The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-03-02
Memory Of the Men Who
Persisted on the Maine
to Be Perpetuated.
The Senate Adopts a ResOiu-
ton Providing for.
Bronze Tablet.
In Touching Language Perkins Spoke
of the Glory Achieved by Gallant
American 1ars
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,

Sdil olilCer 11OuSc,
Washington, March l.
Shortly after the Senate convened to-
day Perkins of California, of the Com
mittee on Naval Affairs, presented a
favorable report on Mr.. Bacon's reso-
luton providing for the erection in
Statuary Hall of the Capitol of a
bronze memorial tablet commemorative
of the officers and sailors who lost their
lives in the Maine disaster in Havana
harbor. In the course of his report
upon the resolution, Perkins said:
1T is fitting at all times for a ma
ton to recognize the heroism of those
who have yielded up their lives in its
service. In this respect no nation is
more generous than ours. 1t has stood
and still stands ready to show its ap-
probation of bravery and devotion to
duty. 1t cares for it's helpless veter-
ans who battled on land and sea; it
strives to mitigate the hardships i'm
posed on those who were grievously
wounded while fighting for the flag,
and as far as possible it seeks to aid
the widows and orphans of our dead
soldiers and sailors. But it is not in
battle alone that heroic qualities are
shown: neither is it only in time of
ance of duty while peace reignS, as
well as while the conflict RACES. But
whether in war or in peace, the soldier
and the sailors stand ever ready to give
their lives in the performance of duty,
and when they so die they die like he
roes and deserve well of their coun-
try.
Every man who stood beneath the
flag of the battle-ship Maine had, by
his very presence on it's decks, signified
his willingness to die for the defense
of the nation and maintenance of the
national honor: He was ever ready to
go where duty called, whether to brave
the tempestuous seas, or to return shot
for shot with his countrys enemies
When death came in the awful shape
it took in the harbor of Havana, the
dead are no less heroes than If they
had fallen before hostile guns. The liV-
ing have shown the heroic mold in
which all were cast. If it were ever
fitting to recognize the devotion to the
country of brave men it is now fitting
to erect q tablet in memory of those
who lost their lives in the destruction
of the Maine. The sailors of the navy
have ever been the pride of the Union;
their heroism has been recognized
throughout the world, and their deeds
have brought forth praises from all
chivalrous people. What the sailors
of the old and glorious fleets of the
United States have been. that are the
sailors of the new navy of our coun-
try. The great disaster at Havana has
shown that there exists the indomita-
BILE courage, which heretofore has made
our fleets victorious and which is an as
Surance that victory will still follow
our flag upon the seas. AS our fleets
are strong and our men are brave, so
shall we compel and maintain that re-
spect among the nations which is as
necessary to national prosperity as the
respect of his fellows is to the prosper
ity of the individual"
Morrill, of Vermont suggested that
Stautuary Hall was scarcely proper
place to erect the tablet, and Hoar of
Massachusetts thought some other
place for it might better be desig-
mated.
The resolution was so amended as to
provide for the erection Of the tablet