Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-02-26

work can only be pursued with the
greatest danger and difficulty.
Without attempting to 20 into de.
tails, but faithfully summing up the
more recent reports, the tension of
feeling in Havana is very great. There
have been expressions Of profound
sympathy from many of the higher
officials, and these expressions are no
doubt sincere, for the Spanards of the
higher classes fully realize the exceed
ing grave danger by which they are
confronted. But with the masses the
feeling against Americans is ill-con-
cealed. 1t is generally believed in the
city that the blaine was destroyed by
design, not altogether of fanatics but
with the connivance of Spanish sub
officials who had knowledge of the
means of exploding the. suhterranean
mines with which the harbor is under
laid.
Most of the high administration
officials at Washington still express
themselves as believing that the blow
Ing up of the Maine was due to acci-
dent but as to whether they are sin.
cere or are only concealing their real
views from prudential reasons, is
matter of doubt. 1t is fact that
troops are still being hurried to the
seacoast; that the state militia author
tiles are sending in lists of probably
available men; that work on all un-
completed war vessels at the various
navy yards throughout the country
is being pushed with all possible haste;
that the railroads are being called up
on to furnish information as to bow
rapidly they can move troops; that
the North atlantic squadron is assemb-
ling at Dry Tortugas, within easy reach
of Cuba; that the Asiatic squadron
has been ordered to the vicinity of the
PHILIPPINE islands; that government
and private arms and ammunition
factories are working night and day,
and that many other preparations
are being made for war. In the
absence of definite information, the
general situation may be interpre-
ted in either one of two ways. First,
it is possible that the government has
no definite information but is merely
preparing for such emergency as may
arise or second, the high officials have
all along been satisfied that the explo-
sion of the Maine was due to treach-
cry, and that the court of inquiry is
merely a subterfuge to give the gov
ernment few days, or a few weeks,
in which to prepare for war.
The Washington correspondent of
the Atlanta Journal sums up what he
conceives to be the situation in Wash
ington on Thursday afternoon as fol-
lows:
There is now not the slightest doubt
that the president, the secretary of the
navy and the other members of the cabi-
net believe the Maine was blown up by
treachery, if not by actual design and
connivance of junior Spanish officers.
The examinations now being conducted
may finally reveal circumstances that
may change their opinions; but the fact
that they do not think that any accident
occurred on the Maine, is beyond ques-
ton. Private letters are coming to Off
GERS in the navy department from their
fellow officers of the Maine, and these
substantiate the theory held here from
the first that the Maine was blown out of
the water by Spanish officers.
War preparations continue to be in ac-
tive progress here. The experts in the
state department no longer attempt to
conceal the fact that they are busily en-
gagged in figuring up an indemnity. The
president feels that the American people
cannot be held in restraint any longer
than the investigation requires, and that
the government must be prepared to
make instant demands on the Spanish
government as soon as it is conclusively
shown that the Maine was not blown up
by accident. This indemnity will be
fixed, learn today, at about Sl3, 600, 900.
This will be followed up by demand for
instant payment, which demand it is be-
lieved here will be refused by Spain. 1t
is in anticipation Of this contingency that
this government is keeping pace with the
Spanish government in preparing for
war.
The daily papers of Friday morning
quote President Mckinley as having
expressed himself TO a senator as fol-
lows
81 do rot propose to do anything at all
to precipitate war with Spain. UP to the
present do not think war is either neces-
sary or inevitable. would be lax in my
duty, however, if did not prepare for
the future. The situation is grave and
the policy of the administration will be
determined almost entirely by the course
of events from time to time. There is no
necessity of alarming the people; but
congress must be ready to assist the ad-
ministration without making too many
inquiries as to the course Of current
events"