The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1910-06-16
Spanish Yankee War
Plot Of Republicans

l0sssSss sssssOO UUSs
Plot Of Republicans
Indianapolis, June Tin discussing
Representative William Suffers rea-
son for raising the battleship Maine
from Havana harbor, ex-Congressman
John E. Lamb today related CONVEX
sation that took place between him.
81, the late Speaker Thomas B. Reed
and Amos j. Cummings of New Yorl
at Palm Beach, Fla, prio to the
Spanish-American war. Lamb and
Reed were friends.
Lamb says they were talking of the
probability of war with Spain when
he expressed the opinion that after
the Maine was blown up by the Span
iards nothing could have averted a
conflict. Reed with sarcasm asked
Lamb If anyone in Indiana believed
the Spaniards blew up the Maine.
Reed then openly asserted, according
to Lamb, that the board of inquiry
that investigated the explosion knew
1t was caused from within the battle
ship and that the Spaniards had noh.
ing to do with it. He charged that
not only Admiral Sampson, but Presi-
dent Mckinley knew the cause of the
explosion was internal.
Lamb relates that Reed said that
on the Saturday before congress met
in special session and declared war,
he was called to the White House by
President Mckinley and shown a mes
sage granting SPANS request for arbi-
trtaion.
"'On the Sunday following he con-
tinued. Mark Hanna, Stephen P. Elk
ins and others went to the White
House and persuaded the president
that If he sent that message in on
Monday the Republicans would lose
the fall election and perhaps the con-
troll of the house of representatives,
with the result that the message
which l saw was destroyed, and the
next day at noon the message from
the president was received by con-
gress, which made the declaration of
war;"
"Mr. Reed" said Lamb, spoke
with great emphasis and did not sug-
gest that the conversation should
regarded as confidential but did sar
that the time had not yet come to
talk. l never repeated except to a
few close friends, what he had said
until now"
Ex-Cong. Lamb is confidential and
all that, but he has sprung a sensa-
ton just at the time when the Maine
affair is before the people. Reed,
Hanna. Mckinley and Sampson are
all dead, and tell no tales. But there
are living ones who were on the
board of inquiry. Also this may be
the cause of the wreck oil the Maine
being allowed to lay in Havana har-
Dor for II years, until the Spanish
War Veteran camps, bv re 'olutions
to their respective congressman, had
the legislation enacted. and the rails
ing of the Maine is now going on.
This Is enough to ca Use investiga-
ton. They did investigate the
Brownsville affair, and IL is deplorable
that this was the outcome of the
greed and selfishness of the Rcpub-
lican party. Wien arbitration, which
was refused, might have produced the
present result, as far as Cuba is con-
cerned. This Is the reason for Samp-
sons political advantage over S?hley,
and probably the cause of bis prema-
ture gray hairs and decrepituds be-
fore death. Admitting that the war
has made mary of our famous men Of
to-day land they are a credit to their
country, and to the WORT dat large)
and who placed the flag of the United
States where the sun verer sets on
1t, gave freedom to people who were
struggling under the yoke OF oppres.
sion, and set the American people be-
fore tn eworld as its foremost advo.
Gates Of universe al peace. which shall
prevail. But 1t were better that Cuba
was not yet fr,s and American terri
toryl unextended, her record since '76
uns' ained, rather than have the Span
ish-American war the outcome of a
plot of political bosses, perpetrated by
mercenary fiends and assassins.
Mr.. FRANK SCOTT.