The San Francisco call., 1898-01-27
s 5. s. s: s: 5. :s 5: g: $. 8 8 $. s
Call Office, Riggs House.


 There exists now no reasonable doubt as to what prompted the sending of the Maine to Havana. Despite all the eff forts of the pro-Spanish newspapers to make it appear that De Lome was overjoyed at the visit and that he was cognizant of every movement, if he did not actually suggest the visit as "an act of friendship" there is no doubt that the ship was sent in response to the direct command of General Lee, and that such demand was backed by a threat to close the consulate and leave the island unless prompt action was taken.
 Of course nobody familiar with the situation there has believed for min ute the fairy tales that the State De- partment has been giving out The Maine had been placed at the disposal of General Lee some time before, or rather had been sent to the Florida Keys with the idea that of the ships of the navy she was most available for this particular mission. It was given out at the Navy Department that she was to hold herself in readiness to re- spond to the request of the American Consul General. but it seems that
 
 the orders under which the Maine went to Havana were issued by Secretary Long and sent from here. They were sent in response to the de- mands of the Consul General made in cipher telegrams sent by him to the President direct.
 Blanco had suddenly left Havana. He had left on the day that anti-Amer- ican riots were scheduled to occur and Havana was excited over reports of Spanish defeats within a compara- lively short distance of Havana. Gen. eral Lee, who had kept the most prac- tical watch on developments, felt that trouble was impending and the result was his strong telegrams to the Presi- dent.
 The President and members of his Cabinet were at Secretary McKenna's eating that farewell dinner when the telegrams were hurried over to the President. The contents of them were made known and there was sort of in formal Cabinet meeting. at which it was decided that the demand of the Consul General must be promptly met De Lome, who is foxy" enough to find himself consulted on all matters pertaining to the Cuban situation. was sent for and met Secretary Long at the State Department The situation was explained to him, and. so the story
 
 ing what he had said few days be- fore, that such action would be taken by the Spanish as tantamount to dec- laration of war. But, faced by the de- termination of the President to send the ship and realizing that there would be worse trouble if the President back ed out and Lee made good his threat and came home. he and the Secretary of the Navy cooked up the pleasant story about Spain's acquiescence.
 This story has been so skillfully elab- orated by some of those papers which have put themselves into the position of being mouthpieces for De Lome that it has been made to appear that the Spanish Minister was not only de- lighted at the visit of the Maine but that he actually suggested it himself Nothing quite equal to this for a fairy story has been sent out from Washing ton for years. Of course it is natural that the officials of the State and the Navy departments should conceal the real facts from the public. When they did give out anything about the Maine's trip across they carefully re- trained from telling the truth as to the time of her departure from Florida Bay and her arrival at Havana. There is Just as much truth in the statement