Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-02-25
THERE MAY BE DOUBT.
SPANS CULPABiLITY MAY NOT
b PROVEN

Be- PROVEN.
Although Many Circumstances Go
to Sustain the Belief That the
Destruction of the American
Battlcship Was ny Design of
That Trcachcrous Nation-Scn.
ator Murphy Can Justify His
COurSc-Thc Next Democratic
Convention The Silver Ad.
dresses.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1888.
Nothing short of absolute proof that
the sinking OF the battleship Maine
in Havana harbor, and the drowning
of more than two hundred and fifty
oil It's crew-:l catastrophe that will
cause shuddcr Of horror to pass over
every American every time Havana
harbor is mentioned for many years to
come-was caused by an accidental
explosion on board of the Maine will
save Spain from the lickingit has been
inyiing for some time at the hands OF
the United States. In view of the re.
ports that have reached this country
from time to time of boasts made by
Spaniards in Havana, since the Maine
went there, that at the first intimation
OF war between Spain and the United
States they were prepared to blow the
Maine to atoms with torpedoes, and OF
the treachery OF the late Spanish
Minister towards his great and good
friend, Mr.. Mckinley, it is not sur
prising that the suspicion that the
destruction of the Maine was the result
of Spanish treachery should be ex-
pressed by more than hall the men
one meets. A nation which could
deliberately plan to surround the house
OF a Cuban with several regiments of
troops and coolly shoot down an old
man and his children, in order to kill
a Cuban officer whose sweetheart was
the daughter of the old man, as the
Spaniards recently did in Cuba, would
not hesitate to use any sort OF treachery
to destroy a warship Of a nation it both
feared and hated. Mr.. Mckinley pro-
fesses to regard these suspicious with
horror, and expresses the belief that
the investigation now being made will
show them to be without foundation.
1t is to be Gevoully hoped that his be-
lief will be justified by the result of
the investigation, for if it isn't, Spain
will not only be driven out of Cuba,
but will he in danger OF being driven
out of existence as a nation, by relent-
less Americans bent on revenge.
Congress is disposed to allow the adj.
ministration to conduct the investiga-
ton of the cause of the loss of the
Maine, only asking that it be prompt
and thorough and that its result be
made public as soon as arrived at.
The National Council of the Farmers
Alliance, once power in the political
world, now scarcely heard of, was in
session in Washington this week: also
the annual convention of the Woman
Suffragists, which always manages TO
occupy its full share of news paper
space.
Senator Murphy, OF New York. who
has gone home on business, said be-
fore leaving Washington that the
resolution censuring him for voting
for Teller resolution. which was adopted
by the aid OF Republican votes in the
New York legislature, was not worry
ing him the slightest little bit, as he
had written evidence from prominent
Democrats in every section OF the
State endorsing his course in voting
for the Teller resolution. He re-
CARDS the censure as nothing more
than an attempt by the Republicans
to make political capital in the State,
which their party badly needs.
Ex-Gov. Patterson, of Colorado, has
been telling his many friends in WASH
ington that the largely increased and
constantly increasing gold production
of his State has not altered the
universal sentiment of its people in
favor OF the free coinage of silver at l6
to l. He made this prediction of the
next Democratic National Convention
ut will be held in Chicago; it will re-
affirm the platform OF '96, without the
dotting of an ii" or the crossing OF q
ar; it will nominate Bryan by &C.
clamation, and it will be the most
unanimous National convention ever
assembled in the United States"
1t was at first intended that the Ma
tional Committees OF Democratic
party, Peoples party, and the Silver
Republican party should unite in q
joint address to the voters who are
friendly to the free coinage of silver,
but as some objection was raised to
that course it was decided that each
committee should issue an address to
the voters OF its own party. advising
general cooperation OF all the friends
of silver in this years Congressional
campaign, and this week the three adj
dresses were made public. The first
time that the full effect of this CO.
operation will be seen will be in Oregon,
where the Congressional elections will
be held in June. and campaign is
already practically begun. The issue
is going to be squarely made in that
State, and the silver men are confident
of winning. Dem.