Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-17
RAISING MAINE WRECK
TOPIC OF HOT DEBATE

Although twelve years have passed
since the battleship Maine was blown up
in and sunk to the bottom of Havana
harbor. the mention OF the wreck in the
House of Representatives is always GER
tain to stir up bitter row.
Invariably there are charges and coun-
tercharges. THE assertion is sure to be
made that the government is afraid to
raise the Maine for fear it will be found
that she was destroyed by the explosion
OF her own magazines. and not by mine
set off by the Spaniards.
New Provision Fought.
Today paragraph in the general de-
ficiency appropriation bill directing the
Secretary of War to ascertain. through
the Engineer Corps OF the army, and to
report TO Congress at its next session
the best practical method and the prob
able cost of carrying into effect the
provisions of the bill appropriating s1G0.
too for the raising of the Maine, resulted
in several hours bitter debate in the
House and the exchange Of some rather
warm personalities
The appropriation of 100000 for rails
ing the Maine was PASSED by this session
OF Congress and became a law more than
a month ago. But the War Department
has done nothing to carry out its pro-
Vision. as the amount appropriated, ac-
cording TO the department, is not nearly
sufficient. Engineer officers who ap-
peared before the appropriations commit
tee recently testified that il would cost
at least SJO0.o0o and probably S1,0OoOOO
to raise and remove the Maine.
In view of this statement the provision
in question, which would have the effect
of suspending the law already passed
directing the removal of the wreck, was
inserted in the deficiency bill.
AS soon as the paragraph was read this
afternoon Representative Fitzgerald OF
New York reserved a point OF order
against it.
Representative Sulzer Protests.
Representative Sulzer of New York,
author of the original bill to raise the
Maine, bitterly protested against the
adoption of the paragraph.
This is another evidence he said, "of
what l have been saying for the last ten
years about the delay in raising the
Maine When we finally pass the bill to
raise the wreck and recover the sixty
three bodies supposed to be in IT, 1t was
stated on the floor that the 100000 car
Red by the bill was merely on account
OF the work and that it made no differ
ence how much it cost
why don't these army engineers obey
the law: Why haven't they begun the
work of raising the wreck?
a long wrangle between Messrs. Sulzer.
Tawney. Fitzgerald, Loud, Butler and
others ensued. Representative Pillson OF
Kentucky, In the chair. then held that
the paragraph was not in order and
eliminated it from the bill.
Chairman Tawney of the appropriation
committee Immediately offered an amend
ment adding s2D,OOO to the 100000 APP
propriated by the bill to raise the wreck.
which has already become law. Rep
resentative Fitzgerald moved to make
this 100000, raising the total to $JOO.O0O.
and supported his proposition in a warm
speech.
been trying to do this Finally we man.
aged to get bill through. Yet the ink
was hardly dry upon it before representa-
tives Of the War Department appeared
before the appropriations committee to do
what they could to hamper the work.
THE sole purpose Of this paragraph is
to delay the whole proposition and. even
tually, to get the authority of Congress
to blow UP the wreck without raising it,
Fitzgerald Criticises Tawney.
Mr. Fitzgerald severely criticised Mr..
Tawney and his committee. as well as the
War Department officials, and insisted ii
was evident they were afraid to raise the
Maine for fear of what they might find.
Mr.. Tawney denied Mr.. Fitzgerald's
assertions. and said they had no justifica-
ton and no foundation in fact.
1T may help the gentleman from New
York" he said, tQ play the part Of a
demagogue and make statements re-
fecting on memberS of this House and
on officials of the War Department
But his remarks are unjustifiable and
unjustified."
Mr.. Tawney admitted that he favored
blowing up the wreck after the removal
of the bodies. and said this method
would cost only $4,000, while it might
cost a million to raise and move the
ship.
The vote was first taken on Mr.. Fitz-
gerald's amendment to Mi. Tawneys
motion, and this was defeated, 81 to Is.
That left Mr.. Tawney's motion to in
crease the appropriation from 100000 tn
$500, 900 before the House,