Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-02
LESS TENSE
Noticeable Relief in Official Circles
Today.
COMMENT ON Mr.. LONGS REMARK
Contracts Awarded for Furnishing
ProjectiIes.
DEPARTMENT PERED

The tension over the Maine affair is no.
ticeably relieved in all official quarters to-
day. partly because of the absence of dis.
patches to the State or Navy Department
hearing on the subject, and also because
OF the conservatism inspired by Secretary
Longs utterance yesterday that the ele-
rent of Spanish participation in the dis
aster has been eliminated, in his judgment
Although the Navy Department had 40
reports from Havana or Key West. 4 dis
patch announcing the departure of the
cruiser Brooklyn from Santa Lucia FOR In
Guayra, Venezuela. had some indirect sig
nificance in further removing one of the
larger vessels Of the navy from what has
thus far been a common center of naval
activity, at Key West. The Brooklyn will
make a short stop at La Guayra. and will
then probably proceed further southwark.
Visitors to the White House today COM
mented freely on the remark of Secretary
Long yesterday that Spains ofIicia! par
ticipation in the Maine disaster was elm
mated. In the main, there was regret that
Secretary Long had said as much as this
but some had a feeling that what the Sec
retary had said was interpreted too freely
istration. Newspaper men and others who
Know the franknesS of Secretary Long in
nearly all matters relating to the govern
ment are willing to admit that what he
said was what is claimed, the opinion of
private citizen. The Secretary has never
been one of the cabinet members to a.
tempt to preserve a mysterious air when
asked for news of cabinet sessions AMI
pertaining to his department AS q ruls
the present cabiLet is frank in this way
but Mr.. Lorg is, as a rule exceedingly
frank.
anticipation and Responsibility.
Secretary Longs statement continues to
be the subject of general discussion. Per-
sons occupying the closest relations with
the Secretary said that the opinion ex-
pressed was such as any one might give
with the facts now at hand. 1t was not in
any sense 1t was explained a conclusion
drawn from Lew evidence, not made public
either from the court of inquiry or any
officer now concerned in the inquiry. Meth
er facts nor intimations have come from
such sources, it is said at the department,
which would serve as the basis for an
opinion.
The official declaration of Senior Du Bose,
the Spanish charge affaires, that no mines
or submarine defenses exist in the harbor
of Havana had come to the attention Of
Secretary Lorg, and this statement from
the authorized representative of the Span
ish government was felt to have been given
its due weight in The opinion expressed by
the Secretary. 1t was pointed out that the
language used was official participation ON
the part OF the Spanish government" This.
it. said, had bearing on the ques-
ton of Spains responsibility.
The Official participation" of Spain was
one thing, while the responsibility OF
Spain. in case the disaster proved to be OF
external origin, was quite another thing.
The Secretary's statement was restricted,
it. was explained. to exculpating Spain from
direct official knowledge and participation
in the affair. In case it was shown that
the act was due to some fanatic or person
unconnected with the government, then
the question of Spains responsibility would
be still open. Mr.. Long was much sur
prised that SO much attention had been
given to his passing allusion.
If Secretary Longs opinion represented
the administration the fact is not made
apparent in any official or semi-official an
ncuncement today. The President has not
talked on the subject to his callers and has
expressed no opinion upon the remark Of
Secretary Long. Since the Maine disaster
he has talked little except to his cabinet
advisers He has ignored the Havana and
Cuban question entirely in his intercourse
with many Of his best friends In Congress.
He can never be accused of being a talk
ative President He realizes the import
arce Of silence at time like the present
To talk with large number of congress-
men would be equivalent to putting in cir
cuiation a hundred more stories than have
already been sent out.
There is reason to believe that Secretary
Long will not be indirectly or directly
blamed by anybody connected with the ad-
ministration for what he said, for it has
really been the opinion of practically every
member of the cabinet since the Maine dis
aster was announced. Other cabinet men,
bers hold identically the same views, and
newspapers have printed that fact. Be-
cause they have not permitted themselves
to be quoted Is no reason that they do not
have these opinions.
Consular Reports ON Cuban Affairs.
Good authority today says that the Presi-
dent has too full a conception of the effect
Of sending to Congress the consular reports
on Cuba called for to change the plan an
nounced a week ago in The Star of holding
tutul pdCh Until aIIeT the report OF the
court of inquiry. These reports are ex-
pected to show condition of affairs so
startling as to again greatly stir the Amerl-
can people. 1t is claimed that the reports
will show that the island today has popu-
lation of little over 10000, against 1,9OO,-
600 at the outbreak Of the war, less than
three years ago. War, starvation and dis
ease have killed of 80 per cent Of the popu-
lation. The same reports. 1t is claimed,
will show to Congress and the country that
the insurgents control four-fifths of the ISL
and. Spanish authority being recognized
only In the seaport towns. The Spanish
army will be shown to be poorly equipped
and afraid to venture into the inland. The
reports will show that the commerce of the
United States is sustaining a loss Of $780,
900 a month as the result Of the condition
Of affairs. The death rate will be shown
to average 1000 a day.
Independent Of the Maine disaster and
the action which this country may take
for that, It Is claimed in conservative cir
cles that when the facts are presented Il,