Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-03-03
is QUIETLY WAITING.
The Government Awaits The Con-
cIusiOn of The Inquiry.

nt aNattS Inc SOn-
cIusion of The Inquiry.
Washington. Feb. 27.-In spite of the
stories that come from unofficial
sources in Havana as to the sensation
al developments in connection with
the work of divers in the Names hull
the administration remains firm in it's
statement that there is no credible ey-
idence one way or the other as to the
cause Of the disaster and holds to its
purpose 10 await the conclusion of the
investigation now being made by the
court of inquiry. This position was
emphasized at the cabinet meeting.
People who looked for some startling
announcement We're disappointed, as
n members, without reservation,
frankly admitted that the subject Of
the loss of the Maine had been dis
cussed but the government had re-
ceived no Information from Havana
since Thursday and had no intention
of changing its policy until there was
something Of substance to warrant IT,.
The Spanish legation was equally in
the dark as to any of the discoveries
reported from sources that are not
cited, as was shown by the message
from Capt. Gen. Blanco.
Secretary Long has been under a
heavy and almost constant strain ever
since he was awakened in the middle
of the night a week ago last Tuesday
by the news Of the loss of the Maine,
and o that matters are, at least for
a time, in
a Qnieter state.
he has withdrawn from the navy de-
partment and gone away for a few
days rest, leaving Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt TO manage the department.
Just before the department closed he
had word of the sailing OF the cruiser
Montgomery from Tampa for Key
West. Up TO that time the vessel had
been given no orders. so that the date
of her departure for Havana, if she
is TO 90 at all, Is conjectural.
The Castine, the second of the Unit
ed States warships on the South At
lantic station, has arrived at Barba-
does, where she joined the Cincinnati.
III may be that the Castine will go to
Martinique to be dec'-ed as she is in
need of cleaning after her tropical
service.
Since so much depends upon the re-
port of the court of inquiry 1t may be
interesting TO note that so far as Sec
rotary Long himself does not know
when to expect this important docu
ment. UP to this time having heard
nothing from any of the members on
this point. He rather expected that
the court, which has complete power
to work on its own lines, would wind
up its work at Havana before leaving
so as to avoid the necessity for a re-
turn trip. One member OF the cabinet
had a
More Definite Opirion
on the subject, expecting the receipt
Of the report from the court about the
middle of next week. There is reason
to believe that in the meantime, and
TO too. for the reception of a
report, that would show the disaster to
be other than the result Of an acct
dent, some of the officials of the ad-
ministration had been looking up the
subject Of indemnities, so as to lay
the foundation of a case in the event
1t should be decided to resort to that
method OF settlement.
There are a large number of Drece-
dents which will aid the authorities in
shaping their action In this direction
IL the facts are fully established.
While none of the cases show the fear
full loss of life sustained by the Maine
explosion, yet they include many in
stances in which the United States has
adopted energetic measures to redress
tie killing of American citizens In for
eign countries. In a general way these
methods of redress have includes de-
mands for indemnity, proclamations
excluding the warships OF the Offend
ing nation from our harbors. display of
forces, non-intercourse, withdrawal of
our minister, reprisal and blockade.