The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-22
SOME POSSIBILITIES.
What May BE Done If the Maine Wa,
Blown Up by Spaniards.

CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE Times Herald S
Washington correspondent says: Great eff
ferts are being made by certain class Of
newspapers, aided by some of the corre-
spondents in Havana, to anticipate the off,
cial inquiry and bring in a verdict of de-
sign even before the inquiry has been well
started. In support of their claims, upon
which they demand all sorts of belligerent
action by the President or by Congress.
they magnify the Importance or distort the
bearing of trifing things. They have even
gone so far as to misrepresent Captain
Sigsbee and to put him in print as giving
a decisive opinion, when the fact is he has
expressed no opinion at all. But sensible
men say it is useless to try the case in the
newspapers. beyond giving the opinions of
recognized naval authorities. The country
evidently supports the attitude taken by
the administration, which is that the only
thing to be done is to await the finding Of
the court of inquiry. AS President McKin-
ley has frequently said during the last four
days, we must have the truth as quickly as
possible, and 1t is our duty to suspend iudg-
ment till we get it.
At the same time there has been great
deal of discussion here as to what the gov
ernment will do in case it be learned that
the disaster was due to crime and not to
accident. This is anticipating the discovery
of the truth, and is therefore unnecessary
but as some false impressions as to the
attitude of the administration appear to be
current, it is well to state the facts. So far
as the administration is concerned, it has
formed no policy for action in case it shall
be found some SpaniaFd blew up the Maine
The administration will not cross that
bridge till it gets to it, but If that proves
to be the verdict of the court of inquiry
the country will have no reason to COM
plain of a lack Of energy and firmness on
the part of the President
An impression prevails in many quarters
that If a torpedo hole be found in the hull
of the Maine. or other indisputable evidence
of crime, the next thing to be done is to de-
clare war on Spain and lombard Havana.
Certain excitable persons even go 80 far as
to denounce as un-American all who de-
cline to dispose of the case before it is
heard by the court Of inquiry and to lift up
their voices for war before it is known
whether there is anything to make war
about Efforts will doubtless be made in
Congress to stir up passion and to provoke
premature action, but these will certainly
fail. The temper of Congress in both
DIdncneS Is WnOIeSOue. Congress stands
with the President to wait for the truth be-
fore acting. There are a few men. like SEN
ator Mason, who would declare war on a
suspicion and investigate afterward. But
the great majority of senators and repre-
sentatiyes say it would be barbaric to bring
on war without certainty of a just cause
therefor. Savage tribes and drunken men
go TO war that way. but civilized nations
do not.
If the Maine was destroyed from any
other cause than an accident occurring
within the ship. Spain is responsible for her
loss, and will be held strictly accountable
AS to her responsibility in that case there
Is no question, and there will be no lack
Of energy and decisiveness in the demand
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