The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-08-24
Il HAPPY ENDING.

government, ana Spaln was Helu ac-
countable for the disaster. This in
eident brought on more abruptly a
contest which was 10 be waged, and
no amount of juggling could have
avoided it. 1t was terrible piece
of treachery. The common murderer
and incendiary pales in complete in
significance when a comparison is
made. In fact, it made the civilized
world stand aghast in horror. 1t
brought to the support of America
the moral aid of Anglo-Saxon blood,
because principle was at stake.
They were desirous of knowing if a
war ship, on a friendly mission to a
government with which it was at
place, could be blown into atoms and
that outrage go unpunished.
While it is doubtful if the destruc-
ton of the Maine was accomplished
by Spaniards having any great au-
thority, yet Americans are prone to
judge the whole Spanish race by the
act of man, or men, worse than
criminals. The various reports from
Spanish provinces served to clothe
that opinion substantially, and "rob-
ber" and F'murderer" were, in the
minds of the many, synonyms for
Spanish character. That these un-
fortunate colonies have been mis-
ruled and badly governed is evident.
That the Spanish were unfortunate in
having as subjects in many of these
colonies, lecherohs, villainous set,
totally incapable of fself-government,
ignorant, treacherCus, opposed to
governmental restraint, is now very
we'll known. The incidents of the
military manouvers OF Manila and Of
Santiago clinch the above statement
as an absolute fact. However, there
were greater principles at stake than
the interests of the native population
of the islands, and no doubt the high
and noble intentions of our grand,
free government may tend to en-
tighten these warning rebel bands,
and influence them to respect and
support a government whose very
name is known from pole TO pole,
from ocean to ocean and from one
continent to the other, as the noblest
inspiration of liberty, and whose
mission has been to crown honest
effort with the reward that it de-
serves; q country that has whispered
freedom to its young subjects as they
battled against the mother country; !;
that released the shackles from the
ankles of the slave; that has done
noble things in the worlds history
that will ever remain as the guiding
star of every liberty glowing human
being.
Yet Spain has noble men. We
refer our readers to the action of
Admiral Cervera towards our heroes.
Since his detainment in America,
Americans by the thousands have
praised his noble action and humane
principles. But Spain has MEN, not
IN the higher ranks. We will call
attention to the letter of a Spanish
private, which appeared in these
columns yesterday, and which has
became a document of this govern
ment, to remain as one pleasant
memory of hard, well-fought con-
test. That private, representing
1900 Spanish soldiers, poured forth
his soul in language that would lave
graced the grandest king on his
throne, in his endeavor to thank the
American soldiers, and our govern
mens, for the excellent treatment
accorded, both sick and well of the
vanquishel. No doubt this was a
revelation to the average Spanish
soldier who had been kept in ignor-
ance, but there is one man of them
who had the courage and manliness
to come forth, representing his