The San Francisco call., 1898-07-11
OUR UNTHANKED SEAMEN.

1 \ \ orable in itself and illustrious by its record in our history, the United States Senate shortly after the noble feat of Hobson and his brave crew of the Merrimac, adopted resolution ferring upon them the thanks of the nation. The resolution following the form usual in such acts of recognition to our heroes in war, purported to be the thanks of Congress- and therefore required adop ton by the House of Representatives It IS matter of amazement and indignation that the House ad- journed without acting upon the resolution, leaving the valor of the heroic deed unrecognzed and the heroes unthanked.
 The story comes from Washington that when an attempt made to have the Senate resolution ported to the House for action defeated largely through the influence of Daze of Pennsylvania, who about and warned the members that if the reso- lution were passed it would confer upon the seven seamen who shared Hobson's heroic deed the prvi- lege of the floor of the House for life. On that gument the resolution set aside A majority of the House concluded that 1t would be better to leave the brave without recognition than to give them such thanks as, in accordance with precedent would entte the enter the august chamber where Congressman hold their deliberations.
 It is difficult to believe that motive SO slight as the given could have moved any considerable number of intelligent American Representatives to refuse to Hobson and his companions recognition 
 of rewarding patriotic services in this country There is nothing in the person of brave such as those who sunk the Merrimac under Spanish forts that would contaminate the average Congressman, nothing that would polute hall habitualy used by suoh@men those who have refused the recognition. Moreover the seven men will be most of their lives at sea- They are not to be hanging around the Cap itol It is doubtful if any of them would ever make the use of the privilege of the floor more than once and then only to enjoy the honor conferred on him by the country which he loves and in whose cause he had distinguished himself in host of brave
 
 The whole thing seems to have been another illus raton of that extraordinary social influence exerted in Washington against every attempt at the advance ment promotion of seamen in the navy. It is strange fact that enlisted man young appren- tce seaman has better chance for preferment and honor in the aristocratc navy of monarchical Eng land than in The whole of our system of oficering the navy seems in need of reconstruction from top to bottom, and the accomplishment of that reform at this time would be good way of giving thanks to Hobson and his men without in any way exposing Congressmen to the danger of having to admit seaman to the floor of the House.
 General Miles seems inclined to think that all the land fighting thus far has been done by the regular army Friends of the dead volunteers, of course make a merely civilian estimate, but they are not ready to accept this view.
 Belief is expressed in quarters that the Span sh will not get back any of their islands, and that they will be required to pay indemnity besides. But what with? They couldn't so much as find an indorser for their note.
 One writer remarks that Spain and the United States separated by unathomable gap. He might have called attention to the danger that Spain may fall into the gap.
 A Spaniard at Salinas, maddened by the of the defeat at Santiago, ran amuck, and had to be violently restrained He deserves a place in the Madrid Ministry
 Cubans, it is said, must prove their fitness before they will be permitted to govern themselves Strictly adhered to, this will defer their independence about 100 years.
 There is doubt that the Spanish admiral who still has ship will every effort to be Canlara ob- scurer than Watson will permit him to be.