Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-25
Monday, January rs, 1909.
-
The Wreck of the Maine Again.

In his firal report as to conditions IN
Cuba, Governor Magoon has many
good things to say of the progress made
en- the island in recent years, the res
toration of order, the establishment OF
industries, the extension Of the school
system, the sanitation of the leading
cities, the excellent discipline and ex-
emplary conduct of the American
troops and the suspicious circumstan-
ces under which the Cubans attempt
once more the work of self government.
All this is pleasing and satisfactory,
but in his report Governor Magoon
mentions one matter about which Am
orleans will read with quite different
feelings.
It Is nothing new which he discusses.
being nothing less than an earnest rec
ommendation that our government take
Immediate steps to remove the wreck OF
the battleship Maine from Havana har-
Dor. 1t is now almost II years since
the eventful night when this battleship
was sunk, and many pleas have been
made and many plans proposed for the
removal of the battered hulk which
still encloses the bodies Of GO American
seamen, or what is left of them. The
arguments used by Governor Magoon
are not new but he repeats them with
earnestness and emphasis. He de-
cIares that the wreck is not only
menace to shipping in the harbor. but
that it's location has resulted in the
gradual forming of a shoal which
threatens to close completely the en-
trance to the harbor. Dredging viii be
necessary in the near future to afford
safe channel and proper anchorage
for shipping in the harbor.
This oe itself is abundant reason why
the WRECK, should be removed. and there
is still greater reason, even though
1t be q sentimental one, in the pres
cnce of those 60 bodies in the wreck,
abandoned and forgotten by the gov
eminent in whose service they died.
Governor Magoon continues as follows.
ana 1t is much to be hoped that his APP
neal will result in immediate and de-
cisive action by the authorities at
Washinston:
"Thousands of Americans and other
-
ally enter the harbor OF Havana and
probably not one omits to express re-
grct and censure for the dcplorable
spectacle. 1t has become a national
reproacl. and an International scandal
The neglect to remove the wreck is at
tributed by many, especially the large
Spanish contingent in Cuba, to the fear
that it's removal will disclose the fall
lacy of the popular belief that the
Maine was destroyed by Il torpedo or
mine instead of an interior explosion;
SO generally does this opinion prevail
that believe the Cuban Government
was deferred thereby from dealing with
the wreck as an obstruction to naviga-
lion of it's coastal waters and destroy
ing it; however, it should be added that
the Cuban authorities were also re-
strained by a belief that the United
States would sometime desire to at
tempt to remove it. and preserve the
wreck as whole instead of breaking
1t up and removing it In the more in
expensive manner.
THE correspondence on file in the
Department of State and the Navy De-
partment at Washington shows that a
belief prevails in those departments
shat 1t is necessary to secure, by a
treaty or otherwise, the consent Of the
Republic of Cuba to the authorities of
the United states entering the harbor
of Havana and proceeding with the
work of removal: this permission. if
necessary. can be easily secured, and
the Cuban Government would gladly
afford assistance in it's power to az
complish the desired result not only
because of the Injury to the harboT
facilities but also because of the
prompting of patriotism and sentiment.
] earnestly recommend that the United
States Government take Immediate
steps to accomplish the removal with
out further delay"