New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-04
A TALEIRLE OEFICIAL.

The American people are extremely fortunate
in having in this critical time nj the heau Oh
the Navy Department man with the palaheeu
Judgment and conservative temper of John IL.
Long The disaster TO the Maine came as IL
great shock to the whole country, ana parUcu-
Iarly 10 the naval service. If an erratic or
impulsive man had by chance been at the head
of the Department there Is no telling In what
trouble the United States might nave Deen III
volved The pressure Of public anxiety has
been tremendous. and the task or preparing
the sea forces of the United States for any
emergency which might possibly be forced by
n critical and uncertain situation. without max
ing that preparation complicating element IN
the problem has been heavy one. Anything
like an indication OF a war scare on his part
might have created such excitement here or
abroad as to force war which otherwise might
be easily avoided, and at the same time any
thing like traction would have been unpardona-
BILE
Between he two extremes Secretary Long
has picked golden mean. He has taken every
possible step 10 learn all that can be known
about the Maine, he has quietly put the Navy
in shape for any call of duty which may come
and has done it in such a matter-of-fact way
He has kept the officers of the Navy from feed
ing morbid cravings for sensation by loose talk
which the search for professional! opinions was
tending to draw from them. Without failing III
apv active duty. be has from the beginning
been n restraining force on official or unofficial
mysteries, and has been compelled, perhaps
more often than he would wish, to go before
the public as an active peace agent and dis
creditor Of even natural suspicion. because OF
the persistent and miscellaneous falsehoods clrcu-
lated about the knowledge and purposes OF the
Navy Department. OF course. Mr.. Long has
earned the enmity Of the sensation mongers
whose lies he has been forced for the public
safety 10 expose from day 10 day. and some
of them are frothng AT the mouth just now
over an interview recently published In which
he gave II as his opinion that "offcial Span
fish participation in the explosion has been
'practically eliminated as n cause OF the disas-
ter.
Suppose the Court OF Inquiry had satisfied
itself that whatever the cause Of the explosion,
1t was not the act of Spanish officials. and COM
municated that view 10 Secretary Long. lie
would have been fully justified in officially
making his statement TO eliminate from public
thought the most dangerous suspicion concern
ing the affair and preparing it for fair-mnded
reception of any later report about Cuban or
Spanish fanatif But his statement was not
official 1t was the expression of personal
opinion about a phase of the tragedy which he
held in common with most other calm think
ers The idea that the Maine was blown up
by the Spanish Government is almost unthink-
able and vet the war-howlers have been trying
10 make thoughtless people believe that such
completely Is likely 10 be proved. 1t Is one or
the things that every official and every citizen
is bound 10 disbeleve until 1t is absolutely
proved, and Secretary Long was right in dis
crediting a notion which his observation con
WINGED him was ill-founded and of evil tendency.
He did not say that the explosion was an acct
dent he did not say Spain was not responsible,
nor in any way PREJUDICE the findings of the
Court of Inquiry. but he answered those who
were lying about the awful knowledge secreted
by the Department with the calming statement
that SO far as he could make out the ship was
not blown up by Spanish officials. OF course,
the makers of false news were furious. like
wise the spectators. who were using war
scares to depress stocks and found Secretary
| Longs calmness an obstacle TO breaking the
market and precipating panic. But nobody
else has anything but respect and admiration
for the able and discreet conduct of the Secre-
tary under exceedingly trying circumstances.