The Washington herald., 1910-06-07


discussion in the United States Senate
with reference to the war with Spain. in
1898. has moved Hon. John Z. Lamb 10
give publicity TO a conversation with the
late Hon. Thomas B. Reed. of Maine.
Speaker OF the House of Representatives,
which occurred at Palm Beach, Fla in
the month of March. 1889, shortly before
his resignation as Speaker of the House
of Representatives.
with my wife" said Mr.. Lamb Il
was spending a few weeks az the Break
ers Hotel, and one evening 1 learned that
Mr.. Reed. with a party of friends. had
arrived at the Ponciana Hotel, about a
mile away AS I had known him quite
well since serving with him IN the Forty
eighth Congress, went over to pay my
respects I found him in conversation
with his daughter and Hon. Amos Cum
mings, then a member of Congress from
one of the New York City districts. and
a member also of the Naval Affairs Com
mittee of the House. when 1 had known
for many years as the political corre-
spondent OF the. New York Sun.
After a short talk. suggested that
they take a walk over with me. as It
was beautiful evening. Mr. Reed I'm
mediately excused himself TO his daugh-
ter, and he and Mr.. Cummings accom-
panied me After we had walked out on
the pier at the seashore. 1 invited the
two gentlemen into the cafe at the hotel
to take a lemonade. We sat at table
perhaps an hour. Naturally. the conver-
satlon drifted 10 the subject so much dis
cussed at that time, the Spanish war.
During the conversation l said, what
was being SO commonly remarked every
where. that after the blowing Up OF the
Maine by the Spanierds IN the harbor 81
Havana nothing IA the world could have
prevented the war.
AT this trite remark Speaker Reed. in
his well-known drawing voice and his
most sarcastic manner. said: Lamb. does
anybody out in Indiana believe that the
Spaniards blew up the Maine?'
Il say, Why, yes; nearly everybody
that know believes it
well he said, I don't know about
that, but they don't anywhere else.
This nettled me a little. and I said.
rather sharply: Mr.. Speaker, what do
you mean by that remarkF
'He said, 7 mean just what / say. /
mean that the Spaniards did not blow up
the Maine. I mean that the explosion
was internal. and not external. 1 mean
that the bo4rd OF inquiry which made
the investigation knows that 1t was an
internal and not an external explosion
mean that Admiral Sampson knows the
| explosion was internal and not external.
I mean that the Naval Committee Of the
House knows and that Amos Cummings
here, who Is member OF 1t, knows that
| the explosion was internal and not ex-
ternaI. mean that President Mckinley
knows that the explosion was internal
and not external.
'' I mean further continued the Speak
er. that on the Saturday before Con-
gress met in the special session, which
declared war upon Spain I was sent
| for by the President to come to the
White House and read the messags
which he intended TO send to Congress
on Monday, a message which advised
/ that SPANS request for arbitration bs
granted. and which / heartily approved
On the Sunday following, however. MARI
Hanna. Stephen B. EIlIins, and a few
others Of that Tx went TO the White
/ House and persuaded the President thai
| II he sent that message In on Monday
the Republicans would lose the fall elec.
| tions and perhaps the control Of tn.
| National House OF Representatives. AnC
| so the message which saw was destroy
ed, and the next day at noon the mes
| sage from the President was received by
Congress which made the declaration o.
war inevitable
''Mr. Reed spoke with great emphasis
and considerable feeling, and did not ever
| suggest that the conversation should b'
considered confidential, but did say tha
the time has not yet come to talk Be
cause OF that statement have not. unit
now, except 10 a few close friends, re
peated what DE said. Mr.. Cummings al
luded TO II IN a veiled way IN a Iette
which he wrote to the New York SUI
from Palm Beach at the time. in whicl
he used my name as being present, bu
did not go into details. I only recall tn
conversation for what Il is worth as
somewhat interesting contribution TO
} historical matter.
1T is earnestly to be hoped that IN
raising Of the wreck OF the Maine, eve,
at this late date under the resolution
: offered by the Hon. William Sulzer, 0
New York, viii settle this mueh-dispute
eC4slion, so that the world may kno1
whether this wreck was the work O
au1 fiends, or simply dreadful acc
5sn which brought about a decide
Fe in the map of the world"