Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-03-16
QUESTION OF INDEMNITY
THERE MAY BE ARBITRAToRs.
The Forecast of Events According to
One Of the Washington Corre-
spOndents-Dfver& Are Said t. he
of the Opinion That the Maine
Was Destroyed by a Torpedo.


st. Paul, March l5.--The Globes Wash
ington special says:
The president and cabinet know, un-
officially, the result of the Maine inquiry.
They are prepared to act. They have can
vassed the course of events, so far as they
can foresee them, and have formulate ted
policy to meet the emergency. Along its
lines the administration expects to move
unless it is swept off its feet by wave
of popular dissatisfaction.
The Globes special correspondent is
able to present the forecast of events as
viewed by the president and his cabinet.
1t can be outlined thus:
First-The board of inquiry will report
this week that the explosion was exter-
nal.
Second-The president will immediate
ly, through Minister Woodford, dema nd
from Spain an indemnifcation of $l0,000,-
OOO
Three-Spain is expected to reply ex-
pressing her willingness tn pay If she is
responsible, but maintaing that her own
investigation shows that the explosion
was internal and purely accidental. She
will therefore suggest reference to an
Internal tional board Of arbitration.
Fourth-In such an event the admins
tration would be disposed to comply with
the suggestion, unless there is an emeute
| in Havana or an irresistible demand for
war sweeps through congress.
Fifth-lf congress acquiesces in the sug-
gestion, the attempt will be made TO ad-
journ the body and leave the whole mat
ter in the presidents hands.
Sixth-lt is expected that large ma
jority of congressman will claim that such
a matter of honor can not be arbitrated.
1t is further expected that the leaders
of both houses, including Senator Davis
of Minnesota, will favor arbitration.
The DraxiIians Are Oars.
Washington, March l5.-The reported
sale to the United States of the Brazilian
cruisers Amazonas and Admiral Abrenall
now receiving their finishing touches in
English shipyards, has been confirmed.
II is said, furthermore, that Spain can
not purchase ships either from Chilli or
the Argentine republic.
To Hoist the Flag.
| Washington, March l5.--Orders have
been sent to Commodore Howell, com
manding the European station, to send a
force of ren from the San Francisco, TO
take possession of and hoist the United
States flag on the Amazonas, the Brazil
ian ship that is ready to 60 into commits.
sion at Newcastle. This will prevent any
difficulty in case hostilities should break
out, as the ship would be under our flag
but lying in friendly harbor.
Significant Questions.
London, March l5.--In the house of
commons the parliamentary secretary
for the foreign office, Mr.. Curzon. reply
ing to Michael Davtt, who asked the gov.
ernment whether Great Britain had Of.
fered to lend warships to the United
States and any European power, said the
government had not made such an offer.
In answer to series Of questions which
Davitt put, with the view of eliciting
whether there were any negotiations for
an alliance between Great Britain and the
United States, or whether Great Britain
had offered to mediate in the Cuban cri.
sis, Mr.. Curzon said these questions were
of such a nature it was ineypedient to re-
ply to them.
FftxhuGh Lee, Jr.
Tampa, Fla, March l5.--Fitzhu9h Lee,
Jr, son of Consul General Lee, has arrived
here on the steamer Olivette from Ha.
vana. Although reticent about stating
anything of an official nature he made the
following statement:
81 have been in Havana but 10 days,
having gone there TO visit my father on
my winter vacation. While there | ascer-
tanned number Of facts concerning the
present strained situation between Spain
and the United States and am of the
opinion that war between the two co,n.
tries is imminent, notwithstanding the
fact that diplomacy will be taxed to its
furtherest limit to prevent 1t. The Maine
disaster and the attitude of congress up
on the belligerency will be the chief is
sues. The court Of inquiry's report has
not been made public, but 1t is possibly
known to the authorities at Washington.
| An Open secret.
Cincinnati, March ia special TO the
Commercial Tribune from Portsmouth,
Va, says:
The tug Right Arm having been reliev-
ed at the scene Of the Maine wreck by the
tug I. J. Merritt, left Havana last Monday
and has reached Norfolk. Captain John
Magee, who is in command. would not
speak of what his divers had seen and
the conclusion he had reached from the
reports. The crew were more communi-
cative and every man said il was an
open secret among all the divers and Off
GERS at Havana that the big magazines
were intact and the Maine had been de.
stroyed by a torpedo.
Mediation I'm Cuba.
London, March l5--The Daily News,
commenting on its Washington CORES
pondent's report that President MeKin.
ley's intimate friends believe him in ia
vor of waving all questions of indemnity,
providing Spain will accept Americas
friendly mediation in Cuba, says:
"Such a resolution would be the best
for all parties II Spain is not able to
manage her own colonies, they must be
managed for her That and no straining
! OF the Monroe doctrine is the source ol
American feeling against Spain.
There will be no disgfhce or discredit
a in aoranksnt fho frfauIIxzl al,a tioxx Of a