The sun., 1898-02-20
SPAIN MUSTN'T INTERFERE.
TEE UNITED STATES WILL INVESTI-
GATE THE NAMES Loss ALONE.

clinea-It ns believed THAT spain Will Not
object uniess she mas semo Coed Reason
FOR TishinE to Conceal the Real Faeis.
WASHINGTON, Fob 19.-The news event OF tho
day in Washington was tho prompt decision Of
the Administration to make an Independent in
vestiration into the disaster TO tho Maine. II
any better evidence woro needed that the Presi-
dent and his advisers In the present crisis are
determined TO rot ct tho real facts with
out regard to tho consequences, It can be
found in this action and the accompanying dec
lination 10 cooperate with tho Spanish authori.
ties In the inquiry. President Mckinley, secre.
tary OF the Navy Long. and Assistant Secretary
Of State Day were the parties to tho conference
which resulted in the refusal to consent to a
Joint International examination. They had as
the basis Of consideration this telegram from
Consul-Genoral Leo under yesterdays date,
which was received early this morning:
"Sigeboe begins tomorrow with divers sent
him from the United States to recover all bodies
still loft In tho wreck OF the Maine as well as
personal effects Of officers and mon and what
ever else oan be obtained that way. After this
is completed the Spanish Government would
like to unite with ours In having bottom of ship
and hnrbor In vicinity Jointly examined"
Innocent as the Spanish suggestion appeared,
It's Significance was recognized Immediately.
and for moro than an hour the President
and the Representatives of the two executive
departments most concerned discussed the mat
ter earnestly. What was said at that conference
nobody known outside Of those who were present.
The decision reached 10 sufficient evidence,
however, of tho firm intention OF President
Mckinley and Secretary Long 70 probe the mys-
terry Of the disaster to the very bottom without
Interference or suggestion from any foreign
source. Although both these high officials are
inclined to believe that tho disaster was the re-
suit Of an accident. their action to-day shows
pretty conoluBively that they are willing to
change that opinion on reliable evidence
that such was not the case While unwilling
to take the public into their confidence regard
ing the details Of tho discussion which had its
result in the firm docision to proceed inde-
pendently, the President, Secretary Long, and
Assistant Secretary Day promptly made public
the two kilograms which form tho official cor
respondence In the matter.
And right hero Il is appropriate to say word
about the frankness which has characterized
Secretary Long throughout the trying time
since the loss of the Maine. He has made public
every despatch sent to and received from Capt.
Sgsbee and other naval ofIloers relating to the
disaster. He has been accessible 1T all times to
Newspaper men, and has not Attempted to con-
ceal from them any material information.
In conversation with friends the Secretary
i Hub bAlu tuuC uc uau D0cu COuNluCeu Unub neot-
tation in giving out Capt. sigsbee's first de-
spatch and messages received subsequently
would have proved disastrous to the main
tenance Of peace. for the country would
have misconstrued the reason Of this
reticonce and jumped 10 tho natural con-
clusion that the Maine had been blown up by
Spanish treachery. II fs now known positively
TINT there were no ,"suppreased" telegrsms
fron G&ps GiEsHea 1lE l5uiie. In denying that
he had kept anything back. took very COM
nonsense course in proving his assertion to the
newspaper men who had asked him for state
neut on the subject.
Without answering the questions of the ro-
porters he turned to his private secretary and
told him to summon Commander Francis W.
Dickens, the Acting Chief of the Bureau OF Navi.
CATION, who has been an invaluable assistant to
the Secretary since tho Maine went to tho
bottom.
capt. Dickens" said Mr.. Long. addressing
the oficer by his honorary title. "did / receive
despatch from Capt. SiRsbee saying that he was
convinced that the disaster to the Maine was
not the result of an accldentf'
"No SIR" was the prompt answer.
"If such telegram had come, would IL not
have passed through your hands lrsti'
"Yes. sir"
Does your o6ioe handle all correspondence
between Capt. sigsbee and the Secretary"
"Yes, sir"
"would you have seen such telegram IL It
was addressed to mei'
eyes, SIR"
effect and are positive that nothing Of the sort
was receivedf'
"I have not seen It, sir. and am quite positive
| that nothing of the sort came"
THAT will do, Capt. Dickens" said Mr.. Long;
"that IL all want to know"
Just as soon as Assistant Secretary Day could
| have copies made OF the kilograms from and to
Gen. Leo they were given to the press. The an.
| swer WAS mildly worded. but Its meaning Is not
to be mistaken. Here II is:
| Lee. consuI General. Havana:
"The Government of tho United States has
already begun an investigation as to the cause
Of the disaster to tho Maine. through officers Of
| the navy specially appointed for that purpose
| which will proceed independently. This Gov
ernment will afford every facility 1t can to tho
Spanish authorities In whatever investigation
they may see 1t TO mako on their part
| "DAY. Assistant Secretary"
| Just what Spain intends to do In tho face of
this fiat refusal remains to be seen. It is OBJ
vious that Blanco and the authorities In Havana
| are suspicious OF this country more so
than President Mckinley and his officers
are OF o resort to characteristic Spanish
| intrigue. Press dispatches from Havana to
| Madrid papers and the editorials In these Jour
| nails make 1t plain that the suspicion 10 enter
tainod. both In Madrid and Havana, that an
| attempt will DO made to show that troachery
caused the disaster Tho high character
OF the board OF inquiry, Capt. sigsbee's unim-
peaohabls record as an oficer and gentleman.
| and the disposition OF tho Federal Government
to act only on tho most positive evidence are
sufficient to indicate that tho investigation will
ha conduoted with Abaolute fairness and ifnnAr r.