Evening star., 1898-02-26
NOT POPULAR IN CONGRESS.
The Idea of Demanding Money In
demnity From Spain.

The Idea of Demanding Money In
demnity From Spain.
The idea of demanding a mere money ir-
demnity for the dastardIy destruction of
| the Maine is not popular in Congress. 1t
| Is rot thought in Congress tha. the coun-
try will be satisfied to consider this as they
, would L commercial question. The only
ciic cumstances under which money idem-
nifty would be regarded as adequate would
be if Spain should prove conclusively that
the act was that of private citizen and
should produce and punish the culprit.
The completely of any political organza-
ton or facticn of Spain, though an enemy
TO the present ministry, and even TO the
crown CT Spain, would place the RESPONSE
bility upon the Spanish government III a
way TO preclude money settlement. a
proposition held to be clear by well-in-
formed men about Congress is that if ii is
shown that the explosion occurred from
external causes the immediate assumption
VIII be that it was the act of Spain. The
burden of proof to correct this assumption
If ii be wrong, will then lie upon Spain
If she could prove conclusively that the
crime las committed by an Individual and
that the manner of its accomplishment was
slch as to dcquit the government of negli-
sence or connivance, an humble apokgy
and the payment of indemnity would suf-
flee.
If Spain Yielded.
II, in the face Of evidence that the ex-
plosion was from the outside Spain should
yield in the face of hostile demonstra tIon
making no resistance or counter demon
strdtion, there could. of course, be no
bloodshed and the honor of this country
would be as clearly vindicated as it would
lie if we had destroyed her navy and COM
merce and killed her soldiers in battle. Ii
would be like fort surrendering without
resistance. and the settlement would be
placed at the discretion of this govern
nent. Spain could not, however with the
responsibility for the disaster resting upon
her, say. We'll, what value do you place
upon your ship and your dead sailors ,
Wen pay for them With responsibility
for treachery and crime upon her she could
do no less. according TO the best authori-
ties, than place herself humby at the dis
cretion of this government, and ask that
we pass sentence upon her-if she would
avoid War. The national humiliation would
have to ne as great as an unconditional
surrender at the close of a war Then this
government could collect indemnity, have
the Spanish colors dipped and the Amer
lean flag saluted, or exact whatever else
the circumstances demanded.
Attitude of the Spanish Ministry.
A thing that causes the situation to be
looked upon with extreme gravity in Con-
gress is the difficulty that must be expert
enced in qualifying the responsibility of
Spain Tor the disaster II II Is proven not
to be an accident. The presumptive evil
dence is generally held in Congress to be
that no one could have exploded mine
under the Maine without the connvance Of
authorities. The accident theory once dis
posed of, it is believed that this country
will be forced to the conclusion that the
crime was the act Of Spanish officials. 1t
is believed that the present Spanish minis
try, If convinced that the explosion was
not the result of an accident, would be
willing to make any sort of reparation, and
would do this with every show of humility
which the dastardy character of the crime
would demand, but it is feared that the
state of public feeling in Spain and among
the Spaniards in Cuba will not admit of
their doing what their judgment and senti-
ment of justice and propriety would die
tate. 1t is not thought that the Sagasta
government can have anything but the
greatest adherence for such a crime, if
crime 1T was, but the ministry is not felt to
be strong enough to deal with the matter
| as they should. Little doubt Is entertained
in Congress that II the Maine was de-
stroyed by intent 1t was the work of Wey-
lerites, aimed as much at Sagasta and
Blanco as at the United States.