Lot be able to
get consideration for such a &c solution, for.
though members of the House of both par
ties criticise the Secretary, the general
feeling is that it will not better matters
any for the House to agitate the question
There has been some comment on the
fact that members of the minority who
We're formerly SO active in their Efforts to
get recognition of Cuba are now silent and
make no effort to do anyt ming to strengthen
the hands of the administration in antici-
patton of trouble. A number of leading
democrats VINO were asked about the mat
ter this morning said that they did not
think it proper for them to add in any way
to the irritation of the situation; that they
" ouId be ready to do whatever might be
necessary for the defense Of thu honor and
safety of The government, but that while
the administration was awaiting the re-
port Of the board OF inquiry and until the
President had had time to act thsy did not
feel that they should take the initiative.
Nor. they said, did they think that while
the Maine question was pending WIS a
time to be agitating belligerency resolu-
lions.
A request for authority for military prep
arations would properly come through the
majority. and IL the preparations were me-
elected the responsibility for such neglect
would rest, itupop the administration or
upon the majoritYt
This 1t is beliefed. represents the attl-
tude of the minority generally.
Today guns are, being shipped from the
Washington navy yard gun shops to New
ness for the eqdipment Of the auxiliary
cruisers should 1t be necessary to take
them from the merchant marine for naval
service. F9rty-eight six-inch guns and a
number of fiye-inch were being loaded onto
the cars for shipment this morning.
Rumored OGer to Adjourn.
The state8#aent p made by some of the
republican members of the House that
they have reason to believe that an effort
swill be made to gst rid of the appropriation
bills and gdjouih Congress before any
thing is dohe bxe The President with re-
spect to the Maine disaster if not before
| the report of the board is made pubn.:
end to prevent any sort of action with re-