The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1898-03-01
Is Now the Question President
Mckinley Would Like
TO Settle the Trouble on a Money
Basis.

which the administration is now
wrestling, although most of its menu
bers believe the people would answer
the latter half the question with a sul-
len roar in the negative.
| The President would like to settle
| The Maine disaster on a money basis,
but majority of his cabinet oppose
the proposition. Gage and Bliss
alone agree with Mr.. Mckinley in
looking at the situation from a SOM
mercial standpoint. Long, Alger,
Gary and Wilson are for war. Griggs
is on the fence. John Sherman rays
an indemnity will be sufficient unless
! it can be positively sworn that Spain
had guilty knowledge of the crime
committed in Havana harbor.
Mark Hanna is in. New York tell
ing Wall street that there will be no
war. He comedies the guiltIof Spain,
but says the affair will be settled by
he payment of a money indemnity E.
President Mckinley is not satisf ID
with the result Of the canvass he
caused to be made Of the members Of
Congress on the question of accepting
money indemnity in settlement Of
he damage caused by the destruction
of the Maine and the loss of lie re-
sUlting therefrom Outside of tie Re-
publican leaders the members OF the
lover house are almost Unanimous in
saying that the Maine matter, il con-
siiered as a commercial @question,
would cause even greater popular in
dignstion than grew out Of the de-
struction of the vessel. Some of the
more conservative members say that a
money indemnity might be regarded
as adequate if Spain should prove
cOnclusively that the act was that of
private individuals andTshould pro-
duce and punish the culprite.
Many members of the House be-
liege when it is shown by the report
of the board of inquiry that the de-
etruCtion of the Maine was the work
Of assessing, the country will be salts
fed with nothing less Ethan war, no
mater what the President and Con-
gress may attempt to do in the direc.
ton OF 8 pesceable arrangement.
Then there is another, factor to be
considered in discussing the POSSIBLE
itV-Of an amicable settlement. If the
Madrid government should be con-
WINGED that the explosion was not the
result of an accident, it might be will
ing enough to make any sort of repair
alton with every show of humility,
but 1t would probably be prevented
from doing 80 by the state of public
feeling in Spain, among whose people
practically no attention is shown to
the doctrines of justice and propriety.
Little doubt lie entertained in Con-
gress that the destruction of the Maine
was the work of Weylerites, and was
aimed as much at Sagasta and Blsnco
as at the United States. But this does
not make the Spanish government
any the less responsible for the horri-
BILE affair.
Secretary Gage called on the Presi-
dent Saturday and represented to him
that the business interests of the
country are very much opposed to q
war with Spain or any other govern
ment at this time. The capitalists and
business men who wish to reach the
President on the subject seem to have
selected Secretary Gage as their rep
resentative. He is naturally in touch
with the financial interests all over
the country, and therefore qualified to
speak for them. Mr.. Gage is very
much disturbed by the fact that Ger. 1
tain newspapers are publishing the
exact truth concerning the Cuban sit
uation. He has even gone so far as
to say that most of the men who are
for the war talk in the
would skulk to the rear
the moment hostilities should begin. 1t
is probable that the Secretary made
this remark under the influence OF
excitement.
Mr.. Gage made powerful argu-
ment at the White House Saturday
in favor of accepting a mohey indem-
nifty from Spain instead of resorting |
10 arms. hear upon trustworthy |
however, that Presiden t
is strongly inclined to aban- |