Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-26
Observation-Disclosures 20, 1895
THE MAINE REPORT.

The report of the board appointed to IN
vestigate the blowing up of the battleship
Maine in Habana harbor realizes in one
particular the anticipation of the Ameri-
can public. The board finds shat
the explosion was due to an, eXter-
nal agency. 1t does not, however,
essay TO fix the responsibility for
the disaster. Nor does it express
an opinion as to the character of
the explosive. although the testimony. we
are told goes TO show that ii powerful
submarine mine was employed, and the
belief is expressed that this agency was in
the nature of a floating submarine mine.
1t thus appears that the board mega
lively. at least, exonerates the Spanish
Government from completely in or fore
knowledge of the outrage, and fails TO con-
firm the outside testimony as to SPANS
guilt Secured" by sensational journals.
Therefore. as the case now stands, it
presents TO us the simple issue whether
we have ground for demanding from
Spain indemnity. 1t becomes dissociate1,
4or the nonce at least, from other issues
between this and the Madrid Government,
and If we shall decide that We would be
justified In making said demand, must
pass into the domain of diplomatic nego-
tiations. Again as to whether we would
be justified in pursuing such a course,
that will hinge upon whether or no the
known facts prove to our satisfaction
that the Spanish authorities did not eX-
efcise due diligence in contemplation of
international law in affording the Maine
protection.
Our expectation is that this government
Will conclude that Spain did not exercise
Que diligence in the premises. All the
facts and circumstances, We think, war
rant that conclusion. Hence it is not 10
be doubted that the indemnity demand
will be made. We cannot see how this
country could act otherwise. Indeed, we
do not believe that public sentiment
would brook anything short of that.
The next question is, What will be
Spain's response? Some days ago it was
cabled from Madrid, as an official or
semi official utterance that If the United
States demanded indemnity, Spain would
take refuge in the conclusion of her own
court, or commission, of enquiry and Ie-
fuse TO pay. This piece of news has been
repeated several times, but we attach
very little Importance to Spain's anticl-
patory attitude. Nations are not given
as much as men to paying bills before
they are presented, Stronger nations than
Spain have sworn on occasions that they
would not pay such claims, but finally
yielded under pressure. excited by self
interest the conscience Of the world, and
adjudication. Spain may agree, when she
finds that we are in earnest TO arrange
for settlement, or she may ask that the
matter be submitted to international ar
bitration-a request we could hardly re-
fuse to grant. If she decides to do neither,
and il shall be made clear that right and
justice are on our side, we should not
hesitate TO enforce our demand.
NO. 1t does not follow tina. the report
in itself brings us any nearer to war chan
we have been for some weeks. Indeed, II
may be that, seeing the Disadvantages
under which it places Spain. despite her
exoneration from official connection with
the disaster, II may have the effect of
placing us farther from war 1t may
cause her TO be more plant as regards
other complications growing out of the
Cuban Issue, and make for peace In the
end. We trust so, Notwithstanding the
undeniable fact that other phases OF the
situation would seem 10 make for war.