The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-23
Touching The Fact
Of Responsibility

From Walter Wellman's Washington Dis
patch in the Chicago Times-Herald.
n T. THE Maine was destroyed from any
III other cause than accident occurring
within the ship, Spain is responsible
III for her loss, and will be held strictly
accountable. AS to her responsible
ity in that case there is no question and
there will be no lack of energy and de-
csveness in the demand which the
United States will make upon the Madrid
government. But any man who pauses
for a moment to think will see that there
are various degrees of the responsibility
resting upon Spain, according to the cir
cumstances. 1t is incredible that the de-
struction of the Maine was ordered by
Spanish authority, by officials ordered to
represent the government. But if this
should turn out to be the case there could
be but one punishment to fit the crime.
Spain would be an outlaw among nations.
The United States would no more have
diplomatic intercourse with her than with
pirate. War would be instantly de-
clared, and if the United States We're
mighty enough to do it-and she is
Spain would be destroyed as a nation.
But this contingency is fortunately so re-
mote, so far beyond reason and belief,
that it needs no serious consideration.
Spain is still responsible if the Maine
spiracy of criminals. Should this be DEM
onstrated the course of the United States
is clear. A demand would be made upon
Spain for the punishment with death OF
every guilty wretch who could be caught;
Spain would have to pay for the Maine
at her full value; she would be required
to pay punitive damages; she would have
to pay indemnity TO the families of the
| victims, and smart sums at that, and
Spain would be required to apologize and
dsclaim. No sef-respecting nation would
refuse such reparation, and no one has a
right TO assume that Spain would refuse
| If she did, war would quickly follow. Nor
would it be prudent for Spain to haggle
| or shuttle or seek to eVade Any civilized
nation would meet an emergency of this
character promptly, fully and satisfac-
| torily.
| Spain is responsible if it be demon
| strated that the Maine was destroyed by
| accidental contact of a torpedo or mine
| planted by her i'm the harbor of Havana
| without the aid of malice or criminal in
| tent of any sort. Her responsibility in
! this case would be fully as great as If the
| crime of one Of her subjects has led to the
/ disaster, but is not to be so sharply dealt
| with. If malice wholly disappears from
the cause. then the disaster becomes a
most deplorable incident, for which Spain
| is responsible in property sense and for
which she must make adequate repara-
tion, not only to the government but 10
| the families of the victims. The United
| States has itself recognized the respon-
| sibility for disaster caused by the neg
| lgence Of its agents In a case not wholly
unlike this one. Years ago one OF our
ships attached to the Asiatic station en-
| gagged i'm target practice on an uninhab-
tied island of Japan. An uneXploded shell
was left on the beach, and later some
Japanese fooled with the cartridge. II
exploded and killed number of men. The
United States recognized responsibility
for their death and indemnihed the FAM
lilies of the victims
| The foregoing statements are personal
views of officials of the administration
as to the course to be pursued by the
| United States in the various contingencies
mentioned. Whatever the verdict of the
court of inquiry, no one need fear that
the honor and the interests of the United
States will suffer, The administration is
fully alive to the requirements of the sit
uatlon. 1t is only awaiting the finding OF
the court. There is nothing whatever tC
get excited about. There is no occasion
for talking war or for trying to work
the people into an unreasoning passion
The honor and dignity of the United
States are not to be preserved by acting
like saVages, rushing out in war paint be-
cause a suspicion of foul play is in the
minds of a part of the people. The Des
and ablest men in Washington praise tho
stand taken by the president, and they
applaud the sensible Genuinely patriotic
press of the country which avoids sensa
tionalism, cheap appeals to passion, anC
distortion of the facts. These same meI
cabinet ministers senators and repre-
] sentatives of both parties-call attention