The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-25
Line
OF STATES
FORGET THE MAINE
Plea That the ll-Fased Hulk May Pass
From American Minds.

From American Minds.
From the St. Paul Dispatch.l
For more han six Years the wreck
of the Maine has incumbered Havanass
harbor. Now a mar who has taken 4
contract with Cuban authorizes to re-
move The obstruction caused by the
presence of the remains OF the battle
ship first asks our government if it
has any objections. And it is said he
request creates an embarrassment In
the State, Navy, and other interested
departments. Why embarrassed: The
explanation given is that there is no
provision inrtEe law for abandoning a
lost vessel OF the navy, and, therefore,
nc assent can he given to abandon
rent.
we suspec: that This thin reason
masks another u the real cause OF
embarrassment. Il is very singular
m~inistratfon OF Cuba, when we were
cleaning cities. sewering them. in
forcing sanitary regulations, clearing
the harbop ot. its accumulated filth. no
attempt was made to remove the dan
gerous OF the Maine from the
path OF navigation. We recall, that.
after the explosion. and when u gov
eminent was employing divers to de-
termiue whether the explosion was in
ternal or external, on which would
hinge SPANS culpability. the request
OF Spain 10 assist in the examination
was declined. When William E. Chan
der, chairman of the claims commits
sion, created under the treaty to de-
what claims for damages arising
out of Spanish acts should be paid by
our government, he stated that before
the commission could act upon the
claims OF heirs of those lost on the
Maine IL would be necessary to raise
the wreck to ascertain. from the con-
explosion. But no attempt was made
to determine. that essential fact in dis
posing Of those claims.
This h~esitancy has given some
ground for suspecting that the explos-
ion was the result of c~arelessness of
some one on the Maine and that the
charge that it was caused by a Spanish
mine or torpedo was unfounded. How
ever that may be, ever IL the suSpi-
cion be well founded. it would 0 at
his day do more than to correct an
error of history. 1t would not restore
Cuba to Spain. not swerve by a hairs
breadth the course of events. There
would remain sufficient Justification
for the action of the United States
There is no cause for embarrassment
in the possible discovery that one of
the Names magazines blew up and de-
stroyed the ship.
Even if it would, we cannot see how
the remova OF the wreck is n con-
Germ of ours. Cuba has passed from
under our control, save as the matters
specified in the Plat s~tipulations.
Cuba is free and independent, mistress
of her harbors, and with sovereign
right to remove from them n OBJ
that hinde or endanger
commerce. To any objections our gov
eminent might interpose to remove
of the wreckage Cub might reply the
principles Of laches. We did moth
ing to reclaim the property while in
possession oft; we have asked no per
mission to recover it since evacuation.
far from recognizing the Maine as
save in sentiment. the navy
has officially acknowledged her de-
s]truction. Another Maine has taken
her place, the keel of which was laid
in the following year of her loss. Let
the wreck be rased. the truth estab-
lished. whatever it nay be, and the
old ship forgotten. even if e story
never can be.