Evening journal., 1898-03-29
THE MAINE REPORT.

Court OF Inquiry, aud the testimony
regarding the destruction Of the Maine
are now in the hands Of Congress, to-
gether with message from President
Mckinley recommending the careful
consideration OF the matter. The presi-
dent has taken the representatives Of
the people into his confidence and they
are now in possession OF all Of the
facts.
The calm and even tenor OF the presi-
dents message shows that he has not
lost his head in the crisis, and that he
proposes to act in a calm and dignifed
manner throughout BY his action the
people will be guided, very
largely. for when nations
tained the public will have perfect
faith in him and reliance that he will
leader is calm and self-con-
uphold the honor and dignity OF the
nation.
Regarding the report and message,
the Philadelphia Ledger, one of the
most conservative papers published In
the East, says:
The history Of the Spanish people
has not been free OF offenses, but there
is no page OF It so black as that one
would be. which would make her re-
sponsible, by connivance or sufferance
or fore-knowledge, Of the destruction
OF the Maine and the murder of her
crew.
The carefully, deliberately avowed
finding OF the court, leaves now no
room for doubt or cavll regarding the
manner Of the Names destruction. She
did not perish by an accident. She
was not destroyed by an explosion OF
either her magazines on boilers; she
was NOT destroyed from within She
was blown up from without, by sub
marine mine deliberately, with malice
and deviltry prepense, exploded under
her as she lay at her appointed moor.
ings, at the buoy to which she had been
taken by the authorities OF Spain. This
is not mere suspicion or conjecture
not an unsupported conclusion hastily
arrived at by prejudiced, impulsive
passionate men. 1t is the calm, ju
dicial, deliberate Judgment OF wise
careful, honorable men, based irrefuta
bly upon physical facts.
The Senate and the House, standing
for, acting for the nation, heard thi
unimpassioned report OF the Court o
Inquiry and the reserved, dignified
firm message OF the president in sol
emn, impressive silence, and with
bearing and self poise for which the
cannot be too greatly honored, they re
ferred the finding and the message Z
committees for more deliberate consid
Grafton. The court declared it ha
''been unable to obtain evidence Akin
the responsibility for the destructio
Of the Maine upon any person OF pei
sons" The president did not assume I
80 behind the conclusions Of the cOul
as to any guilty person or persons, bu
in concluding his message he makes
satisfactorily plain that Spain herself
not clear Of responsibility in the prem
ises The president says in this r.
spect, after stating that he had tran
United to the Spanish government II
report OF the court:
Il do not permit myself to doubt tn
the sense OF justice Of the Spanish nj
tion will dictate a course of action SUI
gested by honor and the friendly rel
tions Of the two governments"
Having thus temperately and r
servedly presented to Spain and Co
gress the American case, he adds tn,
awaiting the formers reply, he as
that the latter win deliberately co
slider the report and the testimony.
During the long and trying crli
through which the country has be
passing in respect TO Cuban affai
the president has exhibited many
the greater qualities of statesmansh
GIis wise, conservative conduct has W
for him, at home and abroad, gold
opinion from those OF shrewdest juC
ment. In his message Of yesterday,
did not impair, but rather increai
the favorable opinions, the trust q
confidence, Of the country in his pul
spirit and sagacity. The questions
the destruction Of the Maine, OF
responsibility therefor, Of the repa
tion OF reclamation to be regained,
trust their government to answer tn
still unanswered. The people sho
all with that wisdom and partiOt
which Its bearing has throughout tn
Spanish troubles led the people to C
tinue to confidently expect.
pnFWnDIHT nnuuUVR