The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-02-19
Spanish Insult to the Stars and
Stripes.

In the New York Journal recenlyl
Richard Harding Davis, the novelist
and special representative of the afore.
named paper in Cuba, publishes over
his own signature startling piece of
intelligence concerning the modes of
Spanish warfare that will stir the in
dignation of every American up to
the highest tension of forbearance.
Three Cuban women, young and
comedy, passengers on an American
vessel bound to the United States, were
forcibly seized by Spanish detectives,
stripped and carefully searched for
supposed papers or contraband goods
of value to the cause of Cuba Libre.
Mr.. Davis tells the facts with his us
ual directness and precision and I'M
mercifully scores the cowardly Cap
tain and the powers ut Washington for
allowing such an insult to the Stars
and Stripes. a resolution has been in
PRODUCED in Congress calling upon the
Secretary of State for all letters and
information concerning this and other
criminal acts of Spain. Mr.. Davis is
one of the brightest journalists in the
country, and has sent several accounts
of Spanish acts of brutality to his pa
per. He says if our government
will not go personally and investigate
it should believe or act on the exper-
fence of trustworthy persons, who at
the risk of their lives, alave gone to
Cuba and witnessed the events that
have been chronicled This last is
the most gross and insulting outrage
that has been committed and reflects
upon the proud distinction and repu-
tation of the United States. The Jour
nal in an editorial commenting on the
affair says:
'All over the United States Ameri-
can blood boils with indignation at the
account of the Spanish insults to wom-
en- on an American vessel. 1t has
seemed that the murder and torture of
Cubans by Weyler and his troops
Were not able to arouse resentment in
this country; it has seemed that the
wanton destruction of property in
Cuba could only awaken mild pro-
test, and friends Of liberty had begun
TO fear that nothing whatever could
attract our attention from the absorb
ing pursuit of wealth. But. after all,
there is some manhood left in Ameri-
cans, for everywhere they have been
Infatuated as they have not been infu-
rated in many years by the news that
women, in what should have been the
sanctuary ofan American vessel, have
teen seized by Spaniards, stripped and
otherwise exposed to insult
Congress could do nothing more gen
orally and earnestly desired than
promptly to call upon Secretary Olnev
for any information that he has in re-
gard TO this matter. He doubtless has
full information, for the scene of the
outrage was a United States mail
steamer
The Spanish Minister defended the
Captain of the ship who permitted the
outrage, and said that Spain had the
right to, under international law, to
strip men or women TO the skin even on
an American vessel and search them.
In this regard the Journal says:
1.-THE Spanish Minister evidently
knows as much of international law as
of human nature in the United States.
As matter of fact, international law.
gives Spain no right of search. That
right becomes a nations only when
state of war has been officially de-
clared TO exist. In that case either of
the belligerents is authorized to stop
and inspect vessels flying a neutral
flag But Spain has more than once
solemnly denied that war exists be-
tween herself and Cuba, and has,
Cleveland, prevented us from
according belligerent rights 10 Cuba.
This, being so, peace prevails in Span
ish waters, and Spain has no more right
to send her rutflans aboard of an
vessel TO go through its con-
tents like burglars and its crew and
passengers like highwaymen, than
England has, or China"
And in the meantime the people
wonder what will happen next.