The age-herald., 1898-02-27
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REA SONS WHY WAR
 MAY BE FORGED
By NED BRACE.

There is no longer doubt of the cause of the Maine disaster. It was a submarine mine set off by Spanish officer. This of ficer was not authorized by the higher au- thorities, but nevertheless, Spain is re- sponsible.
 President Mckinley must, when these facts come to him officially, demand full apology and reparatiom in a financial way from Spain Not less than ten million dol lars can be demanded
 The Spanish ministry should accede to all demands on the part of the United States. The ministry would do so quickly but for one reason. It fears the impuislye Spanish populace more than the guns of the United States ships. The ministry faces two great damgers-defeat in war with the United States on the one hand, or the overthrow of the crown on the other
  Conservative folks in this country aver that Spanish bondho,ders would readily furnish any indemnity demanded rather than have war declared. These people further say the bondholders will not per init it. They don't realize that there are times in lthe history of all nations when the people become so aroused that wealth loses its restraining power. Whole nations become stampeded like maddensd cattle We all remember the upheaval in Kansas several years ago when the teachings or the whiskered Peffer and the Masculine Mrs. Lease swept the state against the in fiuences of strong men and millions of money.
 The dispatches from Spain tell us that the people are maddsned to fury against all things American, that they demand a declaration of war against the United States Thus it would seem that the min- istry must decide bsoween facing the fury of all Spain or the American navy.
 Whatever happens Spain is sure to lose Cuba. ten million dollar indemnity to the United States would deprive Spain of further power to defend Cuba AS it is, what can the Spanish ministry do?-lose Cuba after an honorable battle with the United States or lose it in a manner that will be considered cowardly and dishonor- able by the Spanish popu,ace, and arouse that popu3ace to the frenzy of attempting to overturn the throne! The situation is serious to Spain-much more so than to the United States.
 
 Amaricans as A rule have an idea that the snanish naval vessels will be but toy ships before our navy. Not so. Spain's navy is powerful. It's naval fighting strength is about equal to ours. Whether it is in ship shape remains to be seen. The battleship Viscaya en route now from New York to Havana, is one of the most formidable fighting machines afioat.
 The vessels of the United States avail- able at present on the Atlantic for war with Spain are:
 Battleships--Iowa, Indiana, Massachu- setts, Texas.
 Cruisers-New York, Brooklyn, Columbia, Montgomery Minneapolis, Detroit, Marble head, Nashville, vesuvius. Cincinnati, Washington.
 Monitors-Puritan, Terror.
 Torpedo Boats-Iroote, Cushing, Ericson, Porter, DuPont. sS~
 On the European station are the San Francisco. Raleigh and Bancroft, which could be made available
 The other vessels of our navy in com misison are on the Asiatic and Pacific sta- tions.
 The available ships of Spain are: One first-class battleship, two second-class bat tleships, seven armored cruisers, five pro- tected cruisers and eight small cruisers and gunboats.
 The New York and Brooklyn are the only armored cruisers in our navy, while Spain has seven available. It Is needless to say that these fast armored cruisers of Spain would not be toys. They are fearful ma chimes of war. They would play havoc among the United States fleet before being disabled.
 In the event of war the United States would eventually drive the Spanish navy from the seas, but our losses would run into thousands of lives and millions upon millions Of dollars. Whatever be the losses, the United States must enforce apology and indemnity, or else send her fleet upon Ha- vana to avenge the cowardy act of the Spaniards.