The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-09
PUTTING on " blteRash.
a administration Exonerates
panlaris IA Advance Of
Report from Court Of
Inquiry.

Ss44801a6 1a65R0VSr00e6DS.506 6H0s 03CW10Rl0
stha Mai0e wss now practically elim-.
i1asea from tho sisussios This state
ns1s uss not Of 8 formal or Official
sh.fscser and vas made 81 DE. Long
- be walksds swaJ from the White
House.
AZ usual. me various eabinst officers
sere besieged With inquiries % to the
aasstions before meeting and IN re-
s2onss % theas opportunities the score
rather casually sunmed mp the
sis1ssion IN fen words, stating that
most os tho time had been given to the
aztrsgess Of cotored possansseers in the
sssash Nstursliy the Cnbsn sisu-
anon had been gone over, he
said bas there sera no actual deve.
sopnents and be Eel. that public
excisenens over the subject had ma
sssislly abssed Then hs added the
ssstemsnt. IN the Same passing usy
shss snY parsieipasion By tbe Spanish
.:goxarpnsns 10 the blowing up Of .he.
aine WAS psaesicaily eiimina.sd; in
His iadesmens. This lest remark VAS
speedily given vide circulation spar.
frons tie quieling references which bad,
aoeon panied Is. Is Immediately start
"a much comment and discussion. and
uhsn Mi. Long rssuroed 30 the navy
sAeijSrsment af.er lunch BE found that
uhas he bad intended 70 convey Was
sbeiDg given the force tof an oficiai de-
sclsfation that SPANS responsibility for
the disaster bad been elinio.sed. In
srder TO make clear his mesnisg. as .
Peesonat expression. Dir. Long dictated
ihe following statement:
Tbe msin thing ne talked about 10
5sspises we're sba ousrsges on the post
nsasers. one white man In Georgia
aud one eolored man 10 South Caro-
iga
% re- gard 80 the Csban question. |
sssd thougs things were growing quiet
{ ssszy day, snd as my judgment won't
81 Hss inclined 70 think that aug Official
psrsicipstion on the psrs Of the Sps0s
$40 goyer1men.sin che disastef vas nov
ps.ssisslIy eliminated. "
WEIGHING HIS WORDS
The foregoing conveyed eli shat Mr
Loag desired 20 say on she subject,
and this much vas given only to Offset
enlarged versions Of what be had said.
Persons Occupying the closest rslstioos
with the secretary said shat she opieion
expressed vas sucb as aay one might
give With the facts now as hand. Il
Bas not IN aay seDss, It vas explained,
conclrsion drawn from new evidence.
not made pubic. either from the court
sf inquiry or any officer now concerned
10 .he ipqairy. Neither the facts nor
ins:mat,ons have come from such sour
ses, it is said as she department. which
would serve as the basis for 90 opinion.
The oficisl declaration Of Senor DuBose,
the Spanish charge d'affaires. sbss no
mines Of submarine defenses exist 10
she hsrbor OF Habana had come 70 the
attention of Secretary Long and this
s,ssemens from the authorised repre-
sentative of the Spanish goveroment
VAS felt to have been given due weight
10 the opinion expressed by the score
sary. l. was pointed oas by persons
besrine close relations TO she secretary
that the laognage used was "of6Ofal
participation" on she part Of the Spanish
government. This, it vas said. had no
bearing 90 the question of Spain's re-
spoosIbili.y. 1he 'soficial par,icipa-
ton" of Spain vas ope thing, while the
responsibility Of Spain. 10 case the
disaster proved to be Of external origin,
Was quite another thing. The score
ta,g's ssasemep. vas restricted, it Vas
exp laiaed. TO excuipa,iog Spain from
direct, ct6csl knowledge sod passic,ps-
TOP ia the affair. 10 case it vas shown
that the act was due 20 some fanatic or
person socoonec,ed With the govern.
mept. then the question Of Spsio's re-
spoosibility vould be eti!l open Mr.
Long was muob surprised that so much
attention had been given to his passing
allasioo.
ABIDE from .nls Incident the day
4.