The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-03-25
NOW AWAIT DEVELOPMENTS.
Spain Will Probably Have to Fight
or Back Down.
PRESIDENT WILL TAKE ACTION,
Evidently Preparing to Demand Big
Indemnity for the Maine Disaster and
Also the Independence of Cuba-War
Activity Continues on Land and Sea.

Americans seems about to be rewarded
by "a definite move on the part of the
administration to bring the Cuban sit
uation to head. The indications at
Washington are that President McKin-
ley has outlined plan of action look
ing to intervention on behalf of the
poor Cubans to bring them the indie
pendence for which they have so long
prayed, suffered and fought. 1t is
also apparent that the PRESIDENT plans
are meeting with opposition in his own
cabinet. The financial end is using all
its influence to moderate the war spirit
and preserve friendly relations with
Spain, while other departments appear
willing TO meet quite another issue.
Despite this the President has deter
mined not to be led aside from his orig
inal purpose. He is provoked by the
tactics of the Spanish legation in
spreading the story in subsidized papers
that the United States is regarding the
autonomy proposition favorably. New
ertheless it is fact that some members
of the cabinet are for autonomy or
peace at any price. If the President
needed any bracing before taking such
a stand, he is assured of the support of
congress. Intervention would natur-
ally mean war. and it is the only pre-
text yet apparent upon which we are
likely to como TO blows with Spain, and
both nations are preparing with furious
haste for a possible conflict. Uncle
Sam is a noisy good-natured old fellow
and slow to anger. When he is busily
engaged in forging thunderbolts it is
reasonably surmised that lightning
may strike at any time.
If a nation has the right to intervene
in the affairs of a neighboring state
and one of its colonies. in the name of
humanity, the United States has such
a justification in the present case. The
United States is in undisputed suprem-
acy on this side of the Atlantic and no
European power would gain anything
but hard knocks by joining Spain
against us.
The Maine disaster Is an incident by
itself and it must be considered sepa-
rately from the causes which seem to
justify forcible intervention to end
the war in Cuba. First, the govern
ment of the United States must estab-
lish beyond reasonable doubt that
the Maine was blown up by outside
agencies. When that is proven the
charge of hostility must be laid against
the Spanish government. If Spain dis
avows the act and makes an attempt
TO discover the guilty person or per-
sons. the Maine incident is not pretext
for war, but it will Justify claim for
damages. Spain would undoubtedly
prefer to pay any reasonable indemnity
rather than resort 10 war which is
sure to be disastrous in the end.
From what is known, and Invested
of all the technicalitieS, the report of
the court of inquiry first will deal with
the testimony of officers and the sur
viving members of the crew of the
Maine on the possibility of an accident.
1t will be shown that Capt. Sigsbee and
his subordinates exercised every pre-
caution known to experts in the care
of modern men-of-war and are entirely
blameless. Complete cXoneration of
the officers of the Maine will set aside
the accident theory of the Spanish in
vestigators. IL will be asserted that
the explosion which destroyed the
Maine primarily was from the outside.
The breaking in two of the vessel and
her listing to starboard will locate the
original blow on the port side. The
quantity of explosives used so destruc-
lively could not have been brought
into Havana harbor surreptiously, yet
the connection of Spanish officials with
the disaster has not been established.
The report will be free from comment
or speculation as to the direct RESPONSE
bility for the catastrope. Following
the finding will be digest of the testi-
mony upon which the administration
may base conclusions not ventured by
the board. The failure to discover the
guilty persons will be an embarrass-
ment in handling the question.
Whether a demand for reparation
will follow the report of the court of
inquiry or not, the recognition of Gu
ban independence, or armed interven-
ton. must be decided upon. Congress
and the people already are impatient
with the delays of diplomatic negotia-
tions. 1t is feared that too much time
has been consumed in considering
promises of reform, offers of enlarged
autonomy and pledges looking to pacifi-
cation. The complete retirement of
Spain from Cuba and the recognition
of the Justice of our demands for i'm
demnity after the report of the court
of inquiry shall have disposed of the
theory of accident would avert war in
their judgement. but they have no idea
that Spain will be tractable in either
case.
The u. S. Dispatch boat Fern has
made two trips from Key West to Mat
anzas and Sagua la Grande with sup
plies for the starving reconcentradoeS.
No demonstration was made at either
place as IL seemed that the gladness Of
the wretched Cubans was overpowered
by the dread that hangs above them
and which could not be dispelled by the
arrival of the food for which they were
suffering. At Sagua la Grande U. S.
Consul Baker was overjoyed to see an