The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-03-18
DESIRES TOAVERT WAR
Government Hopes to Avoid q
Conflict With Spain.
VIEWS OF A CABINET OFFICER.

DipIornatists Doing Their Best to Patch
Up the Officially, but the Overt Act of
an Individual May Precipitate HostiIt.
ties.
WASHINGTON. March 12.-[Special. i
from a member of the cabinet get a very
srnment toward Spain. Sin the first
place., " said this member of President Mo
Kinley s official household, neither Spain
nor the United States wants war. We
know here in Washington that it Is our
desire to avert war, and we have strong
assurances from the other side that they
do not want war. 1t looked to the country
when Spain suggested to US that we should
recall General Lee and that the use of our
naval vessels in forwarding supplies to
starving Cubans could not be tolerated as
If Spain really wanted to provoke US into
hostilities. But no such view is warranted
by the facts. The purpose of Spain, as we
now understand it, was only to make a
sort of feint at US to ascertain how much
we would stand, how much nerve we had,
how much willingness to fight there was
bn our part. They made their play, and
they found out. They found the Ameri-
Cdu pSOpl6 uUlb6u anu 6uUuuSidSUiC Ill sup
port of their government. They found that
we had ships in plenty and lots of money
with which to buy mere. They found that
we could put big fleets and great armies in
to the field.
snow, it must be remembered that 1t
is the business of diplomatists to gain all
the advantage they can for their govern
ments without making war;" continued
thic ,,opoh how Of Tho oahinof tTn thic fhou
are exceedingly artful. They play the
whole thing as if it were a game of chess.
They feint and bluff and do everything
they can to get ahead of their opponents.
But they never come to blows till all other
means of settling the trouble are exhaust
ed. Every month the world has friction
between nations. The game of diplomacy
is going on all the time. Every few weeks
you read in the newspapers that war is i'm
minent between such and such countries;
the worlds peace is to be broken at last.
But somehow the war never comes. The
agile diplomats fix it up in the end, some
times one way and sometimes another.
They are clever, but they do manage to
keep the word in a stew.
War May Come.
Snow, remember, I do not say war is
impossible between Spain and the United
States. That there is friction every n
can see. That there are hazardous and
delicate questions to be settled between
them every one understands. Where there
Is friction, especially in a case where the
people on one side have grown to hate
those On the other, as is the fact between
Spain and the United States, the danger is
increased. The real hazard of war between
Al TI-:4ol Cx~+o- -.l C--s. s. .-r 3D.
ment, is not to be found in the intention
or possible action of either of the govern
mepts. I believe either government will
make concessions and readjustments be-
fore it will go to war. In this game of
diplomacy the United States has a tremen-
dous advantage. This is true simply be-
cause we are the stronger nation. We could
whip Spain in 60 days, and Spain knows
it. The Spanish have all the troubles they
can bear. Their cup of misery is about
full. They lack money and prosperity and
almost everything save pride. Therefore I
say as long as the diplomats are permitted
to play the game by themselves they will
keep the peace, and the United States will
continue to get the best of it.
eff wal comes, continued the cabinet
officer, sit will probably come as the re-
suit of some overt act on the part of indi-
vidual citizens of Spain or of this country.
Some officer will fire a shot or take ad-
vantage of an opening to make trouble,
knowing very well that if be is anywhere
near right his country will stand by him,
or another disaster like that of the Maine
or something similar to it might occur. If
not this, a mob in Madrid might attack
our legation and injure the person of Gen
eral Woodford. Mob violence might break
out in Havana. To some of these causes,
to something that will start the fires of
passion and hatred into a fierce flame, the
members of our government look for war
rather han to any direct act Of the Span
ish nation or of our own.
The Verdict on the Maine Disaster.
cat the same time it is true some i'm
portant questions remain to be settled be-
tween the two countries. In a day or two
now we hope to have the report of the
court of inquiry that has been Investigate
ing the Maine disaster. We have absolute
~ no knowledge as to the cause of that
disaster or as to what the verdict of the
court is going to be. But we assume, for
sake of argument, that it is going to hold
Spain responsible. She may be response
BILE in one of several ways-frst, by the
OIIO "a hS4 " IN wv
ond, this may not be susceptible of proof,
and yet it be demonstrated that the ship
was blown up by causes which Spain could
have prevented by due diligence. I know
the president has carefully considered all
these alternatives, and has made up his
mind as to what he will do in any emer-
gency.
"Tbe principle that will control the
presidents action is that If Spain Is re-
sponsible she must meet her responsibility
promptly, according to the circumstances.
The president will demand an indemnify
of from S., 600, 900 to $50, 00O, 600, the
amount to be determined by the degree of
responsibility. If there is doubt as to any
negligence on the part of Spain, or If the
verdict is of the guilty but not proved or
der, the amount asked may be only $5,-
600, 900, which would include, say, 3d.
500, 900 for the ship and 81, 500, 900 for the
loss of life. But if SPANS negligence is
established, then the amount will probably
be $40, 600, 600 or more, and in case of b
crime clearly proved, especially if that
crime shall turn out to have been commit
ted by persons in the naval or military
service of Spain, then the amount ma,
run as high as $40, 600, 900 or $25, 100000
"What will Spain do when our demand
Is presented to herr That is the question
which remains to be settled. For u part,