The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-27
M'KINLEY COMPLIME ENTEO
e. S. WANTS TO AVOID WAR Is
THOUGHT.
SILENCE OF COURT OF INQUIRY oMNlOUs
London in the Throes Of the Hottest Campaign
in its History---Present Year Promises
to Witness Greatest Boom Known
in Shin RLIdinr.
in Ship Building.

in ship BUILDING
copyrighted, 1898, by Associated Press.)
london, Feb. 26.-Sensational dis
patches, purporting to report alarmist
utterances of President Mckinley, Sec
fetary Long and other officials, are be-
ginning to affect public opinion on this
side of the Atlantic. and create the inn
preston that there may be possible truth
in the reports which allege that the loss
of the Maine was not due to an accident
as at first believed here. Although war
between the United States and Spain is
still regarded as impossible, the
disposition in the city is to
regard the apprehensions respecting
Cuba as altogether exaggerated. The
Statist points out that this is grave
mistake. ''as. apart from sentiment, the
material losses inflicted upon Americans
by the anarchy in Cuba must not he
belittled."
The Stats believes. however, that
President Mckinley is strong enough
to resist the pressure" and cOngratu-
lates him upon the firm and statesman
like qualities which the immediate re-
slfonsibilities of his position have devel-
oped'' and upon rne honorable and noble
principles which he enuneiated at Phil
adRlphia when he quoted Washington.
ssAt the same time" continues the
Statist, I'VE realize that the President
hannot afford to quarrel with his suppOr-
tiers if the latter press war"
the Saturday Review is of the opin-
ion Tint the AFFAIR is gravely threaten
- RI aRd comments upon the silence of
the of the Court of Inquiry into the
loss of the Maine as being 'ominous" as
in the nervous anxiety of President
Mckinley and his ministers to avoid Il
rupture with Spain they would obviously
have hastened TO publish anything which
would help to stop the mouths of Sena-
tors Mason and Allen, who, with the as
sistance of certain newspapers, are Yell
ing fer instant war in the best jingo
style"
Proceeding, the Saturday Review re-
marks:
Secretary Sherman, having been si-
fenced by the simple process OF not al
lowing him TO know anything, the eXecu-
tive has lately ..ept it's secrets admirably;
hut it is shrewdly suspected that the
pacific disposition of President Mckinley
largely owing to the reports of his
Naval advisers to the effect that Amer
lea is not in condition to go to war with
Spain with any certainty of an immediate
and overwhelming success. The Span
ish fleet is not to be despised, and South
Amrican republics have not displayed
the love for their northern sister which
Mr.. Blaine tried to instilI. But all this
will not prevent jingOes from forcing
the Presidents hand if scrap of evi-
dence duplicating the Cuban authorities
becomes public"
The Spectator is certain that the Uni
ted States government whether moved
by information from Europe, or being
only desirOus of peace, is anxious to
avoid war
''Still apart from the loss of the
Maine, the spectator thinks that the
narrowing consular reports from Cuba
may so fire the Americans that they will
insist upon their government ending
such nliseries within American waters"
Advices received there from Madrid
show that win - the revolutionary or
gans, such as El AIS, are shrieking
denunciatiOns and threats, the RESPONSE
BILE newspapers have adopted IL correct
uIlI fOIcIlduOFy dtilluuc.
For instance Ell l--yeral, in a leading
article made sympathetic reference to
WaShington'S birthday and expressed
approval of President McKinley's speech
at Philadelphia, considering it to be "a
rebuff for tho seeking to enbroil the
United States and Spain" and expressing
the hope that the Presidents action will
be in accord with his words"
The ministers dec4are that the pessi-
mistic views of the Spanish lress are
"only the echo of the sensational state
ments made by certain American news
papers," and t-cy say tlley ''are more
than ever assured that the Washington
Cabinet will do all possible to prevent
anything from altering the excellent re-
lations between the two governments.
Eel Itais repeating the charge that the
real seat of war is not in Cuba, hut in
the United States, which, by lies and chi-
canery are seeking to justify their acts
saws: "The war in Cuba will only end
when we send an army against the Uni
ted States.
London is n the thrOes of the hottest
comnaign in its history, the contest for
seats in the London county council com
nletely throwing into the shades even the
kenpst foug..- parliamentary elections. |
For three weeks past the fight has been
woping alike in Belgravia and White
Chanel. Nightly there are scores of
meeting attened by Cabinet ministers
ond .'front benchers" of both parties,
neere and peeress, commoners, clergy,
nnbI;cans officers, diplomats, judges, doc |
tors and labor agitatOrs are all involved
For the l1S seats to be filled ON March