Omaha daily bee., 1898-03-26
IN THE HANDS or THE PRESIDENT.

IN THE HANDS or THE PRESIDENT.
The report Of the naval board of in.
quiry Is In the hands of President Nc
Knley, whose first action in regard to
1t will be to communicate Its conclusion
to the Spanish government. 1t Is ex-
pectcd that early next week, perhaps on
Monday, the report will be transmitted
to congress and the country be made
acquainted with the findings Of the
board. Assuming that the conclusion
of the board is that an outside explosion
caused the disaster to the Maine, which
1t seems safe to do in view of the
secrecy that has been observed in re.
spect to the findings. the statement to
the Spanish government may be ac-
companicd by a demand for reparaton
and indemnity, though 1t Is not certain
this will be done. The president may
simply communicate the conclusion of
the board and give Spain an opportunity
to indicate how it is disposed to treat
the matter. In any event 1t is probable
that the Spanish government will ask
for the testimony and in that case con-
siderable time might be consumed in
diplomatic communications between the
governments. OF course If a de-
mand for reparation Is made the
Spanish government must be allowed a
reasonable time to examine the matter,
If that government desires it. Spain
may, however, fatty refuse to entertain
claim for damages. In that event it
would be hardly possible to avert a
rupture.
The great care taken to keep the con-
clusion of the naval board from the pub
lie fully warrants the Inference that 1t
ascribes the disaster to an external
agency. 1t is not at all likely that were
It otherwise the public would have been
kept in suspense. 1t Is not improbable
also, that the findings are of a nature
to justify this government in demand
ing reparation and indemnity, for while
it is not to be supposed that Spain is
charged with direct responsibility there
may be facts and circumstances dis
closed upon which the United States may
justly base claim for damages. In
deed, there is no longer reason to doubt
that the naval board has decided that
the disaster to the Maine was due to an
external agency and there is room for
conjecture only as to the opinion Of the
board in regard to the responsibility for
that agency.
Meanwhile there are the strongest pos
sible indications of a feeling at Wash
ington that n crisis in the relations of
the United States and Spain is near ut
hand. The new assignments of naval
the movements of war YES
sells, the examination with view to
purchase of merchant craft that can be
made available in case of war, the in
creasing activity at the navy yards and
the call upon the naval militia of New
York and Massachusetts for immediate
service, are circumstances that attest
most anxious feeling at Washington, if
not the belief that war is inevitable and
imminent. 1t is still said to be the pur-
pose OF President Mckinley to avert war
if possible and it is not to be doubted
that such is his sincere desire, but events
may force the crisis in spite of all he
can do. With u menacing flotilla of
Spanish torpedo boats on the way to
Porto iico, the Maine disaster shown
to be due to an outside explosion and the
tens Of thousands of starving people in
Cuba appealing for help the president
may be unable to much longer hold the
war-making power in check. There is
little reason to doubt that a majority in
congress are ready, at the slightest inti-
nation from the executive, to declare
war. But they may at any time take
action that will precpitate war, regard
less Of the wishes of the president