The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-29
The story of the Mnine.

The New York Herald of yesterday
| published startling story in the shape
of a confession made by an alleged for
/ mer officer of the Spanish esecret service,
! in which he asserts that he took part,
with others, in the destruction of the bat
tleship Maine in Havana Harbor under
direct but secret orders from Madrid The
confession IS consecutive. plausible, sem
sational, and may be true.
The Herald" thinks, however. that no
matter how clear a case may be
made out, the whole matter is one
which the Administration would regret
to see reopened. preferring to rest upon
the historical declaration OF Long. on the
authority of Sampson, that the response
bility Of Spain for tie destruction OF the
Maine has been finally eliminated from the
consideration
Indeed, we are not at all sure that a
great deal more is not known in the inner
official circle regarding the horror than
the public has ever guessed. When the
Maine blew Gpr-ths dominant element in
the Republican party was engaged in
desperate struggle TO save the Admins
tration from being compelled by popular
sentiment to intervene in Cuba The
strong influence referred to had been. up
TO that time, able 10 keep the Government
in alliance with Spain against the Gu
bans. had prevented recognition OF their
belligerency, and had secured a construc-
ton of our neutrality law which made 1t
very difficult to aid the reyolutionists,
while rendering 1t easy for Spain 10 buy
American coal of Republican leaders, and
to enjoy many other advantages through
methods well understood in Washington.
Senior Dupuy de LONE, at about the period
We mention. said with frank cynicism: Il
am not spending thirty thousand dollars
a month in Washington for nothing"
When the explosion came and the man
gled corpses Of our murdered sailors Ia
Havana Harbor appealed to heaven for
vengeance, the effort of the Administration
first. last, and all the time. was to show
that the crime was an accident \ naval
court of enquiry was organized to investi-
gate the matter, and it was presided over
by that department favorite. Sampson.
Everybody knows what the enquiry
amounted to. officially speaking. Nobody
knows what private information may have
been ignored in the report. The Admins
tration was painfully anxious TO avert war
in behalf OF vested interests of enc sort or
another. Sampson had successfully cham
pioned thd cause OF the black end brown
powder men. and there was no smolseless
powder with which to go 20 war. although
all other nations. including Spain. had
plenty OF II. Altogether. it was deemed
Necessary to minimize the incident as
much as possible.
War came, notwithstanding. with all its
great events-Dewey's victory at Manila.
Schley's at Santiago. the narrow escape OF
Sampson from being blown up by the tor
pedo-boat Porter. his terrible slaughter OF
the mule at Matanzas. and his Illegal as
signment to the command OF a fleet over
the heads Of officers superior in rank The
men behind the guns raked the Spaniards.
shouting. Remember the Maiuei" but the |
country gradually forgot 1t, and what the |
bottom truth of the dsstardly treachery |
may be, probably will never be known I'M
I'll the secret history OF the Navy Depart |
ment during the present Administration is /
written by some future historian.