Final answer:
The difference in coverage of the USS Maine incident between the New York Times and publications like the New York Journal or the New York World would revolve around the level of sensationalism and speculation, with the Times likely providing more measured reporting due to adhering to higher journalistic standards than those engaged in yellow journalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The articles in the New York Times concerning the USS Maine incident would likely have been less sensationalized and more measured compared to those in the New York Journal or the New York World, given the latter two's engagement in yellow journalism. This form of journalism, utilized by publishers like William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, aimed to increase circulation with sensational headlines and stories, often exaggerating or speculating on facts. In contrast, the New York Times, although not entirely free from bias, tended to uphold more stringent journalistic standards that evolved following the Civil War.
When the USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor in 1898, yellow journalism publications jumped at the opportunity to blame Spain and sensationalized the event as an act of Spanish aggression to rally the American public towards war, despite the lack of conclusive evidence. Such coverage resulted in the battle cry, "Remember the Maine!", which became a rallying point for the Spanish-American War. On the other hand, newspapers that adhered to higher journalistic standards, like the New York Times, might have been more cautious in their reporting, focusing on the known facts rather than indulging in provocative speculation.