The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-14
SENSATIONAL YARNS.

The sensational and flash press yes
terday outdid all previous efforts in
the line of blood and thunder war news.
The Associated Press and other relia-
bic sources Of news gathering and
transmission stated positively, and
even with more than usual emphasis,
that neither the President nor the
ceived any advices from the Maine
Inquiry Board of a character of any
material interest whatever; that alb
solutely nothing new had developed in
the Spanish or Cuban questions that
there were no advices of any kind at
hand indicating any change whatever
in the present situation
Yet in the face of this emphatic and
official declaration, yesterdays war"
papers made these distinct announce
ments, namely: That the President has
advice from the Board of Inquiry to the
effect that the Maine was destroyed by
a torpedo projected from the Spanish
man-of-war Alfonso XIII, or operated
by Spanish officers; that war is to be
declared at once; that plan of cam
paign has already been prepared; that
Cuba is to be seized to secure payment
of indemnity; that Spain has an agent
now negotiating with the Washington
Government for the conclusion of the
war in Cuba, on the basis of practi-
cal backdown by Spain, and the es-
adjustment of Cuban independence,
with shadowy recognition of the SOW
ereignty of Spain over Cuba; that the
President has rejected the plan, ex-
cept it shall be approved by the Cubans.
and that the Spanish agent is now ne
gotiating with the Cuban Junta.
There is a great lot more equally
sensational, among the drift being de-
tailed statements of preparations for
the seizure of Havana and for the
shipment of troops to Cuba. What
ever secret and advance information
the President may have. or that may
be in possession of the Navy and War
Departments, 1t can be safely assumed
has not been peddled out to fash news
paper reporters. Nor is it at all likely
that such schemes as are said by the
yellow press to be on foot would be
conducted in a way to enable the sem
sational press to ascertain what they
are.
The President cannot declare war
He cannot seize Cuba nor any other
soil, since that would be an act of war
The most he can do if Spain is held
liable for the Maine disaster is to de-
mand indemnity and punishment of the
immediate assassins. To that end he
must await a reasonable time for the
answer of Spain before he can take any
offensive steps, and not then without
the express authorization of Congress.
In all the yellow stories by the saffron
press there may be something that win
turn out to be true. Among so many
guesses these sheets may fall upon
something that viii be as they fore
cast. But at this writing there is no
truth in their yarns, or else the Gov
eminent officers are classifying, since
they do not even do as they might, and
refuse TO talk, saying they cannot com
municate anything to correspondents.
On the contrary, they talk freely. and
emphatically aver that there is no
truth in the stories that news at hand
has changed the situation in any re-
spect. 1t is reasonable to expect very
soon the report of the Maine Board
of Inquiry to be submitted to the prop
er authorities. When it is it will be
promulgated in due order, or not at ali
because of State reasons. Certainly the
fash press viii not be chosen as the
medium for informing the public mind