The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-21
A FEELING OF SUSPENSE
Continued from First Page)

order that they may supplement if need
be the testimony already taken. 1t is not
denied or affirmed on authority that
synopsis of the testimony with a force
cast of the findings is in the Presidents
hands. When the fun report is written
it will probably be carried as usual by
the judge advocate, Lieut.. Comdr Mark,
to Washington"
If it is of a startling nature the
chances are that it viii not be sent to
Congress in its entirety, for the reason
that the President fears the results that
may grow out of the publication of the
full report if thrown like a bOmbsheh
into the presence of the American Con-
gress. A message may later be sent
in giving the full details, but
the President is fearful lest in GER
tain contingencies the whole truth will
startle the country and lead Congress to
break the leashes with which it has been
held in check and take such action as
Will at once precipitate hostilities. If,
therefore, the report of this court makes
a strong showing aginst Spain no effort
will be spared to prevent q sudden out
few days of elaboration will soften the
indignation that will spring up when the
American people are officially informed
that their magnificent ship was sent to
the bottom through outside agencies
which should have been prevented by
the government under whose protection
the vessel was while riding at anchor
in a supposedly friendly harbor.
The Beginning of the End.
But, whatever may be the nature of
the report, there is a feeling that this
week will witness the greatest degree of
tension between the two governments
1t is not conceivable that there can be
anything other than a report showing
that the destruction of the ship was due
to outside agencies. The American peo-
pie have withheld their Indignation pend
ing the return of the official finding and
when that verdict has been announced
there will no longer be any good reason
why the muzZle should longer be placed
upon the freedom of speech that has I'D
TO this time been voluntarily imposed
This is the outbreak the Administration
Tears, and with the report of the Naval
Court as foundation for the debate
that Will ensue no man can now tell 10
what extremes Congress may 60
Leaving out of consideration all refer
ence to the destruction of the Maine
which, though frightful of itself, is but
an incident in the whole situation-the
sentiment has been gradually nodded
that the time has come for this Govern
ment to interfere in Cuban affairs. In
PREVENTION, however it comes at this late
day means war, for the Spanish people
desperate through the failure that has
ATTENDED their arms in Cuba. and bank
rupt at home, are compelled to resist in
PREVENTION on the part of the United
states ana 10 accept 1t as casus belli.
The C1anor for Peace.
one oil the most conservative men in
the Senate, man who has been accused
OF being in full sympathy with Spain. be-
heves that war is inevitable. He made
the statement yesterday afternoon care
FULLY after weighing every word He
stated that he could no longer see how
war could be avoided. The time had come,
he said, when the United States must in
terVene If 1t was desirable to stop the
starvation of the people of Cuba and pre-
vent the island from being depopulate ted. |
intervention, this senator said. meant
war and could now mean nothing else. |
1t was he reiterated, the bounden duty /
OF the United States on the island in the |
name OF humanity, to prevent the star |
walton that existed, and 10 do this was an
act of Intervention which il could no !
longer be denied Spain would protest
against and seek TO prevent. The duty of |
this Government, however could not be |
overlooked. 1t must intervene to prevent |
such continued slaughter of innocent |
women and children and non-combatants |!
and II that meant war, as he believed it !
hT,rrr
avoided
For weeks both houses of Congress |
have been impatiently waiting The work |
Of the Court of Inquiry has been neces-
sarily prolonged for it conducted it's la
bors under the greatest possible difficult |
ties. 1t had to deal with a subject that |
afforded no parallel in modern history.
The investigation has been painstaking
and exceedingly careful and now that
the country believes the truth has been
ascertained and that truth is to be given
to them there is a feeling of such in
tense interest and such suppressed ex-
element that no one can safely predict
what may grow out of it. 1t is the unex-
pected that always happens under such
conditions and the unexpected that NAV
happen during the coming week is
fraught with results OF the gravest mo-
ment to the United States
The Crisis Approaches
The President himself is convinced that
the final settlement of this whole uues-
ton cannot be much longer DELAYED
Those who have been with him much of
late say he is almost distracted over the
subject. He is overwhelmed with the re-
sponsibility that has been thrust upon
i'm nd 70
ing advice given him by those who are
near to him but who are actuated by d.
verse interests. The President knows the
desires of the country but when he gives
way to those desires he is suddenly re-
called by the admonition that comes from
the business interests of New York
which are constantly clamoring for peace,
and pleading with the Executive to do
nothing that will ''unsettle values" and
send stocks tumbling to the bottom of the
quotation ladder. Between the demands
of patriotism and the cries of humanity
of the moneyed interests on the other
the President is fast losing flesh and wor-
rying himself sick
1t is this condition that has largely in
duced him to throw upon Congress a por-
ton, at least, of the responsibility of
what may be done in the future. The
President will send TO Congress the report
of the Court of Inquiry as speedily as
possible, He Will suggest to Congress
that upon that body devolves the duty
of determining the policy of this country
when diplomacy is no longer able to
guide the ship of state and will declare
his readiness TO abide by whatever deci-
sion the representatives of the American
people may reach. Hoping for peace. but
seeing no way of accomplishing it; under
standing Wen the Justice of the Cause