davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-02-28
Spain's Responsibility

From the Army and Navy Journal
The possibility of the loss of the Maine
having been brought about by other
causes than accident has set afioaJ spec
ulation as To the responsibility of Spain
in the premises 1t has been asserted by
gentlemen skilled in International law
that unless the explosion can be shown To
have been caused by the agents of the
Spanish government, that nation cannot
be held responsible for the injury suf-
fered.
Fortunately for our state of civilization
there Is no precedent of a public vessel
of war having been designedly blown up
in time of peace while visiting foreign
harbor. In all of the discussions so far
published upon this subject the principle
underlying the responsibility of a nation
for the safety of public vessel of war
visiting its waters seems to have been
lost sight of.
1t is a principle of iuternatioua law
that a ship of war admitted to foreign
port is accorded the privilege of extra
territoriaHty. While ordinarily this con
sists simply of immunity from local ju-
ristliction, yet by reason of the prirci-
pies underlying the privilege of extra-ter-
ritoriality such vessel of war is entitled
to the same immunity and inviolability
which surrounds the person OF an am
bassador and his hotel. 1t becomes.
therefore. the duty of the authorities re-
sponsible for the government of the har-
Dor visited by a foreign public vessel TO
use due diligence that such vessel is not
injured by any violence OF the inhabitants
or by any hidden means of injury known
to such government such as Subma riue
mines, torpedoes or other concealed
means of defense. And this duty Is uten-
sited to the highest degree when the fact
is taken into consideration that foreign
public vessels of war being subject to the
port regulations, must anchor where di-
rected by the local authorities.
1t is well-establiShed fact that Il gov
ernment is liable for damages done TO
alien residents of country by a mob
which by due diligence il could have re-
pressed, Italy not long ago was iudemni-
fled by the United States for the injury
done To her citizens by mob in New Or
leans. In 1853 the Congress of the United
States acceded TO the demand of Spain
for the indemnity for losses sustained by
the consul OF Spain and other persons
residing at New Orleans or at Key West
in the year 1851, by the violence of in
dividuals arising out of the intelligence
then recently received at those places Of
the execution of certain persons at Ha
Vana, in Cuba, by the Spanish authorities
of that island.
Should it be established that the Maine
was blown up either through design or
want of due diligence on the part of the
authorities at Havana. Spains response
bility is complete, and justiiies the United
States in resorting to drastic measures
OF redress.
The times., 1898-02-28
Ioryism and Ponce.

Therr is something sublime in the at
rtude Of the Tory press in regard To
our relations with Spain. Their sc"rn for
Jineo papers which have the wretch
ed taste To publish unpalatable truths
about things is beautiful Ia behold.
They take their pay for treason against
the people from foreign legation or
the agents Of the Spanish-Cuban bond
holders with scarcely a show of sec
recy. and never a touch of shame
The Tory press do not want war and
viii not allow that such thing is
possible on could be justified on any
ground whatever They shut their eyes
and ears firmly. and affect not to know
that the massacre in Havana harbor
MAS in Itself a declaration and an act
of war, and that ever since that hor-
liblc crime we have been at war with
The power which perpetrated it,
The Tory press sbudder at the
thought of hostilities against Spain,
The times., 1898-02-28
Mines in Havana Harhor.

Senor Juan Du Bose. charge daft
faires of Spain, having assured MI.
Mckinley that there are not and have
never been any mines or torpedoes at
the anchorage ground in Havana har-
Dor. we are soIemnly told that the as
surance in question must be accepted
by the President and everybody else as
conclusive Of the fact.
But why must the word Of Senor Du
Bose be treated as gospel? What is
the reason Mr.. Mckinley or another is
not al liberty to dtsbelieve everything
h. says? IN fact. We do not see any
other course open. Two weeks before
the massacre. The Times warned the
Administration that there were sub
marine mines to which the Maine was
exposed, and more than six months
earlier. Senor DUpuy De Lone boasted
that he harbor had been made i'm
pr-snable with them. There never
has been the slightest reason to doubt
Tho fact. and ii the intelligence office
of The navy was not informed Of il. a
terrible responsibility rests upon the
shoulders Of some one. But we do not
doubt that the truth was known in the
department since il certainly WAS ON
board of the doomed ship
II we had not taken it for granted
that Capt. Siasbee would send divers
down and daily examine the bottom
under his vessel. We would have made.
d great deal more stir about The mat
Ter than we did. 1t now seems that
he was not allowed 10 do this. being
prohibited from Washington from do
ing anything calculated to make the
Sraniards think that he suspected their
good faith. Whoever is responsible for
that course Of conduct is partly re
sponsibIe for the death roll. Not To
allow The Names commander 10 take
every precautiun possible, whether the
same should please our Spanish allies
or not. was TO invite the disaster and
H. render its advent certain.
NOW. let us inquire under Rhcse aus
pieces it was that capt Sirsbee WAS
cruelty aud mmderously ordered not to
make any examination Of his anchorage
ground There is statement current
thai il was done AT the dictation of a
certain Senator, 1t is to he hoped
that the Court of Inquiry wiII not for
gel this matter among others that it
has 60 consider; because il really is i'm
pertant to know the name of the per
sonagr A no regarded one Of the finest
ships in our navy and the lives of all
in it as If very small account COM
pared with the risk Of giving the least
The times., 1898-02-28
A New England View of 1t.

lFrom the Hartford Courant)
We remark, first that there are two
stories about Bakers fitness for the post
mastership. According to the only Lake
City protest which We have seen. ne was
impolite TO women did not sort the mails
promptly or properly, overlooked letters
in some cases anywhere from "A week to
a month handed out letters to the wrong
persons, issued money orders without col
lecting the fee, delivered registered letters
without taking the receipt sold fifty ,
cnt stamps for half dollar, etc On the
other hand. the South Carolina member
of the Republican national committee Mr..
Webster, of Charleston, describes him as
an intelligent. sober, steady man, of some
education, respected by whites and ne
groes alike; and an Inspector, sent to
Lake City to investigate, reported to the
department that he was every way quail
fled and of good character. Last week an
other inspector advised the abolition Of
the Lake city postofiice. If the depart
ment had acted at once upon the recon-
mendation, Baker and his baby would al
most certainly have been alive today. 1t
was not the negro man. but the negro
postmaster who was unpopular and in
danger. We NorthernerS are in no pO-
sition 10 indulge IN Phariseeism I'm how
many Connecticut, Massa chusetts, Penn
sylvania Ohio, Kansas towns would the
advent of a negro postmaster be wei
coined?
The times., 1898-02-28

greatest action. He will add the ships
to the shore and harbor defenses.
But. say our naval folk, the Yankee
will fool the Spaniard. He will not go
into the harbor after him to be blown up
like the Maine. or to break his teeth on
the shore batteries. The Yankee fleet will
lie off and ON outside the harbor beyond
the mines ana the shore guns and only
attack the Spaniard should he attempt
to come out.
Pending this blockade, however, the
Americans will be throwing a land force
into cuba. not a days march from Hav-
ana. That is where our militia viii have
a chance to smell powder. This Rand
force Will not eat up much time either
in its mobilization or in its trausporta,-
ton to the scene of war The United
States could in a week land an overpow-
ing force in Cuba. Our naval people say
this land force will first attack Havana
from the rear and that the fleet wilt fol
low the land force in time of attack
They say that the whole Spanish
strength. caught thus between the Amer
lean army and navy. can be cracked like
a nut. and with but little American loss
The fighting might take three days. Our
officers, you see, have forecasted it all
They declare. too. that the above is the
sober plan OF campaign as today held by
the highest American military power.
According to our hopeful naval folk
Mckinley and Long knew that the Span
iards sunk the Maine within six hours
after she went down; that Sigsbee told
them so; that they knew there would be
war ever since, and have been, and are
getting ready.
These men of carnage also assert that
the war will be over and won by May
To- that it will be confined to Havana
and vicinity, and that Spain and the
United States proper will only hear of it
by wire. At the close of hostilities Cuba
will be free but. being as we are. under
the thumb of the Rothschilds and the
tribe of money, we will insist that Cuba
provide, by a new issue of bonds or in
some sort for her proportionate share of
the Spanish debt say 500 O0O. Oo0. Cuba,
through Gomez, will object to this. and
we may yet have to conquer that stub
born island ourselves to make her ac-
cept -
The times., 1898-02-28
Catholics Do Not Approve.

To the Editor Of The Times:
The words cited in the daily press Of
yesterday as having issued from the
mouth of a certain Father Weber. OF
Rondout. y. Y, have / am sure. filed
the heart of every American Catholic
with righteous indignation. They are not.
they must not be. regarded as the ex-
preston of the Catholic clergy. who. /
feel safe in saving repudiate them
throughout the length and breadth Of
this land. ! am confident that if said
priest has been correctly cited. and the
matter is brought to the attention OF
the ecclesiastical authorities satisfaction
will he given 10 the outraged feelings or
every American Catholic on this CONT
nent. If our country * endangered every
Catholic citizen will he ready TO stand
by the flag for the cause OF truth jus
tice and patriotism. We do not want
war. but il it comes Catholics Will stand
up in defense of their flag. whether the
foe be so-called Catholic Spain or Mo-
hammedau Turkey.
CHARLES WARREN CI-RRIER
Roman Catholic Priest
Washington Feb. 20. 1898.
The times., 1898-02-28
INSURANCE RATES AND WAR.
A Slight Advance in London, hut
No Change Here.


New York Feb. PA cablegram was
received at the Maritime Exchange yes
terday announcing that Lloyds under
writer's in London had written several
war risks on Spanish vessels bound for
Cuba at a slightly increased rate.
The news had no effect on the rate
here. which was quoted as normal yes
terday.
Anton a. Raven. president of the At
No. 81 Wall street. said:
The contingency of war we should as
sumo at a rate of 1 per cent on sailing
vessels. and about Ia of l per cent on
steamships. We have 50 informed in
quirers. In the event Of declaration of
war of course, this rate would be ad-
yanced at once. probably as high as 10
per cent or more, as the Spaniards
would undoubtedly prey upon our COM
merce as our most vital point. In fact.
they have already threatened us with
privateers in case of war. according to
reports that have been published.
The rate during the civil war on war
risks ran as high as p per cent. and in
that war the privateers We're much less
in number than Spain could put on the
seas if privateering were allowed.
IN case of war there would no doubt
be a regular market from day 10 day
based upon information in regard 10 the
location of Spanish ships along the
coast
Mr. Stewart. of Stewart & Parker
member Of the Maritime Exchange, said ::
The fact that the L.loyds underwrit-
ers are writing war risks does not in
dicate that they believe there is going
to be a war between Spain and the United
States On the contrary. marine iusur-
ance men generally do not believe there
will be a war. But they Will insure al
most anything that depends upon any
contingency. For instance. they actually
wrote risks against William J. Bryans
election and they have insured a man
against the birth of twins.
THE risks that have been written are
possibly bets. Say. for instance. / would
bet you so much that a Spanish vessel
leaving Spain for Cuba two weeks hence
would be intercepted by an American
cruiser The rates are so low that they
do not indicate that there is much belief
abroad that there will be a war
The times., 1898-02-28

the citizens of the town got up a pc
titiou some time ago. asking the Post
Office Department To remove Baker, and
charged that he was utterly incompe-
tent and unfit for the position This,
IF course may have been So But there
is one very queer thing about these po-
litical appointments. Whenever col
oIed men have been suggested for po-
sitions requiring the high qualifications
Of a postmaster, anywhere in the South,
il has been found that they were not
qualified for the place. and could not
perform their duties property. The
same men. failing to receive positions
al home, sometimes have been put into
the departments at Washington. or
have made their living in semi-profes-
sonM work elsewhere. and commando
fair salaries. When colored man gets
into the Treasury Department, or the
Postoffice Department. or the Land
Office here, he has To pass a civil serE--
ice examination. and hold his place by
doing the work; and he occasionally
rises To position Of considerable re-
snCnsibility. The same man might go
back home. to Georgia. or Alabama, or
South Carolina. and undertake to run
- small one- horse postofiice with an in
come of something like 500 a year, and
the chances are that things would be
said about his "incumpetency" within a
month, If ne happened to have saved
a few hundred dollars out of his salary
in Washington. and did not want To
continue as postmaster. and bought a
barbershop as good investment. it
would not make any difference whether
he ever personally touched razor or
not: The next time he was suggested
for an office he would be dubbed a bar
Der in all the local papers. AS a mat
ter of fact, when colored men do get
into the departments here. it is a rare
thing for one to be charged with any
sort Of incompetency; but the whole
South does not seem TO produce any
colored men who are capable of holding
postofIice in a small town. They can
run businesses Of their own. and make
money: they can establish banks, and
teach schools but when it comes to 4
postoftice there seems to be something
sacred about il. 1t Is very curious.
1 The honor Of the community is 50
bound up in its postofice that an in
/ competent postmaster is a wretch who
1 deserves to suffer capital punishment,
and his wife and family with him, as in
4 the present instance.
OF course. this shocking affair is not
To be laid at the door Of the better
! class of people in Lake City and vi
cinity. Mobs are irresponsible things,
and when inspired by whisky, can
not always be controlled. But there is
/ one very curious thing about mob;
/ it seldom goes contrary TO the general
opinion Of the community. There is
/ always something in the tone OF pub
! lie sentiment which starts a mob. just
! as a horse viii run if the man on his
4 back is scared. And the behavior Of
1 this particular mob does not, to say
I the least, go to prove the inherent gen
I tleneSs and civilization Of the white
man. II it proves anything, it proves
I that no class Of people on earth is fit
10 be trusted with irresponsible power
over another class. 1t may be COM
Portable for the people who are on
top but it brutalizes them in the end.
about as badly as it does the men un-
/ der them.
The times., 1898-02-28
The Rnltrr Affair

The deep-rooted dislike with which
negro officials are regarded in The
South has eliminated in the mobbing
If Frazier Baker, postmaster at Lake
city. ;. G. Baker and his tcn-munths-
old baby were shot and their bodies
burned while his wife and remaining
children escaped with serious injury.
IL took a hundred white men to come
in the night and do this courageous
thing and il looks as If the entire law
preserving force Of the town would be
insufficient 10 find out who they were
No one Is more indignant over the out
rage than the people Of South Caro-
lima. IN addition 10 the natural feeling
Of horror with which such an occur
renee inspires anyone Of ordinary hu-
manity, they know that the affair viii
bring reproach upon their State as
u hole. Ia extenuation il is urged that
The times., 1898-02-28
kring 4 hem Homo.

We are glad to note the fact that
Capt Siesbce has informed the Navy
Department that the bodies Of the
Maine sailors murdered in Havana har-
Dor may be removed to America. and
that Secretary Long has ordered that
this BE- done
Tn Secretary should 90 step
further, and arrange To have every one
of the bodies now Inferred in the GEM
ctery at Havana taken up and trans
1egred 10 this country. As The Times
had the honor 70 observe len days ago,
nof one victim Of thai ghastly Span
ish holocaust should be- laid To- rest IN
Spanish SOIL
Never mind The expense. bring The
heroes home.
The times., 1898-02-28
Nnt a Cash Mnttcr.
-rronl lie chi.ago rrjhune. )

=
Spain may conclude now that its act
was 'impoliJic," ana it may be anxious to
apologize and pay an indemnity for the
vessel and the men who have been mur-
dered If this country were to consent to
such a settlement il would become the
mocsery and the by-word OF all the civ
iIized nations They would sneer at the
Yankees. who were willing to condone
any insult ana outrage for dollars The
people Of the Emitted States would become
loathsom" in their own eyes if their gov
cIumcnt were to accept money as com
pensatiom Tor The lives that have been
taken. and call everything square.
The times., 1898-02-28
Abuse of Justice.

jFrlm the N0TloN PiioI-I
The esteemed Washington Times errs
in saying that we can <tiH congratulate
ourselves, while in France a citizen, for
simply telling the truth, Is sent 10 prison
for a year and fined, this is impossible in
this country as yet Our Judges claim %
have the authoritF under the common
law powers in eases of alleged contempt
of court to fine and imprison whoever
publishes the truth against the wishes Of
the courts. The power has been exercised
The editor in contempt is not allowed
any defense or explanation. nor allowed
10 prove what he said or published Is
true. American Government il a. fun OF
foul tyranny IS any other i'm the hands
of petty tyrauts-
The times., 1898-02-28
THE COIRr-MARTIAI FINISHED.
I.icut. Commander Adams, Under
Restraint, Awaits His Fate.

san Diego, Cal. Feb. - The court
martial Of Lieut.. Commander Charles
Adams. executive officer Of the coast de-
fcnsc ship Monterey, is finished, and the
findings have been sent TO Washington.
Adams who is 4 very popular and able
officer. was acting captain about three
weeks ago, it is alleged. and was so in
discreet as to take too many cocktails
When capt. Clark returned from shore
Adams met him at the gangway and there
was a scene. Adams was ordered under
arrest. aud h. viii remain under re
str:unt until MS fate is decided at WASH
ingt0n
About -four months ago at Portland,
ore Adams, it is said became intoxicat-
ed when IL first reported for duty on
board he Monterey.
The times., 1898-02-28
Preparations. l.


Nr0m the IhiC1g0 iribuncl
The way to avoid war is TO be ready for
war. and the way to be ready for war is
to be ready at the earliest possible time.
The way to accomplish this is not by
dawdling and boasting ana talking hut
by action, prompt, ShIrp and decisive.
Congress has talked about Spain FOR two
years; now let it do something and give
notice 10 our great ana good friend,
the Spanish Don, that the war v,th Cuba
must cease. If that notice involves war
between the United States and Spain.
then the United States must he ready,
and the way TO be ready is 10 get ready
now.
The times., 1898-02-28
German 4IiIIiouaire>.

From the Chicago Record
Wealth is gradually being accumulated
in Germany in measure unsirramed of
before the war of 1S7u-7l. ard the next
big census of 1870 may snow some sur
prising facts Rut the smaller local cen
sus just taken unmIstakabIy Indicates
many things Thus. for instance. this
years number IF miIlionJir..s in Berlin
alone is 2,092- OF threefoid millienaires
there are a. The weIl-hies,J man in Ber-
800 marks.
The times., 1898-02-28
TO THE TORIES

"BreatheS there the man with soul 50 dead
Who never TO himself hath said.
This is my own, my native land.
II such there breathe. go mark him well;
For him no Minstrel raptureS swell;
High though his titles. proud his name,
BoundleSS his wealth as wish can claim;
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentrated all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown.
And. douhly dying shall 90 down
To the vile dust. from whence he sprung.
unwept unhonor'd. and unSung.
The times., 1898-02-28
l'rOSIeriIY.

U'rym the Cincinnati Enquirer
'I heard YOU said the friend. when
YOU made that statement that there were
25.JJ1 men working today who y,rc idle
under Democratic Administration Was
not that u bit of bluff?
Not Bit" said the states nan They
are "dt hustlinS for Office"
The times., 1898-02-28

tfrom the 81. Louis Post ni,patch.)
just as Mark Hanna expressed his firm
belief in The accident theory the accident
theory is blown up. II is a good rule for
a deputy President to say nothing
The times., 1898-02-28

Representative McCleary Of Minnesota
is Of Canadian birth. a Republican in
politics and an extreme soldbug. Yet
he is reported as justifying Spain
in blowing up the Maine and in massa-
crine her crew This golden politician,
if correctly quoted, ought to be assisted
back to Canada without delay.
The times., 1898-02-28

when peace may be maintained through
a four hundred million dollar bond deal.
But they smile in SNUG contentment
while the other sharks and yultures are
feeding on the bodies of our heroic dead
in the dark waters under the guns of
Moro Castle.
Some day the American people will
get tired of tolerating the Tory press.
We are not certain that they are not
tired now
The times., 1898-02-28

Now there is a story afloat that the
De LONE letter only became public
through deliberate plan of the Spanish
government to hasten the crisis with this
country. 1t failed Then the Maine was
blown up. We have not got mad enough
to fight yet But the crisis must be
brought on in some way. and our Spanish
friends are exceedingly fertile in re-
sources Of a certain kind.