The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-02
\ Official STATEMENT.
Secretary Long Says the Cabinet
faIAed Over Cuban Situation.
PUBLIC EXCITEMENT HAS ABAlED.
lrnr says lie Is satisfied spain Did
Not "OfaclniIy Participate
ss in the Disaster.

Washington, March 1.-THE main In
I tcrest today in connection with Inc Main
1 Inquiry ccntered In statement by oecre
tary Long following tho cabinet meetin'
that In his own personal opinion any OIL
cial participation BY the Spanish govern
msnt In the blowing W OF the Maine wa
now practically eliminated from the situa
ton. This statement was not OF lorna
or Official character and was made BY MI
Long as he walked away from the White
House. AS usual the various Officers were
besieged as 10 the news laid before the
cabinet mectins, and the situation was
summed IN IN a few words, by Secretary
Long, who said
Most oil thu time was given to the
outrages ON colorcd postmasters in the
South.
Naturally the Cuban situation had peon
zone over, he said, but there were no
actual Developments and he felt mat pup
lie excitement over the subject haa MA
tcrialiy abatcd. Then lie aided inc state
faents IN the same passing way, mat any
participation by the spanish government
in the blowing I'D OF the Maine WIS pfac-
tirally eliminated, IN his judgment. rms
remark WAS speedily given wide ciroulhlon
apart from The dnieting references when
had accompanied 1t. II Immediately start
ed much comment and discussion anu Wheh
MIR Long returned TO the navy department
after lunch he found that what he had
intended TO convey MIS- being given the
force OF an Official declaration that spain
responsibility for the disaster had Deem
eliminated. In order TO make clear ms
meaning as personal expression OF opih
lou. MIR. Long dictated the following stare
ment:
"Tho main thing we talked about IN
cabinet was the outrages on the. postinase
ters, one in Georgia and one IN Sputh
Carolina In regard TO the Cuban situation
! said I thought things were GROWING
Guioter every day, and as far as my luus
Inent went, | was Inclined to tnlnk that
any official participation ON the part OF
4 the Spanish government in the disaster
was now practically eliminated.
Tho foregoing conveys all Mr. Long do-
sires to say upon the subject aud this iluch
was given only TO Offset enlarged versions
OF what he had sud.
Persons enjoying close relations with
the secretary said the opinion expressed
was such as any one might give with
the facts now ut hand II was not in any
sense. IL was explained, u conclusion drawn
from new evidence not made public either
from the court OF inquiry or any officer
now concerned in the inquiry. Neither
FACTS nor lNlinldtlpHS lhNG come from SutU
sources, 1t is said at the department which
would serve as the basis for an opinion.
The official declaration of Senior DuilOsc
the Spanish charge d 'affaires that mines
or submarine mines do not exist in Havana
larbor had como to the attention of Sec
retary Long. and this statement from
tho authorized Representative of the Spnn-
ish government was felt TO have been given
its due weight in the expressed opinion
by the secretary.
Il wns ,,oInted out hy persons bearing
close relations 10 the secretary that the
Language uspd was "offleta, participation"
on the part Of the SonnlBh goVornmont
Iliis II was said. had no bearing on the
position OF Spain'B responsibility. Tho
'officini participation" Of Spain was one
thing, while the responsibility of Spain
in case the dikastcr proved 10 be OF ex-
ternal origin. was quite another thing. The
secretarye statement Was restricted II was
explained, to exculpatlng Spain from direct
Official participation Ia the affair IN case
u was known that the act was due to some
fanatic 9naniard. unconneetcd with the
government. then the question OF Spain's
responsibility would sim be open
Mr.. Long was much surprised that SO
much attention had been given to his
Passing alluson Aside from this in
cident the day brought forth few develop
uents of Importance relating 10 the
Maine.
No dispatches Of any kind from
Key West where the court OF nuur, Is
sitting. were given out during the day.
and as the rule OF publicity is stIll I'm
force, presumably nothing came from that
quarter. The vessels movements nm
nouead during the day Vera devoid OF sig.
niicance.
Orders went out from the navy depart.
ment late this afternoon TO put tho iron
clads men on the Mausonunah ana
Is kltohAtn IL, tatuAI a
shid AT the department that tho plrposo
OF putting them IN commission Is 10 make
nerths for the survivors Of the Maine nov
at Key West waiting on tho conn ~ il
curry, which without doubt wiz have in
,.nea win them by the 10th instant. rho
M.hnotononfah " a formidable double tur-
reted monitor. carrying four ie-inrh I'm,
she y 1870 tons displacement aud storms
10 IL Knots per hour
me katehdia is d freak IN maya, ar,,,
lecture. and although opinions arc dI,,ia,
ns 20 her qualities there Ia little dnn,,,
tnat her presence In any harbor wn,,,d
,maks an enemy anxious. She lies mostly
unueI wafer With turtle back az stas,
ana the theory OF her Designer aan,isn,,
ammen, was that this arnor could mai
% struck directly by a shot from nro,,,,a
vessel. ana that ouch shot would no har,,
,essiy detected " the slipping steel den,, !,
Inc haiahdin is ram pure aud simn,,
n nss'ak y me way OF weapons Of offsnss
n sa sa except her sharp steel beak and q
Mrhtes The two vessels haze crews "a
spectively Of 100 and 90 men. ''"' ~
1. WAS lust learned at the navy dcpart-
ment today why the Maine WAS lied IN :,
: ne buoy IN the Havana harbor ln Nu W ~
sssncn v' "A TACT that has been bare Tor
~ - s,s, ~ e the eansc OF the disaster
q buoy IN much better place rnr t,, Mar
service than when anchored, but Il nm" MN
Pears tpet 4 q ship casts her anchor n
,s,, larbor 50 foul and polluted WITH
x ~ lever and other disease germs VI e
sns mua snat adheres 70 II when n Il u
sSsssa anas ne ship n,lst go Into quar-
4 norfF ''s,on re Return 10 any Florida