The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-25
Each i'm Its Place.

III lUal IdS ~ ii'iA 90
! ington within forty-eight hours
touching the intentions of the
administration prompts the conclusion
that there really is a Providence in the
delay of the report OF the court of in
quiry. For n time the Maine disaster
overshadowed all other considerations.
There was the outrage itself. the
money loss represented in the wreck
Of the ship and. Of far greater ac-
count. the murderous sacrifice of hu-
man life. These things aroused i'm the
breast of every American citizen a feel
ing of warm sympathy for the dead and
of resentment toward the government
in whose harbor the explosion occurred.
The sentiment that demanded revenge
I'm behalf Of the government Of the
United States for the loss incurred by
the wreck of the Maine was fully war
ranted. but, ample as the grounds are
which the Maine furnishes. there were
back of the accident broader grounds
justifying a demand for an accounting
with Spain; n these. for the moment,
seemed not to be holding their place
of rightful prominence in the public
mind.
The interval Of five weeks has
wrought it's useful purpose in bringing
the people of the country back to the
calm consideration of the main issue.
While not deprecating the enormity of
the offense involved i'm the cruiser
tragedy. the public has been brought
To realize that a manifest duty con-
fronted this country, respecting Cuba,
before the Maine was wrecked, and
that this duty simply becomes the more
pointed as the result of the crime I'm
the harbor of Havana.
Fortunately, during these weeks of
delay. the administration at Washing
ton has been brought to the conclusion
hat the wise course is to give the
greater issue the prominence ii merits.
Certainly the affair Of the Maine will
net he disregarded. at the same time
II the recent prophecies respecting the
administration are true-the larger is
sue will not be permitted to drop to
second place: that issue involves the
moral obligations resting upon the
United states Ia declare to Spain hat
its barbarities i'm cuba must cease
forthwith with it's absolute withdrawal
from Cuba. and To assert this country's
determination To see to 1t that this
country will hold itself responsible To
carry out that programme.
In his senate speech of Wednesday
Dr. Gallinger made a pertinent remark
when he aid that "a government that
will deliberately starve four hundred
thousand of its subjects will do any
thing: and this remark DIR. Gallinger
enforced when he declared that ''the
lives of the brave men lost I'm the Maine
disaster cannot be atoned for with
gold and silver"
According To all accounts. the admin
~istration has wisely concluded to treat
as two separate and distinct PROPOSE
tons the Maine incident and the great
er question Of this country's duty to
Spain. The Maine question may he
mad the theme for delay. for diplo-
matte interchanges, for finesse. for the
developing of plausible theories and for
the discussion of ~precedents. That will
not be the case i'm dealing with the
other issue-that Of this country's duty.
The Maine matter may possibly be-
come a proper theme for reference and
arbitration. but that cannot be true OF
the broader issue; the question of a ma
tons moral obligation cannot be set
tied by any authority outside that ma
tion, and unless we all are hopelessly
wrong in all the things we claim re-
speeding ourselves, the American peo-
pie may be relied on to settle this ques-
tion of conscience and duty in strict ac-
cordance with that which is right and
best. The gratifying feature in the
situation is that. IL the representations
respecting the policy at Washington
are accurate. both issues involving this
country's relations with Spain are to
be kept steadily in yiew-the greater.
broader issue is to hold it's rightful
nlana