The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-03-11
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, d. G.. Mar. 6, 1898
Few men occupying the position OF
President Mckinley at this critical
time would be able to withstand the
temptation to do little spread eagle
posing by catering, in talk, at least, to
the unmistakable fighting sentiment
of the country Whether he has been
tempted to do so, I cannot say, but
that he has not done so is known to
all the world, and it reflects great
credit upon him as man and rs an
official and has, beyond doubt, in
creased the respect felt for the U. S.
by all civilized nations, Not line
officially indicating what the verdict
of the naval court of inquiry will be
has been received by either the Presi-
dent or Secretary Long, but that very
fact has tended to convince the public
that the investigation has already
shown the court that the explosion,
which wrecked the Maine was not ac-
cidental and that it did not occur in
side tn vessel whether it has convin-
ced the President and Cabinet, their
active preparations for war show better
than anything said for publication by
any OF them. These preparations are
for the purpose of putting the country
in a condition to hold Spain to strict
accountability, if the verdict of the
blown up from the outside, as nearly
everybody now expects that it will be.
Holding Spain responsible is likely to
cause war, and although not one war
like word has been uttered, either by
the President or by any member of his
cabinet, this county is quite we'll per-
| pared for war.
| Our Navy is equal to that of Spain
in guns and armament, and as superior
to it in fighting qualities as an Ameri-
can is to Spaniard; and the follow
ing remarks made by War Depart
ment official will give some idea of
our coast defenses: "From Portland,
Me-, to the southernmost point on the
Atlantic coast, big gunsand mortar
batteries have been planted, and, in
case of war, an invading force could
not land on Uncle Sans soil, with
out suffering severely. The Pacific
coast has not been neglected by any
means, and hostile fleet seeking an
entrance to a harbor anywhere along
| that coast line, would find violent op-
position. One good result of the pres
ent critical times, if it only amounts
to scare, is that there will be less op-
position to appropriation for coast de-
lenses and for needs of the army and
navy"
Justice Harlan, Of the U. S. Supreme
Court made the following reference to
the loss of the Maine, in lecture to
the law students of Columbian Uni
versity: It is idle for any man to
say he knows how that calamity oc-
CURED, and any man belittles his ma
ture and lowers himself in the estima-
ton of his fellowmen when he ex-
presses the anxiety that it will turn
out that it was not an accident, but
that it was treachery rather than an
accident. Brave, generous men do
not want to think so badly of their
fellOwmen. We don't want to believe
that that was an act of treachery and
duplicity; we hope it will turn out
otherwise. And we ought to all have
this feeling that if it turns out to be
accidental, we should rejoice; if it
turns out not to be accidental, we will
not hear any more of North, South,
East or West, no more of republicans,
democrats or populists. We will hear
only of Americans"
The President and the Secretary Of
the Navy believe that it would be both
fitting and patriotic for Congress 20
authorize the building of new war
ship, to be as good as it can be made,
to be named Maine, but they also re-
gard as wise the opinion of the men
in Congress who have studied this
subject, that it will be best to wait un-
til full particulars Of the loss OF the
Maine can be carefully studied before
deciding whether it would be advisable
| to build any more vessels of the battle
ship type.
The failure to secure unanimous
consent for the House to take up the
bill, already passed by the Senate, pro-
vidipg for the enlistment of two addi-
tional regiments of artillery, in order
that the government might properly
man the batteries of heavy guns which
have been planted in connection with
our sea-coast defenses, owing to demo-
cratic objections, speaks much louder
to observant persons than do the war
whoops which certain democrats have
recently been indulging in. This
temporary delay will not affect the
bill, which will be passed this week,
but it should serve as pointer for all
intelligent persons.