Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-03-05
OUR NAVY SUPERIOR TO SPANS.
President Mckinley Respected by the
Civilized World Civil Service
Modification.
From our Regular Correspondent


WASHINGTON, Feb. zS.-Few men
occupying the position of President
Mckinley at this critical time would
be able to withstand the temptation
to do little spread eagle posing by
catering, in talk, at least, 10 the uu
mistakable fighting sentiment of the
country. Whether he has been tempt
ed to do so, cannot say, but that he
has not done so is known to all the
world, and it reflects great credit upon
him as a man and as an official and
has, beyond doubt increased the re-
spect felt for the q. S by all civilized
nations. Not line officially indicat-
ing what the verdict of the naval court
of inquiry will be has been received
by either the President or Secretary
Long, but that very fact has tended to
convince the public that the investi-
cation has already shown the court
that the explosion, which wrecked
the Maine was not accidental and that
it did not occur inside the vessel;
whether it has convinced the Presi.
dent and Cabinet, their active prepa-
rations for war show better than any
thing said for publication by any OF
them. Preparations are for the pur.
pose OF putting the country in a con-
dition to hold Spain to a strict ac-
countability, if the verdict of the court
shall be that the Maine was blown up
from the outside, as nearly everybody
now expects that it will be. Holding
Spain responsible is likely to cause
war, and although not one warlike
word has been uttered, either by the
President or by any member of his
Cabinet, this country is quite well pre-
pared for war.
Our Navy is equal to that of Spain
in guns and armament, and as SUI
perior in fighting qualities as an
American is to a Spaniard; and the
following remarks made by a War
Department official will give some
idea of our coast defenses: From
Portland, Me-, to the south ernmost
point on the Atlantic coast, big guns
and mortar batteries have been plant
ed, and, in case of war, an invading
force could not land on Uucle Sans
soil, without suffering severely. The
Pacific coast has not been neglected
by any means. and hostile fleet
seeking an entrance to harbor any
where along the coast line, would find
violent opposition. One good result
of the present critical times, if it only
amounts to a scare, is that there will
be less opposition to appropriations for
coast defences and for needs of the
army and navy"
Justice Harlan, of the u. S. Su-
preme Court, made the following ref
erence to the loss of the Maine. in
lecture to the law students of Column
bian University: cit is idle for any
man to say he knows how that calam-
ity occurred, and any man belittles
his nature and lowers himself in the
estimation OF his fellowmen when he
expresses the anxiety that it will
turn out that it was not an accident,
but that it was treachery rather than
an accident. Brave, generous men
do not want to think SO badly of their
fellowmen. We don't want to be-
lieve that that was an act of treachery
and duplicity; we hope it will turn out
otherwise. And we ought all to have
this feeling that if it turns out not
to be accidental, we will not hear any
more of North, South, East and West,
no more of Republicans, Democrats
or Populists. We will hear only of
Americans.
The President and the Secretary of
the Navy believe that it would be
both Sitting and patriotic for Con-
gress to authorize the building OF a
new warship, to be as good as it can
be made, to be named Maine, but
they also regard as wise the opinion
of the men in Congress who have
studied this subject, that it will be
best to wait until full particulars of
the less of the Maine can be carefully
studied before deciding whether it
would be advisable to build anymore
vessels of the battleship type.
Representative Pearson, of n. c.,
Indignantly resents the imputation,
made in some nnarterc that the firht