Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-06

promises Of succor could well have been
rendered to the exhausted and destitute
people, stripped Of all that made life and
home dear and herded In a strange region
among unsympathetic strangers. hardly less
necessitous than themselves.
BY the end Of December the mortality
| among them had frightfully increased. Con-
servative estimates from Spanish sources
placed the deaths among these distressed
people at over 40 per cent from the time
! General Weylers decree of RECOMMENDATION
| was enforced. With the acquiescence Of
| tho Spanish authorities a scheme was
adopted for relief by charitable contriLu-
tlons raised In this country and distributed
| under the direction OF the consul general
| and the several consuls by noble and earnest
| individual effort through the organized
! agencies of the American Red Cross. Thou
sands Of lives were thus saved, but many
thousands more were inaccessible to such
forms Of aid.
The war continued on the old footing
| without comprehensive plan, developing
only the same spasmodic encounters, bar
| rem Of strategic result. that had marked the
course Of the earlier ten years rebellion, as
we'll as the present insurrection from Its
start. No alternative save physical ex-
hauston Of either combatant, and there
in sight, but how far distant no one could
venture to conjecture.
Destruction of the Maine.
At this juncture, on the 18th Of February
last, occurred the destruction OF the battle
ship Maine while rightfully lying In the
harbor Of Havana on a mission of inter-
national courtesy and good villa catastro-
phe the suspicious nature and horror Of
! lxayht oh att rAA thA
foundly. 1t Is striking evidence Of tho
poise and sturdy good sense distinguishing
our national character that this shocking
blow. falling upon a generous people. al
ready deeply touched by preceding events
| in Cuba, did not move them to an instant,
desperate resolve to tolerate no longer the
existence OF a condition of danger and dis
, order at our doors that made possible such
deed by whomsoever wrought. Yet the
instinct Of justice prevailed and the nation
| anxi0usly awaited the result Of the search
Ing investigation at once set on foot The
finding of the naval board OF inquiry es-
| tablished that the origin OF the explosion
was externsl, by a submarine mine and
| only halted through lack OF positive testi-
mony to fix the responsibility OF its author
| ship.
All those things carried conviction to the
"
the naval court. that crisis In our rela-
tions with Spain and toward Cuba was at
hand. So strong was this belief that It
| needed but brief executive suggestion to
the congress to receive immediate answer
| 10 the duty Of making instant provision for
the possible and perhaps speedily probable
emergency Of war. and the remarkable and
almost unique spectacle was presented of
a unanimous vote OF both houses on the
| 9th Of March, appropriating $50. 900, ,00t "for
the national defense. and for each and every
purpose connected Herewith. to be expended
at the discretion Of the president"
Preparations for War.
That this act Of provision came none too
soon was disclosed when the application OF
the fund was undertaken. Our forts we're
practically undefended. Our navy needed
large provision for increased ammunition
and supplies. and even numbers. to cope
with any sudden attack from the navy Of
Spain. which comprised modern vessels Of
the highest type Of continental perfection
Our army also required enlargement q men
and munitions. Tia details Of W. hurried