The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-02
SPAIN NOT UNDER SUSPICION
srcRETARY LONG SAYS 1T Is ELM
MATED FROM THE SITUATION.

Is Merely an expression OF HIS
PERSONAL Opinion-The Assertion
Wade Just After "A Meeting of the
Cobinet-NO New Developments
Rrousht to Light Mt the Meeting.
washington, March 1.-The main inter-
es+ Of the day in connection with the
Maine centered in a statement by Secre-
prv Long following the cabinet meeting,
that. in his personal opinion, any official
anticipation by the Spanish government
IN the blowing up of the Maine was now
This statement was not of formal or Of
fetal character, and was made by Mr..
Long as he walked away from the White
House.
As usual, the various cabinet officers
were besieged with inquiries as to the
questions before the meeting, and in re-
sDonse to these opportunities the secreta-
r rather casually summed up the stu
alton in a few words, stating that most
Of the time had been given to the out
RACES on colored postmasters in the South.
Naturally the Cuban situation had been
gone over, he said, but there were no act
ul developments, and he felt that public
excitement over the subject had material
y abated. Then he added the statement,
in the same personal way, that any par
ucipation by the Spanish government In
the blowing up of the Maine was practic-
ally eliminated, in his judgment.
This last remark was speedily given wide
flo
erences which had accompanied it. 1t
Immediately started much comment and
discussion, and when Mr.. Long returned to
the navy department after lunch he found
that what he had intended to convey was
being given force of an official declaration
that Spain's responsibility for the disas-
ter had been eliminated. In order to make
clear his meaning, as a personal express
sion of opinion, Mr.. Long dictated the fol-
lowing statement:
The main thing we talked about in the
cabinet were the outrages on postmasters.
one white man in Georgia and one a coll
ored man in South Carolina In regard to
the Cuban question, thought things were
growing quieter every day, and as far as
my Judgment went, was inclined to think
that any official participation on the part
oI the Spanish government in the disaster
was now practically eliminated"
The foregoing covered all that Mr.. Long
desired to say on the subject and thrs
much was given only to offset enlarged
versions of what he had said. Persons oc-
copying the closest relations with the sec
fe'aFy said that the opinion expressed was
euVH ds any one might give with the facts
-o" at hahd. IL was not in any sense it
was explained a conclusion drawn from
new evidence made public either from the
curt OF inquiry or any officer now con-
NeHeu IN the inquiry. Neither facts nor
- is''liid ilohs have come from such sources.
~ Is sald at the department., which would
serve as the basis for an opinion.
me Official declarations of Senior Dr.
- Ihe Spanish charge d'affaires that
49, Iiiles or submarine defenses exist IN
tar4.sI i'aI DOT OF Havana, had come to the at
.e"1Ion OIL Secretary Long and this state
~ lIseni from the authorized representative
I lHe spanish Government was felt to
ia peeh given its due weight in the opin-
.ou expressed by the secretary. It was
Joiliteu OUT by persons bearing close rela.
IONS uonS 10 the secretary that the language
nsrt was Official participation" on the
eaid u me Spanish government. This, he
n,,or., had no bearing on the
-, O' or Spain's responsible
oe s The official participation
sihni, 9paih was one thing; while the respon-
cd ~ ~ VI spain, in case the disaster prov
OH. oI external origin, was quite an
va 'nlng. The secretary's statement
IesIricted it is said, to exculpating
,'PsIih NPaih from direct official knowledge and
~ ei0lpauon in the affair In case II was
"" mat the act was due to some IA
~ Vi some person not connected with
siti79, 79,0Nsrhment, then the Spanish respon-
S'Dn'ly ,'.y would be still open. Mr.. Long
t,o9 nuch surprised that so much atten-
eiot, "u peen given to his passing allu-
aside from this incident. the dav brought
- ie" developments of importance re-
,t'AIs 10 the Maine. No dispatches Of anv
~ t,,.ef tra.Cef from Key West where the court
tba '7n4' IS sitting, were given out during
IN LAY and as the rule of publicity is still
w,t t0Iee presumably nothing came from
inc H. 'IsSel movements announced dur
6r5- 5'.e gay were devoid of Significance.
mem i went out from the navy depart
clads NT'as 'nls afternoon to put the iron
O. 9ilahtonamah and Katahdin into
NON. ''.lssloh on March 10. They are
wbero me League Island navy yard.
or - u'ey nave been laid uD for a year
tb.." past 1t is said at the department
rr,..''ine we purpose of putting them into COM
ors CH Is 10 make berths for the surviv-
ino VI me Maine now at Key West. wait
on, ,g 4l' the court Of inquiry which with
IN, uouot will have finished with them by
h. Allantonamah is a formidable dou-
g'.-,1 urreted monitor carrying four 1O-inch
F,.,-. . Sne is of 1890 tons displacement and
ber us rs l0'2 knots per hour In addition to
or,,lln nam battery she carries a good sec
bcr hattery of rapid fire guns ana
H'u 'urrets are clad with 11-inch armor.
tommander has not yet been definitelv
NJ. gu put the remainder of her officers
sc 'e as follows: Lieut.. Commander viii
eAecutive officer; Lieut.. Underwood
a. alof; Lieuts Hogg, Gill and Ensign
sr IAN watch officers; Passed Assistant
Parks. 'er ana Chief Engineer
hatahdin. otherwise known as the
r,. ham, is a freak in naV architec-
"a ana, although opinions are divided as
ter r qualities, there is little doubt that
en-. essence in any harbor would make an
ny anxious. She lies mostly under
in .t with a turtle back of steel VARYING
m,, ness from two and a half 10 six
1aHN IN -