The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-19
WHY "ASSUME"IT
The President Will ssAssume''
That the Blowing Up
Of the Maine Was an Accident
Until Otherwise Proven.
THERE'S REAL GROUND
For Suspicion That it Was Not
an Accident
And 1t is Spain's First Busi-
ness to Prove
THAT 1T WAS SUCH.
Why Does Our Government Seek
to Make Spain's Defense
For Her-Let Her Make Her
Own Defense.
For Suspicion That it Was Not
an Accident
And 1t is Spain's First Busi-
ness to Prove
THAT 1T WAS SUCH.
Why Does Our Government Seek
to Make Spain'S Defense
For Her-Let Her Make HeI
Own Defense.

Washington, Feb. 19-The only alb
sentees from yesterdays cabinet meet
ing were Secretaries Sherman and AL
ger.
During the meeting the disaster to the
Maine was the principal topic of discus
sion. Secretary Long read a cablegram
from Capt. Sigsbee, giving an account
of the funeral of 19 victims of the ex-
plosion.
At present the cabinet awaits the re-
suit of the inquiry into the cause of the
disaster. There remains scarcely a.
doubt in their minds that it was an ac-
cfdent, and such as might happen at
any time. This view of the matter
however, will not influence the presi-
dent to stop short of a most searching
investigation into all facts that may
have any possible bearing upon the
case.
Until these facts are shown to the
contrary, the president will assume that
the explosion came from within.
The feature of the day at the navy de-
partment was the large number of ru-
nlors of a war like tendency that came
to the attention of the officials as re-
quiring attention, and in every case
contradiction. So formidable had grown
the list that at the close of office hours
Secretary Long was induced to make
the following statement as the easiest
manner of disposing at one time of all
these stories:
Really no information has been re-
ceived since Capt. Sigsbee's first dis
patch, adding anything to our know1-
edge of the disaster. All we know is
that the Maine blew up. There is
abundant room for speculation of all
sorts, but no conclusion can be arrived
at until an examination has been made
by the divers and more facts obtained.
1t is a simple fact to say that such
thing might happen by design, or 1t
might happen by accident As yet there
is no indication of design. Therefore my
impression has been all along, and I
rather think the general opinion pre-
ponderates in the same direction, that it
must have been accidental.
''At the cabinet meeting the matter
was not discussed, except as any body
kind and most of the talk related to the
terrible loss of life and to the express
ions of sympathy for the sufferers.
''It certainly was a very kind thought
in the president to send flowers to the
families of Capt. Sigsbee, of the execu-
tive officer, Wainwright and of the lost
seamen whose residences are in Wash
ington. -. L..
has been no secret cabinet meeting;
that nothing has taken place in the
cabinet that the public have not been
informed about; that the whole poHcy
of this department has been to give the
public all the dispatches; that the de-
partment has no more knowledge on
the subject OF the cause OIL LIle QiSdSlGIs
or even of the circumstances attending
it, than have the public; and that the
report which was to the ERECT that cap
tain Sigsbee had warned the depart
ment that the Maine was in danger
from submarine mines or torpedoes, IS
utterly without foundation, no such re-
port ever having been received from
him or anybody else"
The secretary also denied briefly and
comprehensiVely wild rumOrs that he
had requested the chief of police of New
York to guard the Vizcaya, and that ne
had selected Constructor Bowles to go
! to Havana and raise the Maine. The
| last work of the day for him was to
| consult the representatives of the
! wrecking companies, who probaDly VIII
| have charge of this work, ana endeaVor
| to arrange for both of them to work to-
| eether. so as to secure the use of each
peculiar plant and to save time.
The secretary, when asked what about
| the departments estimate of the con-
| 5I1c+ of Cant Sigsbee in the trying sit
| uation in which he had been placed,
| replied:
Il think express the Feeling of the
president as we'll as my own Wnen
| saw that Captain Sigsbee has conducted
/ himself as an officer of our navy should
he was the last to leave his snip
when she went down. Ills dlspatcn 70
| me that night was so complete, thau
since then, 1 have thought OF no queS-
| tion of fact to ask him which IS essen
tial to the situation and which he could
| answer which is not covered by that
| dispatch Its tone, too, is that of a dis
| Greet and level headed man, who realiz-
| ed the impression any word from him,
| at that time, would have on the public
| mind Nothing is harder than for a
! naval officer to lose his ship, so that I
have great sympathy for him. await
/ with confidence further reports.
During the day the department was
| in receipt of a number oftelegraHs from
| different parts of the country asking in
| behalf of relatives of the dead sailors
| that their remains be brought back to
| the United States for interment- Among
| them were those from the friends of the
! two officers, Merritt and jenkins. The
| department forwarded these to Captain
| Sigsbee whose answer was that the Of
| fcer's bodies have not been found; that
| as to many others naturalization is not
possible and throwing great doubt up
| on the practicability of taking any of
| the remains away from Havana. While
| no decision has yet been reached form
| ally upon the application of the Spanish
| government for authorization to exam
J Inc the wreck of the Maine to ascertain
| the cause of the explosion, the officials
seem inclined to regard her request as
| one that could not possibly be refused
| and it is likely that each government
| will make an investigation of this char
/ acter cOncurrently.
/ The miniature United States flag on