The record-union., 1898-02-18
Weather Forecast.
THE CASE OF THE MAINE.

suspended, in common justice, regard
ing the cause of the destruction of the
battleship Maine, this does not pre-
clude the consideration of facts as they
develop Facts are developing now
which seem to negative the theory OF
accident in this lamentable case.
One of these is that the powder on
board was inclosed in metallic cases;
and large portion of it is not to be
exploded by heat or ignition. The only
thing aboard that might explode by
developed heat near or in the maya
zines was gun cotton; but that is al
ways kept wet and must be dried before
it will explode. The heat necessary
10 such drying could not possibly have
developed after the examination Of the
magazines forty minutes before the ex-
plosion.
The indicators provided showed only
SO degrees of heat in the coal bunkers
at half past 8. But there were stored
explosives capable of being fired by
conclusion, and this might be done
from without. 1t is also stated with
degree of positiveness that challenges
denial that Captain Sigsbee some days
ago reported by cipher to the Navy De-
partment that he considered his ship
in danger, and, therefore, urged that
no other warships should be sent to
Havana.
Just as many naval men of experience
and good judgment declare their belief
to be that the ship was destroyed by
means of outward assault as there are
naval experts who think an internal
accident was the cause of the disaster.
These facts, are all worthy of consider
alton as also is this other that the be-
lief Is reasserted that Havana harbor
is planted with mines and torpedoes.
This gees to the extent of a charge
that the planting was done by General
Weyler long ago in anticipation Of pos
slble assault upon the harbor defenses.
All lovers of their country, all men
who fully understand all that war
means, the depression Of credit, the
destruction Of commerce, the interrupt
ton of trade, the desolating of homes
and the piling up of an enormous debt,
Will deplore a conflict with Spain The
highest art of craftsmanship is to main
tain prosperous peace, not to provoke
war
Let all good Americans, therefore use
their influence pending the official in
vestigation into the cause of the loss
of the Maine to negative the temper of
the mere iingoes who would have war
provoked merely for wars sake When
a conflict is no longer avoidable con-
s1stently with national honor, it will
be time enough to let our blood heat
Emile lola is not the man the public
would have chosen to make a stand for
justice and decency in France He is
too insignificant a figure for the posi-
ton he now occupies. France has
score of noble and patriotic men who
would have filled the breach splendidly
and have commanded the worlds re-
spect. But since he Is there and has
taken his position he becomes the CEN
trail figure in Europe to-day upon
which the full glare of publicity and in
terest is concentrated. He is making
a splendid stand, and one that must tell
for great good or great i'll for France.
He is the protestant against a sort of
absolutism in a republic that is more
despicable and tyrannous than any
known in a despotism. That Zola is
courageous man there can be no ques-
ton He we'll knew what would be the
result of the expression he chose to
make public. He knew that his ap-
pearanee in the streets Of Paris would
subject him to insult and probably to
personal violence, but he exposed him.
self He had the courage to hold up to
public judgment Government that is
incapable Of fully justifying itself be-
fore the world in the Dreyfus matter.
He brought the army, navy and civil
government to bay, and struck terror
TO the souls Of men who were guilty of
IN Infamous conspiracy to convict an
Innocent man. The discriminating docu-
ment charged to the authorship Of
positive testimony, and that Of experts,
that the doubt concerning its anthem
ticity is growing into a conviction that
Dreyfus never wrote 1t. To this the
Government officials have replied that
Evidences Of Dreyfus' guilt exists out
side of that document, and Zola's cour-
ageous, defiant reply has been pre-
sent to France that evidence" To
this the officials make no reply, but
seek shelter under official privilege, and
even the Cabinet has gone SO far as
10 forbid testimony being given by its
members or attaches. Besides all this,
Zola had the courage TO confront and
defy the hatred of the element that
hungers for the Jews, and this element
is Just now dominant in France No
matter how the Zola case ends, France
has taken harm in the eyes of all the
world, and it's present Government
stands convicted of littleness that
amounts to cowardice.
The Los Angeles Times thinks it
extraordinary that people down that
way viii pick green oranges and send
them two and three thousand miles TO
market, and thus ruin the trade for
fruit fit to eat. oh, no. that is not
strange The morals of trade never