The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-18
Omcers of the bureau of Naval Con-
Was No "AccidentaI" Explosion.
JINGO SENTIMENT GROWING
BUT PRESIDENT M'KINLEY DETER
MINED TO ACT WITH MODERATION.
Departure of Senior Du Bose to Warn
the Spanish Cruiser viscaya-The-
cries and Public Feeling.
!pecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

WASHINGTON, Feb. H.-Ofhcial Wash
ipgton is talking accident" in connection
with the destruction of the battle ship
Maine, yet not one in a hundred believes
the loss of the war vessel to have been
accidental. 1t suits the present purpose of
the government to have that impression
prevail, however, and the conversation Of
officials is keyed to that tune-that is, most
of them. officials connected with the con-
structon bureau of the Navy Department
refuse to take that view and under the
lead Of Chief Constructor Hichborn, reso-
lutely antagonize the claim that the
Maine was blown up by accident" ;"
They insist that the accident theory is
not only wholly untenable, but unwar-
ranted and cruelty unjust slur on their
branch of the naval establishment. Some
of them insinuate that an attempt is ap-
parently being organized to make the con-
struction bureau the scapegoat. 1t is,
therefore. in a spirit of self-preservation
that they protest against the acceptance
of the accident" theory.
1t is proper to say that there is no tangi-
BILE evidence to support the charge that
news is being so manipulated as to inspire
the suspicion that the catastrophe might be
attributable to faulty construction, but it
is only natural that expert professionals
whose TGpuLdllOIS are ctl stake SnOulu uSHI
against hostile drift in the news current
and endeavor to give a color to speculation
en- the absorbing subject favorable to their
special interests. The truth is not likely
to suffer by the turning on of all the light
that can be brought to bear. With viglant
courageous men scattered all over the field
of observation, each jealous of the reputa-
ftion and standing of himself and his inn
| mediate associates, it will be impossible to
suppress any part of the truth.
Representative Quigg. vice chairman of
the committee on foreign affairs. is quoted
as authority for the statement that he was
informed that Captain Sigsbee had written
the Navy Department week or ten days
ago advising against the sending of any
more war ships to Havana, giving as rea-
son that the harbor was a mine, that his
ship was in constant danger and that the
more American battle ships there were the
greater the danger. The Sigsbee letter is
said to have conveyed the further informa-
tion that the writer had employed and was
employing every precaution to protect his
ship and men, yet he could not but look
on the situation as full of danger. This
statement was made by Mr.. Quigg to a
newspaper man of excellent reputation.
A story that Captain Sigsbee was warned
before he went to Havana is denied. If
there be such letter file in the Navy
Department it will undoubtedly be called
for. Its existence might account for the
failure of Secretary Long to dispatch any
more war ships to Havana harbor when he
learned of the explosion. The sacrifice of
one battle ship and $50 lives would seem to
be sufficient confirmation of the correctness
OF the Sigsbee diagnosis.
Senior Du Bose Spanish charge d'affaires.
left hurriedly for New York tonight and
the story is current that his trip is in
response to a suggestion from Assistant
Secretary Day that it would be prudent
for him (Du Bosc) to prevent the
Spanish armored cruiser vizcaya from
entering New York harbor for a few
days. He is scheduled to hire a tug early
tomorrow morning and intercept the
Vizcaye, now overdue at New York. The
report is denied of course but it is never
theless believed to be true.
The Presidents bearing throughout this
trying ordeal is most remarkable. He is
called on to face tremendous RESPONSE
blIity. A single word from him would pre-
cipitate two nations in a bloody war, and
he could say that word knowing that he
would be backed up by the people of the
LHteQ states anu Dy OODSISSS. lie mas
A6en told by the leading men of both par
saws in both branches of Congress that
Ghere would not be a voice raised against
War if he should feel that the honor of
the Nation required such action to be TAX
EN-. He did not have to be told that, how
ever for the whole country is at hair
trigger readiness to engage in a struggle
with Spain. A man would have to be deaf,
dumb and blind not to be conscious of
the swelling war spirit that is in the air.
1t is seen and felt everywhere and it takes
sterling courage to resist the pressure.
That the President has that courage and
that he is standing like rock for the
waves of passion TO beat against is one
Of the most conspicuous facts of the sit
uation. Caution. conservatism and good
Judgment. no less than patriotism and cour-
age are qualities which are required in this
emergency and they are all possessed by
the executive. He is the saving force in
what is at best perilous situation and
his attitude and position have the unquaIi-
fled respect of those upon whom he must
lean for support, in the event of aggres-
sive action, and upon whom he must rely
for assistance in maintaining national COM
posure.
UnfOunded RumOrA.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17-In order to an
swer Inquiries from all sections of the coun-
try regarding sensational rumors the fol-