The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-25

Chicago, Feb. 24-The Tribune this
morning prints the following special
from Washington, D. c.:
Il do not propose to do anything at
all to accelerate war with Spain. Up
to the present do not think war is
either necessary or inevitable. I would
be lax in my duty, however, if did
not prepare for the future. The sit
uation is grave and the policy of the
administration will be determined al
most entirely by the course OF events
from time to time. There is no ueces-
sity Of alarming the people. but con-
gress must be ready to assist the adj
ministration without making too many
inquiries as to the course of current
events"
UTTERED TO A SENATOR.
To a senator who called upon him
yesterday in order to ask some serious
questions as TO the policy of the adj
ministration, President Mckinley, with
the utmost frankness, uttered the above
words. There is no doubt of the fact
that the government of the United
States is actually preparing for war
with Spain. It is not certain that war
will follow, but the activity is too IN
mistakeable to be concealed.
The president and his cabinet unite
in the belief still, in spite Of all evil
dence to the contrary, that the eXplo-
sion of the Maine was the result of an
unfortunate acciuent, but they recog-
nize the fact that the contrary may
prove true at almost any hour, and that
if it is shown even inferentially that
Spain had a hand in the catastrophe,
there win be but one thing TO do. and
that will be to seize the island of Cuba
b by force of arms.
ACTIVITY OF MILITARY.
At no time since the war of the re-
bellion has the military branch of the
government been so active as it is to-
day. 1t is a significant fact that with
in the last two days there has been
remarkable change of opinion in the
navy department in regard to the ex-
plosion of the Maine When the first
news arrived here last week, experts
at the department were very nearly
divided as between an accident and
design. But today. after studying the
later reports, and especially photo
graphs sent from Havana, nine out of
ten of the officers of the department
express the belief that the Maine was
anchored over a submarine mine. The
only difference of opinion seems to be
as to whether that mine was exploded
by Spanish officers acting under orders,
or by some enthusiast. The latter
opinion IS S-IltIdtlg IeiC, DuI II Is SdlQ
that this does not lessen in any great
degree the responsibility of Spain for
the horrible catastrophe.
SPAIN RESPONSIBLE.
If the Spanish officers allowed the
warship TO be moored to d buoy which
was attached to q submarine mine
they thereby became responsible for the
result, whether the mine was exploded
by official orders or not The placing
of the Maine in an exposed place in
the harbor, if it was done at all. was
done by Spanish officers. and if the
mine was exploded by anybody at ALL
they were directly responsible, and will
be so held by President McKinley's
administration.
MKINLEY'S COMRADE.
St Louis, Feb. 24-General William
H. Powell OF Bellevine Ills. who was
in command Of the regiment in which
President Mckinley served during the
civil war ana who was recently ap-
pointed collector of internal revenue for
the southern Illinois district, returned
from Washington today. The general,
who is a personal friend Of President
Mckinley. said that while at the capital
he discussed the Maine disaster and its
possible results with the chief execu-
tive.
WAITING FOR THAT REPORT.
THE president stated to me-" said