The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-02
TROOPS.
CONTINUED from First Page.1

| CO. binet meeting, that, in his personal
! opinion, any official participation by the
| spanish government in the blowing I'D
OF the Maine, was now practically elm
mated from the situation. This state
Anent was not of formal or official
character, and was made by Mr.. Long
as ne walked away from the White
AS usual the various cabinet officers
were besteged with inquiries as to the
questions before the meeting and in re-
Spouse to these opportunities the secre-
tary rather casually summed up the
situation in a few words stating that
most of the time had been given to the
outrages on cOlOred pOstmasters in the
south.
Naturally the Cuban situation had
been gone over, he said, but there were
no actual Developments and he felt
that public excitement over the subject
had materially abated. Then he added
the statement in the same passing way
that any participation by the Spanish
government in the blowing up of the
Maine, was practically eliminated, in
his judgment. This last remark was
speedily given wide circulation apart
from the quieting references which had
accompanied it. It Immediately started
much comment and discussion and
when Mr. Long returned to the navy
department, after lunch, he found that
what he had intended to convey was
being given the force of an official dec
laration that SPANS responsibility for
the disaster had been eliminated In or
der to make clear his meaning as a per-
SOnal expression of opinion Mr. Long
dictated the following statement that
the main thing we talked about in cab
met were the OutrageS on the pOStmas-
ters, one, a white man in Georgia, and
one a coiored man in South Carolina
I'm regard-tO the Cuban situation, I
said I thought things were growing
Qufeter every day, and as far as my
judgment went, was inclined to think
that any official participation upon the
part of the Spanish government in the
disaster was now practically eliminat-
ed"
The foregoing conveyed all that Mr..
Long desired to say on the subject, and
this much was given only to offset en-
larged versions of what he had said.
Persons occupying. the closest relations
with the secretary said that the opinion
expressed was such as any one might
give with the facts now at hand. 1t
was not in any sense, it was explained,
a conclusion drawn from the new evil
dence not made public, either from the
court of inquiry or any officer now con-
cerned in the inquiry. Neither facts or
intimations have come from such
sources, it is said at the department,
which would serve as the basis for an
opinion.
Bose, the Spanish charge d'affairs,
that no mines or submarine defenses
exist in the harbOr of Havana had come
to the attention of Secretary Long, and
resentative of the Spanish government
was felt to have been given it's due
weight in the opinion expressed by the
secretary. It was pointed out by per-
sons bearing close relations with the
secretary that the language used was
official participation on the part of the
Spanish government" this, it was said,
had no bearing on the question of
Spain's responsibility. The official par
ticipatiOn' of Spain was one thing,
while the responsibility of Spain in case
the disaster proved to be of external
origin, was quite another thing. The
secretary's statement was restricted, it
was explained, to exculpating Spain
from direct official knowledge and par
ticipation in the affair. In case it was
shown that the act was due to some IA
matte or person not connected with the
government then the question of
Spain's responsibility would be still
open.
Mr. Long was much surprised that
so much attention had been given to
his passing allusion.