Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-06
DESTRUCTION OF THE MAINE.
Convinced the Most Thoughtful That a.
Crisis Was Near at Hand.


The pronered expedicnt Of zones OF
cultivation proved illusory; indeed. no
less practical nor more delusive prom
iscs of succor could well have been ten
dered To the exhausted and destitute
people. stripped of all that made life
and home dear and hcrced in n strange
region among unsympathetic strangers
hardly less ncCessitOus than themselves.
By the end OF December the mortality
among them had frightfully increased.
Conservative estimates from Spanish
sources placed the deaths among these
distressed people at over 40 per cent.
from the. time General Weyler'S decree
of recommendation WAS enforced. With
the acuuieSenCc of tine Spanish authuTi-
ties a scheme was adopted for relief by
charitable contributions raised in this
country. and distributed under the di-
rectior of the consul general and the
several consuls and by noble and earn
est individual effort through the or
Eanfzcd agencies Of the American Red
cross. Thousands Of lives were thus
saved. hut many thousands more were
inaccessible to such forms of aid
The war continued on the old foot
ing. without comprehensive plan. dsvel-
opinE only the same spasmOdic cucuuu-
rers barren OF strategic result that had
marked the course of the earlier ten
years rebellion as well as the present
insurerction from its start No alter
native save exhaustion OF either COM
bataut and therewithal the practical
ruin Of the island. lay in sight. but how
far distant no one could venture 10 con
lecture.
Al this iurcture. on the 18th OF Feb
ruary last. occurred the destruction OF
the battleship Maine while riEhfully
lying in the harbor OF Havana on =
mission OF international courtesy ana
good villa catastrophe the suspicious
nature and horror of which stirred the
nations heart profoundly II Is a strik-
Ing evidence of the poise and sturdy
good sense Distinguishing our Hatona!
character that this shocking blow. rail-
ing upon a generous people already
deeply touched by preceding events in
Cuba. did not move them to an instant.
desperate resolve To tolerate no longer
the existence OF 4 condition of danger
and disorder at our doors that made
possible such a deed. by whomsoevcr
wrought. Yet the instinct of justice
prevailed and the nation anNiousiy
awaited the result OF the searching IL
yestiEation 81 once set on foot
The finding OF the naval board OF In
auiry established that the origin Of the
explosion v 5 external by submarine
mine and only halted through lack CT
r,oSitiVc testimony 10 fix the RESPONSE
bilitv Of its authorship All these things
,arrfed conviction to the most thought
fui-evcn bsfcre the finding Of the nav
nj court-that a crisis in our relations
with spain and toward Cuba was at
hand 80 strong was this belief that II
needed hut a brief executive suggestion
TO the congress To receive linli4euiate
answer to the duty OF making instant
provision for the possible and perhaps
speedily probable emergency OF war
and the uarkable-almOst unique
spectacle was presented OF a UNANIMOUS
vote 81 both houses on the 9Th OF March
appropriatine S5C.CC0.cC0 for the ma
1fora! defense and Tor Zach and every
purposes connected thertNi 18th. 70 be eX-
pended at the discretion OF the pTes'-
dent
That this act OF provision came none
$50 soon was disclosed when the appl-
cation OF the fund was undertaksn-