The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-29
WHAT BOSTON EDITORS SAY.
Rests With Spain to Do What She Has
Been Tardy In.

Boston. March 2s-The Post says:
Spain is now upon the defensive. 1t
rests WITH her to take the step which
alone can save her honor. II q man IL
murdered anywhere within the pale of
civilization all the resources of the civil
authority are availed OF to discover. ar
rest and punish the murderer. Here are
the facts. showing that 266 officers and
men OF the navy of the United States,
representing the dignity end honor OF
this great republic, were assassinated in
the harbor of Havana. under the protec-
tion Of the Spanish authorities, and we
have yet to hear Of Spain taking the
initial step to apprehend the miscreants,
or to offer any reparation whatever for
the awful dcad. 1t rests with Spain to &C
at once what she has been too tardy in
setting out to do"
The Journal says: "It could have
been only submarine mine, the naval
court solemnly declares. which dealt
the Maine her first and fatal injury
1t must have been mine Of tremendous
power to rend through and through the
double steel plating of one of the strong
est warships in the world. No novice
could have planted an engine like that;
no mere adventurer could have con-
trolled and fired It. That mine must
have been laid by trained Spanish hands
1t must have come originally from the
arsenal OF the Spanish government.
These terrible weapons are not for sale
offhand. Only a few chosen agents
understand their fabrication and their
use; these are jealously guarded military
secrets, infinitely less likely to be be-
trayed to public knowledge than the de-
tails Of contemplated campaign or the
plans Of an important fortification. For
all practical effect Spain Is as dir actly,
Immediately responsible for the destruc-
tion of the Maine and the fearful murder
of her 26S brave men as if the names and
the rank of the unspeakable assassins
who wrought this satanic work were
b.. soned on the angry heavens"
The Advertiser has this TO say about
the presidents message I'm one re-
spect the report Is a surprise. and very
welcome one. too. That Is in disclosing
the fact that the Maine remained at
the same spot all the time and was not
removed to different position. by order
Of the harbor master Of Havana on the
day before the explosion. or at any other
time. The statement that the vessel
was so removed has been generally be-
lieved and has added not little to the
popular Indignation. or course, the
correction of that error does not at all
clear Spain from responsibility; but 1t
does and fairness requires the fact to
be made emphatic. remove one very seri-
GUS ground OF suspicion. The impress
sion conveyed by some preliminary an
nouncements. which were In substance
correct, that the court declares itself un-
able to fix the responsibility, will be bet
ter understood by paying attention to
the precise language"
The Globe makes itself Understood
with exceeding plainness in the follow
ing: The people appreciate the gravity
OF the complications which beset the ad-
ministratior. They understand that the
explosion OF mine under an American
battleship In Spanish harbor seriously
involves our relations with Spain. since
they know that submarine mine is not
a mere pocket explosive which any ir-
responsible fanatic could have manipu-
lated. On the contrary they realize that
such a mine necessarily is a thing OF
bulk. difficult to construct and to plant.
and that IL could not have been planted
and exploded in Havana harbor with
out either the deliberate conniyance or
the grossest negligence on the part of
the authorities charged with the pro-
lection Of our ship"