The San Francisco call., 1898-03-31
THE INCIDENT" OF THE MAINE.

the tribute of national grief withers under a o tropic Within sound of the signal guns of Spain, beneath the very shadow of her flag, the bones of the gallant Maine sink daily deeper into the slime of Havana harbor. Yet Americans are told that the wrecking of this ship incident 7 They do not accept the verdict. They know 1t was treachery without parallel; wholesale murder without pretext. They resent the imputation that any na- tion-least of all that nation whose history is made up of broken pledges of rapne of brutality unspeak- l able-shall be able thus to add chapter to its infamy and go unpunished and unrebuked.
 It the diabolic destruction of the Maine which infamed the United States with wrath SO righteous to be almost holy Ii the that this craft had been sent to the bottom of friendly harbor it had visited a mission of peace which caused Congress to make appropriation for war and the country to applaud Congress But have the statesmen at Washington forgotten the Maine? Do they longer remember that the sailor lads sent to death represented the dignity of a great people3 There is talk of free Cuba and we have 1t borne in upon by every message from the Capitol that the passing of the Maine was incident. v This IS unnatural and monstrous conclusion. The passing of the Maine tragedy, appeal to patriotism a call to arms. The truth cannot be yelled by the talk of Cubas wrongs, however great | and grievous these wrongs may be-
 
 Armenia but did not interfere For years the dition of affairs in Cuba has been known and de plored, but the United States could find excuse for intervention such the comity of nations would have upheld. It for the Cubans work out their own salvation But the Maine was destroyed, and at once and mighty factor was brought into the situation. The honor of America had been trailed Ill the mre, and, inexplicable may the fact, 1t is trailed in the mre still. While an investigation conducted with care and dignity has established truth the suspicion of Spains guilt the verdict is thrown aside of moment and the tones of Sen atoral eloquence quiver and quaver with tears for wretched Cuba. Why not oratory on behalf of the land which built the Maine and sent her proudly forth bearing its colors?
 If Cuba is freed it will be as punishment for specific wrong-the wanton killing of American citi- zens If the and stripes fly above Moro Castle it will be because the power cenered there betrayed a sacred If Spain be driven from the West the last colonies wrested away, the act must be ascribed to outburst of the latent barbarism of Castile cu minatng in the slaughter of innocent and free-born men. Such is the charge of America against Spain. No effort of diplomacy, no cunnngly contrived speech, no expressions of sympathy make for get it. It is impossible to understand why any one should wish to make forget it, except Spain, ubi lant at having had the privilege of blowing up lot or anKeeS ana now the pr1Vliege O1 approving the verdict or setting it aside.
 We believe in the most complete reparation for the loss of the Maine We would have the Spanish for this crime banished from the Western Hemisphere, just any other criminal is sent into exile But the of retribution should be marked throughout with the utmost franlness Let it be known to Spain and to the world that American honor injured and magned, finds balm in gold, virtue in prom ises and deprives Spain of her possessions not for gan for the sake of the Cubans not on general plea for humanity, but in token that Americans in Spanish territory, with the American flag waving them, not to be butchered The Maine will float more, but many brave ship still carries the colors she bore It is in memory of the Maine, 1t is for the of the navy the honor of American cti zenship the safety of Americans everywhere that the people now look to Washington for action quick, de- cisive, final. Cuba may benefit but Cuba is the 'in- cident"