davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-02-19
The Investigation.

At the risk of being added to the
list of American jingo newspapers, and
! Of so being brought under the intel
| lectual ban of Tory publications. which
either because they are hired or are
natural towards. affect TO believe that
! the Maine blew up with the advice and
! consent of its officers, The Times de-
! sires to express its full confidence in
! the forthcoming report from the Board
| of Inquiry now on its way to Havana.
always provided that the board shall
| be allowed to make the necessary in
Nestigation and to ascertain the facts.
il is, perhaps, proper to add that
there is a Spanish point of view to be
considered in the premises, AS to the
investigation. it is useful to remember
that Spain has everything To lose and
nothing to gain by allowing the truth
TO come out. Just as long as the caNse
of the disaster can be kept in the form
of mystery, our Government will be
prevented from accusing Spain of bad
faith. On the other hand. the minute it
is proven physically that our battleShip
was destroyed by one of the numerous
submarine mines which form an i'm
portant part of the defenses of Ha-
Vana, all the influence, power and
prestige of the Administration would
be as helpless To keep the American
people from going to war as il would
be impossible to stop hurricane with
a suction pump.
On this very account we are COM
PEELED to feel little dubious about the
investigation Mr. Mckinley has given
a sinister hint to the officers charged
with it, in telling a newspaper corre-
spondent, as reported. that he trusted
the result would develop the fact that
the explosion was an accident We are
sorry to feel compelled to say that
there is too much reason for believing
that the Administration would do al
most anything to make the affair ap-
pear accidental, even if the evidence
were all the other way. We are justi-
fled in this apparently unkind position
by facts already ascertained, and which
are in the possession of Mr.. Mckinley
Capt Sigsbee knew that the hafbor of
Havana was mined. and warned the
Navy Department that he was likely
10 be blown up at any time. Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee notified the State Department
of the same condition. at least as early
as last October. Judge Day may feel
like denying this. but the files in a cer-
tain office. which we could name will
prove it. and the archives OF the Con-
sulata General viii also demonstrate
the truth Of the assertion. The latter
are not likely to have been DESTROYED. :.
whatever may have happened to the
former.
1t is a matter of record, testified TO
by hundreds OF witnesses that two dis
tinct explosions occurred when the
Maine met her terrible fate The first
was comparatively light one. Tn
doubtedly that was of a small torpedo.
the service of which was to set off the
frightful mine under the battleship.
The second was like the bursting of a
volcano. Ii 1t had been due TO the ex-
plosion of a magazine, it would have |
made an enormous amount of noise:
but in hundred feet &C water it would
rot have created a vibration in the
The times., 1898-02-19
America and "Manifest Destiny"
(F'rom the Review of RevieWs.)

The real strength of the movement for
the annexation of Hawaii is to be found
in a national feeling which cannot be
understood except by those who share in
it. 1t is a feeling that grows out of our
history and that rests upon survivals of
faith in the old American doctrine of our
manifest destiny" While we We're still
a small struggling power, our forefathers
had the largness of vfewT to press our
boundaries further and further to the
westward, until at length they acquired
the splendid continental domain which
was won not for any immediate benefit
they could derive from it, but for n her
itage to their children and for the fll-
ture glory of their nation. They, in their
times met with precisely the same sort
of opposition that confronts today the
men of large vision and of faith in the
future. Most of us today are glad that
Jefferson made the Louisiana purchase.
and even that Seward bought Alaska,
while there are also well-informed men
ready to say that they think President
Grant was right and Senator Sumner
wrong in the bitter fight over the an
nexatien of San Domingo. The Pacific
Ocean is to be the theater of great
events in the coming century. The next
two generations of Americans will in
sist upon playing a large part in those
events in spite of the warnings of GER
tain gentlemen now living who shudder
at a policy of expansion. If We should
embrace the present opportunity to bring
the Hawaiian Islands under our flag,
posterity would probably be thankful to
us-precisely we are thankful to our
forefatherS for their acquisitions.
The times., 1898-02-19
A Sweet. sad Pntentnte

If there is one thing more than an
other in connection With the recent ma
tional sorrow that fills our soul with
suppressed pride and admiration it is
the contemplation of that sweet sad.
but silent figure which glorifies the
White House.
Surrounded on all sides by a jingo
press, with the guns of its argument
invectiVe and scorn trained upon him:
with a Congress on his hands ready at
any moment to break loose and shatter
the cause Of his Spanish ally. and with
the American people seething in hot
anger at the blunders cowardic- and
infamy of the Administration foreign
policy, he stands serene, the very ideal
of piety and department
He is indeed the watchman on the
high tower. He is not to be deluded OF
coerced into a betrayal of his trust. 1t
is a trust which has its headquarters
partly in London and partly in Wall
street. He has promised TO be true To
it. and he will be.
This noble, suffering man knows
that not a hundred honest Americans
out of about seyenty-four millions
agree with him. bur Hanna does, and
so dc J. p Morgan, the Rothschilds.
Thomas B. Reed and Eugene Hale He
is not TO be moved. From the altitude
he 50 serenely occupies. he says to
them, in the words Of Mark Twain 5
canal boat captain, BE calm and trust
in Dollinger. and he will pull you
through"
Smooth, SNUG and smiling, he knows
a satisfactory apology when he sees
one, and in that respect is wonderfully
easy to please. He also is able to rec
ognize an accident when he meets it
on the street II the Vizcaya We're to
fire on the New York city hall he would
know the act TO be accidental. and con-
vey his sympathy and kind wishes to
Spain before the newspapers could get
the occurrence in type
1t is a great thing to have such
careful mariner at the helm. 1t insures
peace. irrespective Of the price. All the
stock tickers in creation sing his
praises, while Quakers burst with envy.
Happy, happy man!
The times., 1898-02-19
Shanlei

The Administration having made up
its mind to accept the theory that the
captain of the Maine committed harf-
kari in Havana harbor on Tuesday
night has presumptively concluded to
disgrace the gallant American sailor
whose conduct under circumstances
which might demoralize the bravest
man living is now the admiration OF
the world.
There are but two alternatives.
Either the Maine was blown up from
without or the commander of the vessel
is a careless and incompetent officer.
who must of necessity be courtmartiaI-
ed and dismissed the service.
The Administration knows the truth
Before many days the American people
will also know it and proceed TO busi-
ness. The victim will not be Capt. Sigs-
bee.
The times., 1898-02-19
Miss willard I.

The death of Frances Willard
Removes from American public life one
of its notable figures. For the last
thirty years Miss Willard has been
identified with what is known as the
temperance movement, insomuch that
whenever her name is spoken. the
white ribbon of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union waves before one s
mental vision. She has made speeches.
she has served on committees. she has
published books and pamphlets. she
has edited papers, for the promotion of
her pet cause, and whatever may be
thought Of the cause, it is admitted
that her devotion to it was single
hearted and unselfish. She never mixed
up her own personality with what she
had to say The thing to be said was
the important point in her mind:
Frances Willard did not matter IL
platform happened to be the most con-
Venient and effective place from which
to make her argument, she went on the
platform. If, in her opinion. the end
she had i'm view could be promoted by
the writing of books and magazine and
newspaper articles, she wrote them.
When the Womans Christian Temper
ance Union was organized, she stepped
naturally and inevitably into the posi-
ton of its guiding spirit, but ft-is now.
and has been almost from the first. not
Frances Wizards society. but a tenn
perance society If she was on plat
form, she was there on business. and
when the business was done. she had
The times., 1898-02-19
The Gains of Equal Suffrage.

To the Editor OF The Times:
The Times has this week quoted from
the Albany Argus an article claiming
that woman suffrage is making no prog
ress On this point let the facts speak
for themselves.
Sixty years ago women could not vote
anywhere. In 1888 Kentucky gave school
suffrage TO widows. In 1861 Kansas gave
1T to all women. In 1863 England gave
municipal suffrage to single women and
widows and Wyoming gave full suffrage
to all women School suffrage was grant
ed in 1879 by Michigan and Minnesota, in
1876 by Colorado, in 1878 by New Hamp-
shire and Oregon in 1879 by Massachu-
setts. in 1880 by New York and Vermont
In 1881 municipal suffrage was granted
to the single women of Scotland Ne
braska gave woman school suffrage in
1888 and Wisconsin in 1885. In 1886 school
suffrage was given in Washington and
municipal suffrage to single women and
widows in Ontario and New Brunswick
In 1887 municipal suffrage was given to
women in Kansas, and school suffrage In
North and South Dakota, Montana, Ari-
zona and New Jersey. In the same year
Montana gave taxpaying women the
right to vote upon all questions submit
ted to the taxpayers. In 1891 school suf-
frage was granted in Illinois. In 1892 mu-
nicipal suffrage was given to single wom-
Ell and widows in the province of Quebec-
In 1893 school suffrage was granted in
Connecticut. and full suffrage in Colora-
do and New Zealand. In 1894 school suf-
frage was granted in Ohio, limited mu-
nicipal suffrage in Iowa, and parish and
district suffrage in England to women,
both married and single. In 1895 full suf-
frage was granted in South Australia to
women, both married and single. In 1896
full suffrage was granted to women in
Utah and Idaho. In 1897 the legislatures
of Washington and South Dakota passed
full suffrage amendments by more than
q two-thirds vote.
In view of these facts is the article
that you quote from the Argus justified
in saying, 1.-The suffrage cry of gain is
am empty nothingg
ALICE STONE BLACKWELL.
The times., 1898-02-19

ground. sufficient to shatter windows
and to put out the electric lights in
the city of Havana 1t is evident,
therefore, that the explosive force came
from the bottom of the bay.
But what is, the utility of these dis
cussioi1s? One might as we'll try to
teach the Westminster catechism to the
man in the moon as to attempt the
imposition of anything like patriotism
cr sense of national honor upon an
Administration unalterably bent upon
saving Cuba to Spain, and to the Span
ish-Cuban bondholders, who are as
much creditors Of the political party in
power, as We're those other campaign
creditors who We're paid off in that
Kansas Pacific steal the other day.
The times., 1898-02-19

In our intense interest in things near
home. we are likely to forget that there
are others. Our esteemed friend the
Sultan. who does not like American mis-
sionaries even little bit, has forwarded
1900 men to re-enforce his army in
Greece and that is not altogether
peaceful measure. And our other friend
the Mikado, says that If China does not
pay the indemnity installment falling due
on May that proceedings will follow
of a nature calculated to dispel the or
dinary dullness of the spring season.
What pity it is that other nations do
not have McKinleys and NcDingley pros
perity Then there never would be any
sort of fear of war; only Kansas Pacific
deals and sound theology.
The times., 1898-02-19
Kansas. Woman Mayor,

lF'rom the Bangor COmmerciaf)
Mrs. Curtis, who was elected mayor of
Cimarron- Kapsas. last fall, is making a
wonderful success in her administration
of the municipal affairs of that city. The
Kansas City World says that she con-
ducts the business of Cimarron with
master hand, and while her election was
looked upon as joke she is now regard
ed as the best mayor that Cimarron has
ever had. Cimarron at this time is
weighted down with q large municipal
indebtedness contracted in a county seat
war. Mrs. Curtis has taken the matter
in hand and is handling it to the salts
faction of the bondholders and taxpay-
eyS
The times., 1898-02-19


Former Minister Ransom was al the
House few days ago talking about his
experiences m Mexico. After the min
lister left the cloakroom one of the mem
bers said:
Did you ever talk TO the minister when
his mind has been occupied with bust
ness?' and without waiting for a reply
the member continued: Il did. | met
him soon after his return from Mexico
and after we shook hands he said:
How is your sister. Frank?
She is we'll, | replied.
The minister's mind then returned to
some business for five minutes and then
he said:
How is your sister Frank? and as
before, L replied that she was we'll Five
minutes later he raised his eyes from
some papers and remarked:
% oh, Frank. how is your sister,
thought the conversation was becoming
rather monotenous and to change it an
swered that she was very i'll.
Bless me. you don't say So | am
sorry to hear it, Frank
He turned to his PAPERS again for an
other five minutes, and, hang me, if he
didn't turn around and say:
Frank. how is your sister? At first
| thought he was guying me, but looking
al him sharply, | realized he had for
gotten the conversation and / answered
sadly She is dead.
Why, man, you don't mean it. he ex-
claimed, jumping from his seat and ex-
tending his hand in a most sympathetic
manner. adding, this is dreadful: when
did 1t happen; tell me all about it
Why, j replied, killed her just now.
When l came in your office told YOU she
was well twice: then | told you she was
very i'll. and that didn't impress YOU So
for your benefit have just killed her.
The old man looked at me for a mo-
ment and then replied
You must pardon me. Frank. / was
thinking about these papers
The times., 1898-02-19

A New York newspaper has offered
$4,000 reward for evidence fixing the
blame for the destruction of the battie-
ship Maine. That strikes us as nonsen-
sical. Everybody in America, outside. of
sthe Administration, knows the cause of
the catastrophe. If anybody has
$4,000 to spare in these hard times 1t
would be much better to offer it as a
prize to the man who could demonstrate
that the Administration is as dense as
it claims to be-
The times., 1898-02-19

If Commodore Hichborn Is right in his
opinion that the Maine can be raised and
made effective again for slooo.ooo by all
means let il be done. We are afraid.
however. that the commodore is uncon-
sciously upsetting the Administration
theory. If. as he contends. four-fifths of
the vessel is yet intact. it is evident that
the great magazine did not explode. Mr.
Mckinley. doubtless. would much rather
lei the boat lie where she is than to ac-
cept a theory which would be highly
offensive to our Spanish ally.
The times., 1898-02-19
Paying Us in Our Medicine.

Germany is doing only what France
Canada, Mexico and half dozen other
nations have done. but in a more direct
way. Anyone with an ounce of COM
mon sense should have realized when
the Dinstey blunder was in process OF
Matching. declaring commercial war on
the whole world on the pretense of pro-
tecting American interests. that we were
taking the first step to impair or destroy
their interests. When we get blows in
return at least in self-respect we should
hold our peace and not whine
The times., 1898-02-19

1t is almost cruel to anticipate what
a kind gentleman like Gen. Blaneo is get
ting ready to say but the spirit of pro-
gressive journalism compels us to it.
About the day after tomorrow the cap
tain general will notify Gen. F'itzhugh
Lee that he has evidence that the Maine
was blown up by Gen. Gomez as neat
and effective way to create diseord be-
tween America and the land of Don
Quixote-also of Weyler.
The times., 1898-02-19
No Accident.

To the Editor of The Times:
If the Administration really believed
that the Maine affair was an accident
would there be any hesitation about send
ing one of the nearby cruisers into Ha-
vana to look after the survivors, wreck
age, ETC., in this friendly port? Y.
THE Administration doesn't believe it
was an accident. As matter of fact, it
knows that it was notj
The times., 1898-02-19
Krueger's Popularity.

(From the Cleveland Plain DeaIerl
President Kruger, of the South African
republic has lost. none Of his popularity
among his own people. This is shown in
his recent reelection as president. Out
of 9,423 votes cast he received II. I64-
Every string was pulled that could be to
beat "Oom Paul" and the English papers
We're quite sure of his defeat. but heshas
triumphed, as has been his wont ir
everything he has undertaken
The times., 1898-02-19
The peeene raey Of the Times.
(From the Boston Transcript

Yes. there has been a great falling off
in the human race in the last twenty
years. The young men who used to
spend their days and nights in the prof
liable work of coloring their nleer-
schaums are now succeeded by a race of
degenerates who only color their fingers
with the cigarettes they smoke.
The times., 1898-02-19
War.

To the Editor of The Times:
Can the President of the United States
declare war. without the consent of the
House and Senate? SUBSCRIBERS
mo. Congress alone possesses that
power.J
The times., 1898-02-19

An English tailor says that he can tell
what part of England a man comes from
by the color of clothes he wears. In this
country we know a man is from Ohio
when he is clothed in checks, but we have
otherwise no system of geographical tail
oring
The times., 1898-02-19
News.
To the Editor OF The Times:

To the Editor OF The Times
The late j. b. 3McCullagh once said
that good journalistic work consisted in
knowing where hell would break loose
next and having a man on the spot How
do you reconcile this with the Stars
statement that since February 8 il has
had no correspondent at Havana?
+. J..
lMr. McCullagh's maxim was intended
for newspaper men,
The times., 1898-02-19

II the destruction of the Maine was
raaIIv due to an accident and the Ad
ministration knows it, Will somebody
kindly inform us why the authorities are
afraid to send another ship to Havana.
The times., 1898-02-19

There Is some reason for believing that
when the naval investigating board COM
pletes its work, it will be discovered that
the same torpedo which blew up the
Maine also blew up the Republican party.
The times., 1898-02-19

Communications intended for publication
"a The Times should be terSely and plaiaiy
,cTitten and must in all cases be accompanied
bg he name and address of The tgFiteF. Ra-
ec'ed communications 1ciH mt be PRESCRIBED,
and oH3y manuscripts cf obctoas importance
WSH be returned 20 their authors
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY IL. 1898.
The times., 1898-02-19

The most noticeable feature in the de-
bate on the bankruptcy bin yesterday
was the fact that nearly all of the MEM
bers who made speeches read them from
manuscript. 1t is not unusual TO see
single member read a speech in the
House but 10 see seven-eighths of all
speeches delivered in one debate read
from carefully prepared manuscript is an
incident and an innovation.
The times., 1898-02-19
Circulation Statement.

Readers Of The Times ,cI,o may at oag
time be eRaJle 70 procure copies Of Il at any
ne1es sta nd. railroad station o. oR railroad
trains lrjH confer facOr upon the maRage-
8,eRt By sending to this office iRJt5Iaa ion o.
The fact
The times., 1898-02-19

The first thing. perhaps, is to raise the
Maine The next thing, certainly. is to
raise Spain.
The times., 1898-02-19

a prominent member of the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs, who knows
all the important officers of the navy
personally and particularly those who
have been detailed to act as the court of
inquiry over the e3Maine accident. said last
evening that If IL were so inclined not all
the power and Influence of the Admins
tration could cause the members of that
court to swerye from a verdict in accord
ance with the facts If there would be
any leaning as alb this Senator said, il
would be natural to expect ii in the direc
ton of the officers who were in command
of the ship. If the accident should be
shown to have been the result of careless
ness. then the men in charge of the vessel
are subject to such punishment as may
best lit the dase. The future of Capt.
Sigsbee and his associates depend upon
the verdict of-the-eourt and the honor of
heroic officers will not. this Senator says.
be sacrificed even If demanded by higher
powers, unless the facts should warrant
such a finding. Commodore Sampson.
who was on duty at the Navy Depart
ment, and during the time Mr.. Herbert
was Secretary was practically head of
the department. Is spoken of as a man of
the most marked integrity. Naval officers
have nothing 10 fear at the hands of
these men.
The times., 1898-02-19
CAPITOL GOSSIP.


Secretary Gage is indignant over what
he considers to be abuse of letter sent
TO a Congressman. and of the privileges
afforded members to extend their re-
marks in the Record. Some time ago
Observation-Disclosures, of Tennessee, re-
auested the Secretary for certain infor-
nation relative to the alleged prepara-
tion by former. Secretary Foster for an
issuance of bends during the closing
days of the Harrison Administration.
Secretary Gage replied with the infor-
nation giving the data. copy of MIR.
Fosters circular and the wording of the
proposed bohd. Ii signed by Mr.
Gage. as Secretary. Mr.. Gaines used II
in his speech on the currency question in
the House. The Democratic committee
Is preparing a lot of campaign literature,
and among the pamphlets now being is
sued is one containing this speech of Mr..
Gaines. and another by Mr.. Osborne, of
Wyoming. The letter of the Secretary
appears with an autographic signature.
Secretary Gage has complained to the
joint committee on, printing that the use
in the Record of an autographic sigma
ture is a violation. of the rules, and he
asks that 1t be eXpunged. Mr.. Gaines
says the committee gave him permission
10 use 1t. and he swears he never will re-
move il. Meanwhile. although Mr.. Gage
Is fretting and fuming over the matter.
the presses at the Government Printing
Office are running off the speeches at the
rate of several thousands day.
The times., 1898-02-19

Several Congressman were poking fun
at Representative Richardson yesterday
over discovery made in the first vol
ume of his work on ''The Messages of
the Presidents" In his sketch of Presi-
dent Washington, Mr.. Richardson, re-
ferring To his marriage, says he married
widow lady" AS specimen of tau
tology this is about striking an eX-
ample as can be found. If the Govern
ment ever gives the plates of this work
to Mr.. Richardson so he can issue 1t pri-
vately he will probably have this par
ticular page revised.
The times., 1898-02-19

ii. A. Hopkins was yesterday nominated
to be postmaster at St, Clair, Mich. A
few years ago Mr.. Hopkins WAS Il clerk
to MIR. Richardson. one of Michigan S
congressman. and correspondent for one
of the Michigan newspapers. Subse-
quently he married the daughter of Con-
gressman Whiting from the same State,
and removed to ST Clair. where he
bought. and has since published. a hot
Republican newspaper regardless of the
fact that his father-in-law is ardent
Democrat He did good work for the Me-
Kinley movement. and his appointment
yesterday as postmaster is his reward
for those services. "a
The times., 1898-02-19
Boys Refers.

Two lotS---but both of them
are big values.
Brown or Red Mixed Astrakhan
Cloth Refers. with hands of black or
brown cloth edging. sailor collars
pearl buttons; sizes to yrs. n, -,
Special at-.-..-..--. IL
Lot of Blue Chinchilla Refers. with
sailor or storm collars. lined with
Italian cloth: sizes, 3 to lG an
years; worth ss.5o. for........, 81. 40