The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-20

Chronicle: For so years. as We have
seen. the United States of America have
had no quarrel which was not easily ad-
justsd by diplomacy. They have
menaced no nation ana have been men
aced by none. They have followed the
Monroe doctrine. keeping aloof from for
/ eign broils and devoting themselves al
together to the affairs of the American
continent. Is there any reason to believe
that the next 50 years will be mora pro-
| life of trouble or that trouble, even if it
/ threatened. could be averted merely
! through the possession of a third-raAe
navy? These are question which are suS-
gestcd directly by the fate of the Maine.
The cause of the disaster may BE- left
for the investigation of the proper au-
thOrities. But as was said in the begin
ming, if there had been no battleship
Maine there would have been no disaster.
Tribune: Not since the late civil war
has the press had occasion to record so
shocking calamity TO the American
navy as that of the destruction of the
United States battleship Maine, occurring
in the harbor of Havana on Tuesday
evening. The first inquiry will
be as to the cause of the disaster. though
upon this point the earlier reports throw
no satisfactory light The mystery may
be solved later on. though for the pres
ent it is evidently Captain SigSbee's desire
10 avoid unjust suspicion The coinci-
dence of the approach of the Spanish
cruiser Nizcaya to our own shores,
coupled with the intense hostility mani
Tested in certain quarters on account of
the visit of the Maine to Havana and the
De LONE incident gives to the affair a
deep significance apart from the tragic
features attending the destruction of life
in the haTbor OF professedly friendly
power. has treachery been added TO
duDlicity? viii be the almost universal
inquiry, TO which reply Will be awaited
with the deepest interest throughout the
nation. If such We're the case it would
take rank as the crime Of the century.
The assurances of Governor General
Bianco and the activity of the Spanish
authorities generally in rendering aid to
the victims of the disaster will cause a
suspension of judgment until the facts
are more fully known.
Record: Judgment on the hideous
calamity at Havana must wait upon
knowledge What this nation seeks TO
know first of all is. what caused the
CHASTITY explosion that destroyed the
American batteship and brought death to
its crew? The mystery is eXasDerating
and suspicious. But not until the facts
are brought to light can any one fairly
venture to pass judgment or to fix blame
rms much IS evident: Either a great
crime hos been committed or there has
been an amazing piece of laundering care
lessness. What the American public will
insist on is that there be thorough and
speed inquiry in order that responsibility
Tor the disaster may be located.
Journal: The unparalleled tragedy Of
the Maine. while ineXpressibly shocking
to the people of the United States has
served to clarity public opinion on our
relations to Cuba and Spain. The very
fact that such an accident. if accident
ii was. could happen to an American
man-of-war. and that it should shatter
the peace of mind of the public and do
infinite damage to every commercial en-
terprise from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
is in itself sufficient warrant for inter-
vention. Fear is more destructive than
anger. There is one thing worse than
war, and that is the continued menace of
war.
Stats Zeitung: No honorable man will
make uD his mind dennitely as to the
causes which brought about the destruc-
ton Of the splendid American battleshin
Maine IL the harbor of Havana until
the circumstances have been thoroughly |
investigated from a technical staudDoint
The position of those persons who with |
0ut thorough knowledge. declare the mis- |
nan 4 deVilieh decd of the Snaniards. n,,.i |