The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-02
DeleSare's Governor Don't Want War With
Spain If It Can Be Helped.
WAIT ON REPORT OF COURT OF INQUIRY
THIS Is Ills Advice Docsn't Relieve
Cuban or Hawaiian Annexation,
or interference In Cuban.spanish
Affairs Discusses tho situation
Norfo!i<'s Progress.

Governor E. w. Tunnel, the popular
Executive of the live little State OF
Delaware. arrived yesterday from
Dover 10 act as best man at the mar
rtaSe this afternoon of his friend, Rev.
G. l. Stcnglc, and is stopping at the
Atlantic.
The Governor is owner OF the Lewes
(Del) Pilot, and knows what it is to
be u newspaper man. y Nirginlan rep
resentative found him in the reception
room u the Atlantic last night and
discovered in him most agreeable and
interesting taliIer, q man of conserva-
i've, yet decided views, of calm judg-
ment, prone to look at Il subject from
all points of the mental compass and
form his opinions accordingly.
One does not wonder, after being
with him. that he is liked by all
classes, for he is the kind of man peo-
pie Ike when they find him out, good
man for friends to stick to, und a still
better one to be let alone by those who
are not friends. IL is face is that Of q
man who is even tempered and genial
but 1t carries written upon it silent
warning that once wrnkled on n GER
tain Southern flag, Don't Tread on
Me" 1t is a face that impresscs one
as masking 4 large intellect. II does
rot conceal n large amount OF bcnevo-
lence and charity. 1t las also caught
the Gubernmlorial expression. Those
VINO do not know what this means
should study the faces OF Governors
past and present. They will find what
they are locking for.
5ut search as he would, the scribe
could not find anywhere about the
Governors head bump that could
possibly indicate an indispostion 10
matrimony. And yet he is Il bachelor
not an odd" bachelor as he Will tell
YOU hmsclf--but what he wont tell
you is, why. IT can't be that the
Delaware girls don't want him, for
they undoubtedly do, and as for the
young ladies of Berkeley, where the
Governor spent t. large part of the
Gay yesterday hey nearly captured
him bodily. They have taken his flu
ture happiness badly to heart, report
goes, and who that knows him can
doubt it?
But this Is not Governor Tunnclls
first visit to this city. He was here
some ten years ago with Hon. Thos.
f. Bayard, then Secretary Of State
under President Cleveland
You have made the most wonderful
strides forward Since then" said he,
and 1t looks as though you were never
going to stop. Your city looks like
the coming port of America. am very
much impressed with your wonderful
harbor, your great natural advantages.
and above all, with the eneI getic way
in which you are Improving them"
Asked next as to what he thought Of
the present crisis in our rciu lions to
Spain, the Governor said that In COM
mon with most of. the people Of his
State, he thought the people Of the
country ought to await the decision of
the court of inquiry into the cause of
the Maine disaster
II am cmphatically opposed to war,
If it can be helped" said he. but if il
can be proven that the Maine was
destroyed by the treachery Of Spanish
authorities, I do not sec how we can
avoid it. If the deed was done by a
private citizen we should demand an
indemnity-a good stiff one. Spain.
however" added the Governor reflcc-
lively. 'is hardly more able to pay an
indemnity than she is to whip the
United States.
I'm the event of war I have no doub,
OF course, as to our ability to whip
Spain. Our navy is in better condi-
tion and more efficient to-day than ever
before, while Spain is Impoverished and
was never less prepared for war.
our navy would give good &C
count of itself. We are stronger in
This respect than most people think,
and much stronger in the matter of
coast defenses than is generally be-
Iieved
For my part, I believe Spain would
be glad to set rid of Cuba. but she
don't know how to do II. Frankly. l
am not in favor of Cuban or Hawaiian
annexation, and l don't think the
United States should intervene between
cuba and Spain. That Is my position.
Il think President Mckinley and
Secretary Long are to be complimentcd
upon their course in this crisis. I do
not believe in going too fast Some OF
the papers are preserving an .,dmra-
bic and conservative attitude in the
matter and some l could mention are
going at an unhappy pace"
What do you think was the cause
Of the explosion in Havana harhor?"
was asked.
Il was in Washington at the time"
said the Governor, "and | formed an
opinion. but decided then I would not
express II. ! do not think Il would be
wise. Better wait until the court OF
inquiry reports. | confess. though, the
circumstances look suspicious
III tell you our strong point in case
OF war" continued the Governor re-
verting to the subject he had just
dropped. st Is true we haven't now
but six battleships. we had seven be-
fore the Maine went under bur we
have about thirty cruisers. or vessels
Of that class-grcyhounds; and they can
RUIZ. They cannot fight a hattleship. i,
Is true. but they can do terrible havoc
TO an cncmy's commerce, and when
you attack a cOuntry'S commerce YOU
are striking at vital part of ;bat
country's life. The result would he that
every bunch of merchantmen would
have TO be accompanied by Il battle
ship. and this would weaken their
fighting strength as you see. When
they came near our shores the mont
tors would do the rest. These mont