The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-03-01

turn trip. one melnDeT u lHC S"oiAs
had
More Definite Opinion
on the subject, expecting the recelpt
IF tho renort from the court about the
middle of next week. There IS reason
to believe that in the meantime, ana
To prepare. too. for the reception OF
renort. that would show the disaster 10
he other than the result OF an accl-
don't some Of the officials OF the au-
ministration had been looking up the
subject of indemnities, so as 10 lay
The foundation of case III the event
it should be decided to resort " 'h'''
method of settlement.
There are large number OF prece
dents which will aid the authorltles III
Shapiny their action in TINS ulrec.ion
if the facts are fully eStaDllsneu'
While none of the cases show the lea1-
ful loss of life sustained by the Milne
explosion. yet they include many III
stances in which the United STATES mas
adonted energetic measures TO reureSS
ITO killing of American citizens III TOT
oion countries. In a general way these
methods of redress have included ue-
mands for indemnity, proclamatlons
excluding the warships of the oHend-
ing nation from our harbors, display OIL
forces. non-intercourSe, Withdrawal OF
orr minister, reprisal ana Dlockaue.
some of these steps border very close
ly on war, although they are regarded
as the movements just preliminary TO
actual hostlities, and as amounting TO
threats that force will follow if repair
alton is not made.
st. Paul, March New York Her.
AIDS special cable to the Pioneer Press
says:
Eager as is the waiting public for
definite announcement of the con-
illusions reached by the naval court OF
inquiry into the Maine disaster, 1t may
as well be stated now that the sus-
penSe which pervades the entire couh-
try, and, indeed, the whole civilized
world, must be endured PROBABLY Tor
several weeks longer.
The president and cabinet may, per-
haps. be made cogniZant of the courts
conclusions at a somewhat earlier date,
but its findings may not be made pup
lie before the latter part of March, and
announcement may be delayed even
later, To-day marks the end of the
first weeks sessions of the court. New
er in the history of similar proceedings
have such precautions been taken TO
guard the facts from public scrutiny,
Never have officers remained more
consistently reticent under the orders
of their chief. Nevertheless, your cor
respondent has passed many hours
aboard the AIangroYe during the week
and is in a position to give an accurate
synopsis of the situation os it is 70
day. The first and most obvious con
clusion is that already stated namely,
that the COURTS report must not be eX-
pected soon. The second and most i'm
portant conclusion, one which many
conservative observers have REACHED,
is that with the end of the first weeks
work the probability is
More Remote Than Ever
that the court can ever attribute the
Maine disaster to accident and interi-
or causes. The weeks work has hard
ly been one that makes for peace.
Just in proportion as that fact has be-
come palmer in the light of testimony
taken the evident purpose of the court
of inquiry to make haste slowly has
forced itself upon those who have
watched its course. Had it been posi-
BILE early in the investigation, with
reasonable certainty, to say that the
Maine calamity was misfortune only
and not crime the continued sup
preston of that conclusion would have
served the interests neither of the
United States nor Spain.
On the contrary, had the facts tend
ed to show an accidental origin of the
explosion, all peace-loving sober
minded people would have rejoiced to
see even partially lifted the dark cloud
that now menaces both nations, and
the conservative press of America
would have welcomed an opportunity
to relax the dangerous tension that
now prevails. 1t was in the hope of
such early assurance that the cor
respondent watched the first weeks
proceedings of the court. That hope
has almost vanished. The testimony
thus far adduced points overwhelming
~ to an opposite conclusion. That is
why the government is moving SO de-
liberately. The navy department needs
the time and will make good use of it.
dissatisfied With Dryers.
It has been Dersistently rumored
that the naval court is not wholly sat
isfied with the work done or the report
made by the divers up to the present
time. | am inclined to believe SONS
such feeling existed, and that it is
partially responsible for the naval
courts contemplated return to Havana
In time to observe the work of the
more efficient Wrecking apparatus
now en- route from New York,
Martin Riordan, hitherto attached to
the feet. has been returned to Key
West in deep disgrace and will proba..
bly, be court martialed. The crime of
which he stands accused is no less than
that Of pilfering from sea chests OF
the dead soldiers and appropriating to
himself various things of value, which
if was his duty to bring TO the surface