Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1898-03-26
CONTINUE PREPARATIONS
KNOW NO HOURS OF REST
General Belief mt the National Cap
itaI of the Statement in the Army
and Navy Register That the
Maine Was Blown Up by u Gov
eminent Submarine Mine.

hours. All hours and minutes count in
the work, and all are utilized to the very
best advantage. The Secretaries of Wan
and the Navy know no hours of rest. They
have their regular office hours at the de
partments, and then have their confer.
ences with subordinate officers at home.
The positive declaration of the Army
and Navy Register that the President has
certain evidence in an unofficial way
showing that the Maine was blown up by
a government submarine mine deliberate
" exploded by Spanish officials has at.
tiacted much comment in Washington.
Is Conservative aud Reliable.
Army and navy officials regard the Reg
lister as very conservative and reliable in
its statements, and do not believe it could
have made this assertion without the very
best evidence that it was correct. 1t
agrees with the daily press reports from
Havana, Key West, and Washington. 1t
has been repeatedly denied at the White
House and Navy Department that there
had been any official communication from
the board of inquiry. That is regarded as
a jury whose verdict should be beyond
even the suspicion of having been inhu-
cnced by any high power.
These denials are no doubt literally cor
rect, and yet it is the general belief that
there has been outside information laid
before President Mckinley that made him
abandon the accident theory and begin
active preparations for war,
Some of this information came before
the Maine was blown up. 1t came from
Consul General Lee, who doubted the Wis
dom OF sending a war vessel to Havana
en- a peace mission. He doubted the pro
fcssions of friendship by the Spaniards
He had reason to suspect treachery. He
communicat ted these suspicious to the
state department and to the president.
There have been other evidences of
treachery which did not come from the
board of inquiry. Not all the evidence
of how the battleship was blown up is
held exclusively by the board of inquiry.
There has been much that the general
public has received from outside sources.
Received Unofficial Evidence.
The president and his cabinet have re
ceived much evidence that is unofficial
which did not Justify thNa7tministration
in waiting for the official report before
beginning preparations for war
1t has ben repeatedly said that tho
president will not begin war. No one
doubts that, but one of the most expert
i ! hok
this could be quite true and yet there
was every indication OF war. II Spain
was directly responsible for the explosion
it was q hostile act and meant war unless
she apolooizcd and made such reparation
AZ might be demanded. Indemnity alone
could not settle the question. 1t must be
the disavowal of the act, the execution of
the officials who offended, the reduction
and disgrace Of the captain general under
whose jurisdiction it occurred, the pay
ment OF an indemnity, the salute of the
flag, and the surrender of Cuba if this
government so demanded
For such an act this government would
be justified in demanding the most com
plete surrender by Spain and that with
very short notice, OF the investment of
Havana harbor. 1t is for such an emer-
gency that the government Is preparing.
IL does not fear another attack by Spain.
1t does not fear that Spain will bonn.
bard New York OF capture some OF our
merchant vessels without provocation. 1t
has no reason to fear that Spain is seek
inc war. but il knows that it must be
prepared to make war unless certain
things are done regarding the blowing up
of the Maine and the future of Cuba.
white House DeAfnIs.
DenialS of the fact that the president
knows what the verdict of the court Of
inquiry is to be have been made from
the White house. They are to be accept
ed as part OF the situation. There is alb
solutely no reason for retracting the state
ment published Thursday TO the effect
that the president does know that the
court expects to report that the explosion
was due to outside agencies. OF course
he has no official knowledge of this
fact. TO this extent the denials are ac-
curate; beyond this they are misleading.
No one for a moment believes that the
president lacks in ordinary prudence and
common sense. 1t would indeed be remark
able if the administration was simply
CROPPING and stumbling along in blind and
utter ignorance as to what the verdict OF
the court will be. 1t is doing nothing
of the kind. The president told friend
at the White house Friday afternoon, be-
fore the dinner to the Belgian prince, that
he had abandoned the theory of acciden-
tai explosion, and when that friend said
to him. ''lVell, Mr.. President, what them"
the president grayeiy responded, 1T means
that the independence of Cuba is writ