The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-08
UNCLE SAM COLLECTING RELICS

The National Museum is about to
send special agents to Porto Rico, Cuba,
and the Philippines for the purpose Of
making collections illustrative of the
recent war and of the present phase of
American history 1t is a lamentable
fact that the government possesses
scarcely any memorials of its past mill
tary struggles, and, save for the Grant
relics contributed by W. H. Wander
bllt, the rebellion is practically unrep-
resented in the great national reposi-
tory of curiosities. Such souvenirs are
100 apt to find their way into the hands
OF private persons, just as the bell of
the battleship Maine is said to have
passed into the possession of a foreign
consul at Havana, and this sort of
thing is what is happening now.
Uncle Sam is very DESTROYS of secur-
ing, before it is too late, a collection of
memorials of the Hispano-American
conflict that will possess great historical
interest in days TO come. 1t is realized
| that Just at present this country is
passing through an epoch of its de-
Veiopment which will be regarded here
after as most notable, and the period
ought to be illustrated as completely
as possible by a permanent exhibit in
the National Museum. This exhibit will
ing the native peoples of the Philip
pines Cuba and Porto Rico. The Philip
pines, of course, are specially rich in
such material, being one of the least
known regions of the world. Many of
the tribes in the archipelago have never
seen white man.
In Porto Rico objects will be gathered
such as will suitably present the pic
ture of the primitive arts of the people.
n IF
great numbers of heirlooms, which
have been handed down in families for
hundreds of years, and these things are
often or nigh value as curiosities. Shut
on on an island as they have always
been, the Porto Ricans are exceedingly
primitive in some ways and have ad-
Vanced along lines peculiar to them
selves. They have made their own ma
chinefy, their own arms and their own
household utensils Examples of these
objects must be obtained before thew
disappear with the coming influx of
American civilization and Yankee i'm
provements.
The same remarks may be made with
regard to Cuba. AS for the Philippines.
one thing that will be done soon is TO
get to work with divers in Manila Bay.
IN this way a thousand and one things
or future historical interest will he re-
covered from the Spanish wrecks. which
lie IN shallow water, where it is easy
enough to get at the contents. The navy
department would have the first right
IN these premises, but it will certainly
40 what it can to assist the purpose OF
the National Museum. Special requests
Wlli De addressed to Dewey, Schley and
Sampson for personal souvenirs Of
themselves; likewise Hobson. Things
are wanted that will illustrate the VIC
tories of the Yanko- Spanko war and
the men who won them. Objects of this
KIND will possess an increasing interest
as time goes on.
The various appliances used by the
Sisnal service of the army will be in
cluded in this exhibit; also, an effort
VIII De made to secure some of the an
paratus used by Hobson in his attempt
to cork the Santiago bottle. There will
De OBJECTS of interest from Cervera' s
tieet, and the Inflated Maine will not
pc forgotten. Everything that will
stand as a memorial of the battles OF
the recent war will be specially priced
as, Tor example, swords, pistols, ma
chlne guns. munitions of all sorts,
shclls and cannon injured or burst. The
| typical weapons of the present date win
be shown. Then, in the ethnologic dis
play, there will be included the print
tive arms and equipments of Filipinos
and Cubans. There will be a model of
the harbor of Santiago, with Simpsons
meet lying In wait outside. and the
doomed ships of the Spanish SQUADRON
hiding inside behind the formidable
batteries
Philadelphia Inquirer.