The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-02
While the Dons Might Devote Their
Whole Attention to Raiding Our
Coast Cities and Shipping.
STORY IS NOT CONFIRMED
BUT REGARDED AS PLAUSIBLE BY
THOSE WHO KNOW SPANIARDS.
Efforts of Madrid JingOes to Provoke
War Against the United states
work on Our Ships.
,ecial to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-Some of the
friends of the administration were dis
quieted to-day by a report which found it's
way into circulation that the Spanish were
preparing to play this government for
delay until about the beginning of the rainy
season in Cuba, which sets in sixty days
hence. The Spanish plan, according to gos-
sip, will be to then inaugurate war against
the United States on the theory that they
will have three months to prey upon the
Atlantic seaboard cities and upon American
commerce. They argue, so it is said, that yell
low fever and other diseases fatal to un-
acclimated persons will protect Havana and
the rest of Cuba against invasion until the
middle of August. According to this pro-
gramme the United States will be Kept on
the defensive for three months, thus CIV
ing to Spain tremendous advantage. AS
part and parcel of this story it is stated
that Spain has decided to make this demon
stration in the manner indicated because
of a belief that If hostilities are delayed
until after the rainy season the United
States will set the ball rolling and have
the Spanish at a disadvantage. 1t is
claimed that the Spaniards received in
formation from Washington that it was the
purpose of the Mckinley administration to
bring about a climax in Cuban affairs on
or about the 1st of March, using as an ex-
cuse for so doing the correspondence called
for by Congress for information about Gu
ban conditions, which facts were ready 70
be transmitted by the President when the
wreck of the battle ship Maine occurred.
The disaster, it is explained, compelled the
President to change his programme entire
ly, and the delay which has been occasioned
by the inquiry into the cause of the explo-
sion makes it-undesirable, if not wholly i'm
practicable, to attempt the accomplishment
of large results before the 1st of May, as
originally contemplated. The foregoing
story has in it elements Of plausibility, and
finds many believers among those who are
acquainted with the ways of the Spaniards
and who believe that if the Madrid govern
ment is convinced that war is inevitable it
naturally would seize on a time for begin
ming a war when it would be to Spain's
best advantage
The statement made by Secretary Long
to-day that in his personal opinion "any
official participation by the Spanish govern
ment in the blowing up of the Maine was
practically eliminated" by no means car
ries with it the idea that Spain's RESPONSE
bility has been eliminated, provided the
court OF inquiry reports tndL the QlSaSter
came from the outside, whether by design
or by accident In that event Spain would
be held responsible for the wreckng of the
vessel and for the loss of life which
changed the disaster into a tragedy. This
is the settled opinion of the best author1-
ties on international law, who hold that the
government owning harbor would be re-
sponsible for any damage or injury done a
visiting vessel or crew, or both, by any
disaster that could have been prevented by
proper precautions. Therefore they hold
that in this instance Spain is responsible
for the Maine disaster in any event unless
it is shown to be due to an accident on
board the vessel. They say that If official
participation or connivance in the disaster
is shown in the destruction OF the Maine
il would be an act of war, and hostilities
would begin without further ado. 1t is this
phase of the matter and this phase only,
that Secretary Long says, in his judgment,
has been eliminated from the case.