Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-03-25
CONTINUE PREPARATIONS
KNOW NO HOURS OF REST.
General Delief at the National Cap.
ital of the Statement In the Army
and Navy Register That the
Maine Was BlOwn Up by q Gov.
eminent Submarine Mine.


eminent Submarine Mine.
Washington March l9.--War prepare
tons, like wars, recognize no regular |
hours All hours and minutes count in |
the work, and all are utilized to the very
best advantage. The Secretaries of War |
and the Navy know no hours of rest They
have their regular office hours at the de- !
partments, and then have their confer. !
cnces with subordinate officers at home.
The positive declaration Of the Army
and Navy Register that the President has
certain evidence in an unofficial way
shown. that the Maine was blown up by
a government submarine mine deliberate
ly exploded by Spanish officials has at
tracted much comment in Washington.
Ia Conservative and 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. It
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 IA
jury whose verdict should be beyond
even the suspicion of having been influ-
encsd by any high power.
These dcnial- 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 pregnant tons 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 war vessel to Havana
on a peace mission. He doubted the pro-
fcssion- of friendship by the Spaniards
He had reason to suspect treachery. He
communicated these suspicious to the
state department and to the president.
There have been other evidences Of
trrachery which did not come from the
board OF inquiry. Not all the evidence
Of how the battleship WAS blown up !.
held exclusively by the board Of inquiry
There has been much that the genera
public has received from outside sources
Received CnoMcial Evidence.
The president and his cabinet have re
ceived much evidence that is unofficia
which did not Justify the administratio,
in waiting for the official report befor'
beginning preparations for war.
1t has ben repeatedly said that tn
president will not begin war. No on
doubts that, but one of the most expert
cnccd diplomats in Washington said tina
this could be quite true and yet Their
. was every indication Of war. If Spai
y was directly responsible for the explosion
:. it was hostile act and meant war unles'
she apologixed and made such reparatio
=. as might be demanded. Indemnity alon
:. could not settle the question. 1t must b
;, the disavowal Of the act, the execution {
the officials who offended, the reductio
= and disgrace Of the captain general unde
y. whose jurisdiction it occurred. the pay
- - ment of an indemnity, the salute Of tn
>. flag, and the surrender Of Cuba, II tn
; government so demanded.
For such an act this government woul
be justified in demanding the most con
= plete surrender by Spain and that wi,
- very short notice, of the investment
" Havana harbor. 1t is for such an eme
gcncy that the government is preparin
T. 1t does not fear another attack by Spai
= 1t does not fear that Spain will Dor
1t,nr nf nj
!" merchant vessels without provocation.
" has no reason to fear that Spain is see
u ing war. but it knows that it must
" prepared to make war unless certa
;" things are done regarding the blowing I
IL of the Maine and the future of Cuba.
" White House Denials.
.. Denials Of the fact that the preside
~ knows what the verdict of the court
~ INQUIRY is to be have been made frC
~ the White house. They are to he accel
:" ed as part of the situation. There is a
=" solutely no reason for retracting the sta
y, ment published Thursday to the eff
Il" that the president does know that
court expects to report that the explosi
was due to outside agencies. Of cou
TO- he has no Official knowledge Of 4
Use fact. To this extent the denials are
OF curatc; beyond this they are misleadi
ie- No one for a moment believes that
Tor president lacks in ordinary prudence q
'ed common sense. It would indeed be rema
lar able if the administration was sim
'-e cropping and stumbling along in blind q
sa' utter ignorance as to what the verdict
use the court will be. 1t is doing moth
W, of the kind. The president told fri
pnt at the White house Friday afternoon,
rnt fore the dinner to the Belgian prince, I
he had abandoned the theory of accid
tai explosion. and when that friend $
the to him. "Wcll, Mr.. President, what the
the the president gravcly responded, 1T me
ans that the independence Of Cuba is W
nto ten in the book OF fate
md Dema nd In Being Prepared.
mr.. This is the presidents exact langu'
He The state department is already pre-
MS ing its demand to he sent to Spain.
BY malls from the White house are for
The purpose of quoting the public mind. 7