Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-27
FEBRUARY 27, 1898.
KEEP COOL.

KEEP COOL.
The "inside Information TO the con-
trary. Notwithstanding, Of certain enter
prising Habana, Key West, and Wash
ington correspondents, we know no more
to-day of the cause of the destruction of
the battleship Maine than we did the
day after the disaster occurred. Hence
there is no more reason for a war scare
to-day than there was the day after the
calamity. Nor shall we be any wiser as
TO the agencies that brought about the
explosion until the Board of Inquiry shall
have made its report, If, indeed, we are
any wiser then. 1t is within the range of
possibility that the board will not have
been able TO clear up the matter
failure TO establish positive facts would
leave us with nothing to go upon but
numerous conflicting theories, each tend
ing to weaken or render worthless the
others.
During the last few days the CORES
pondents have repeatedly assured us that
the accident theory has been abandoned
But not a word of official or semi-official
confirmation Of this assurance has been
forthcoming.
There is no evidence that any cores
pondent has succeeded in getting out of
any member Of the board, or any men,
Der Of the narrow circle supposed TO be
in the confidence of the former. the slight
est hint touching the views of the
board or the character of the testimony
given before it. The chief success Of the
snterprislng special correspondents has
been in the direction of inhaming the
public mind in this country, playing into
the hands of the stock spectators, and
spreading one day rumors that the author
tiles at Washington denied the next,
Indeed, so successful have they been
in the second respect mentioned as 10
excite the suspicion of especially close
touch with Wall Street. The manipula-
tors worked for all it was worth the
discovery" Of the correspondents that
the accident theory had been aban-
doned," there was tremendous slump
in stocks, sound as well as speculative
securities were affected, and feverish and
uncertain business conditions obtained
more or less in every large city in the
Union.
Admitting, however, that the accident
theory has been abandoned, and that the
Maine disaster resulted from an exterior
agency. premeditatedly employed, it may
still be a far cry to war. There has not
so far developed one scintilla Of evidence
that would support a suspicion that the
Spanish authorities, either at Madrid or
in Cuba, were in anyway connected with
or had any intimation of a plot to blow
up the ship. On the contrary, there is
every reason to believe that they were
shocked, surprised, and horror-stricken
by the calamity. If il shall be demon
strated that the explosion was due to an
exterior agency, four leading propositions
will present themselves: Was 1t the act
OF a Spanish fanatic or Spanish fanatics
Inspired solely by hatred Of this country?
Was 1t the act Of Weylerite seeking 10
throw dscredit on the Blanco admipis-
.ration? Was it the act of a Cuban in
surrectionist or Cuban insurrectionsts
perpetrated for the purpose of precipi-
lating hostilities between the United
States and Spain? Or was a mine in the !
barber accidentally exploded. Then, as
we understand 1t, viii arise the question |
Of spain's responsibility for indemnity for |
ret exercising due diligence" in pro- |
tecting the Maine.
What constitutes due diligence could |
not be well determined ia a hurry. |
In anticipation OF the question of in
asmnity's coming up, leading authori- !
ties on international Issues have been |
studying il. and there is great |
diversity OF opinion respecting the |
scope Of due diligence" II follows. there |
fore that there would probably be a long |
road 10 travel before the point would be |
reached at which It could be decided |
whether we would be justified in demand |
ing indemnity. and that in case the de- |
slsion should be in the affirmative, war /
would depend on SPANS manner OF meet |
ing the demand. In the mean time. IN |
view OF the burden OF our ubiquitous PEN
sion-roli. the deficit in the Treasury. and |
The necessity OF increasing taxation that
war would Involve, 10 say nothing Of the
fact that an unJusliable war would be a
crime, this country could do no better
sould not better DO IT'S duty to itself aud
10 spaiu-than by taking counsel OF the
nomcly but sensible injunction. keep
cool and don't be a fool" failure 20
% this, even should II. not result in pro-
soKing war; would be likely to cause
sddespread and serious business unrest
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Those who have cndeayored to produce
diamonds artinciaIy have discovered that
a