The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-19
WILL THERE BE WAR ?

Serious. sober and careful journalism
seems TO be at a discount now. The ma
iority OF the special correspondents
who supply the newspapers with news
relative to our relations with Spain seem
20 aim at sensational statements rather
than ascertained facts. The result is that
with all the noise and prepara-
ton for war that has been go
ing on for some time the public is
really just as much in in the dark to-day
respecting the question whether we are
or are not 10 have war as it was at the
beginning. II you hear man say we
are going 10 have war and ask him on
what account, he is utterly unable to tell
YOU what VIC are going to fight about.
Nevertheless everybody believes we are
going 10 have war.
While the majority OF newspaper cor
RESPONDENTS in Washington are sending out
statements that the President IS prepar-
ing for war. the correspondent Of the
New York Journal Of Commerce writes
his paper that the President is not only
doing everything in his power 20 avert
war. but that he has no idea wo are
going to have war. lie tells his paper
that in spite Of all the sensational talk
at Washington and Madrid, our authori-
ties have definite information that the
rulers OK Spain are more determined thai
there shall be no war than even our rulers
are. and that they are resolved that there
shall be no war; Where we stand. there
fore. We feel utterly unable TO say. Upon
the one hand, such newspapers as tho
World and Journal tell us in column after
column that war is definitely decided
upon and that the country is being put
in preparation for the inevitable with
all possible speed. These papers certainly
have all outward appearances in sup
port Of their statements. Upon the
other hand we have the views OF
careful men, in which we are told
that neither country has any idea of
fighting. Just where we stand, therefore
it is a difficult matter for an ordinary
observer TO say
L
believe there will be war over the Maine
matter. If the Court Of Inquiry should
report that the government Of Spain
had connlved at the destruction Of our
ship we have no doubt this country
would be at war with Spain in thirty
DAYS thereafter. But we have no
i6ea any such report as that Will be
made. Badly as we think OF the Spanish
character. it is almost impossible 90 be-
Have that Spains government would be
guilty Of such piece Of dastardly
treachery as that. But even though 1t
were capable of such a thing. we have no
idea that 1t will be proved.
But while deprecating the idea Of war
over the Maine We DO not mean to say
that we believe there will be no war.
We have believed ever since General
Woodford was sent to Madrid that he
carried instructions from this govern
ment to notify the Spanish government
that it must paclfy the island of Cuba
within a given time or this government
would interfere and produce order there
itself.
The Spaniards have been doins an i'm
mense amount of talking, and all of 1t
has been of the most approved bragga-
docio order. But when Spain IS brought
face to face with the alternative OF aban-
doning Cuba OF fighting this country, for
ourselves we believe she will quit.
Spanish barbarity and inhuman treat
ment Of the Cubans makes an
appeal to every human instinct
that Is so strong men will not
pause to talk much about the right and
the wrong of the matter if Mr.. McKin-
ley should really determine TO break up
Spanish misrule in Cuba. Whether we
thought him justified in the law or not,
we should say that, being in the fight,
it was to be carried through with every
resource the government could command.