The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-02

Washington, March 1.-The main in
terest of the day in connection with
the Maine inquiry centered in a state
ment by Secretary Long, following the
cabinet meeting, that in his personal
opinion any official participation by the
Spanish government in the blowing up
Of the Maine was now practically elm
mated from the situation. This state
ment was not of a formal or official
character, and was made by Mr.. Long
as he walked away from the White
House. AS usual, the various cabinet
officers We're besieged with inquiries as
to the questions before the meeting. and
in response to these opportunities the
secretary rather casually summed up
the situation in a few words, stating
that most of the time had been given
TO the outrages on colored postmaSters
in the south. Naturally, the Cuban sit
uation had been gone over, he said, but
there were no actual developments, and
he felt that public excitement over the
subject had materially abated. Then
he added the statement in the same
passing way that any participation by
the Spanish government in the blowing
up of the Maine was practically elm
mated, in his judgment.
WIDE CIRCULATION.
This last remark was speedily given
wide circulation, apart from the quiet
ing references which had accompanied
it. 1t Immediately started much COM
ment and discussion, and when Mr..
Long returned to the navy department
after lunch he found that what he had
intended to convey was being given
force of an official declaration that
Spain's responsibility for the disaster
had been eliminated. In order to make
clear his meaning, as a personal ex-
preston of opinion, Mr.. Long dictated
the following statement:
HIS STATEMENT.
1.-The main things we talked about in
cabinet were the outrages on the post
masters, one a white man in Georgia,
and one colored man in South Caro-
lima.
In regard to the Cuban situation, 1
said 1 thought things were growing
quieter every day. and as far as my
Judgment went, was inclined to think
that any official participation on the
part of the Spanish government in the
disaster was now practically elimi-
mated"
ALL HE WOULD SAY.
The foregoing conveyed all that Mr.
Long desired to say on the subject, and
this much was given only to Offset en-
larged versions of what he had said.
Persons occupying the closest relations
with the secretary said that the opin-
ion expressed was such as anyone
might give from the facts now at hand.
It was not in any sense, il was eX-
planned. a conclusion drawn from new
evidence not made public, either from
the court of inquiry or any officer now
concerned in the inquiry. Neither facts
nor intimationS have come from such
sources, it is said at the department,
which would serve as a basis of an
opinion.
The official declaration of Senior Du
Bosc, The Spanish charge d'affaires,
that no mines nor submarine defencss
exist in the harbor of Havana, had
come to the attention of Secretary
Long, and this statement from the au-
thorized representative of the Spanish
government was felt to have been given
its due weight in the opinion expressed
by the secretary
OFFICIAL PARTICIPATION"
1t was pointed out by persons bear
ing close relations with the secretary.
that the language used was official
participation" on the part of the Span
ish government. This, il was said, had
no bearing on the question of SPANS
responsibility. The official participa-
ton" of Spain was one thing, while the
responsibility OF Spain in case the dis
aster proved to be of external origin, (
was quite another thing. The secre- /
tary's statement was restricted, it was
explained, to exculpating Spain from
direct official knowledge and participa-
ton in the affair. In case IL was shown (
that the act was due to some fanatic /
or person not connected with the gov
eminent then the questior OF Spains (
responsibility would be still open.
Mr.. Long was much surprised that so