The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-13
THE MORAL COURAGE OF 1T.

The raising of the wreck OF the bat
tleship Maine, which has lain thirteen
wears in Havana harbor. is now ap-
proac hing the most interesting stage.
The engineering officers Of the army
who built the cofferdam about the
out So as 10 expose what is left of the
ship, expressed no doubts as to the sue,
cess of their efforts in completely cy
posing the wreck. The collier Leonidas
has started for Havana harbor to bring
back the mainmast of the lost battle
ship, and perhaps some Of the bodies
that may be recovered. 1t is stated
that the remains Of the sailors who went
down in the wreck. and that will be re
covered on the unwatcring OF the ship,
will be taken to tho National GENE
tery at Arlington for burial. This
raises the question as 10 the disposal Of
Inc bodies of those who were recovered
Immediately following the destruction
of The vessel. Those bodies were buried
IN The military cemetery on the Island
of Key West. 1t is suggested by the
New York Commercial. and we think
that the sentiment of the country will
agree that the suggestion should be
carried out. that those buried in this
Key West cemetery should be taken
also 10 Arlington cemetery and buried
heslde their comrades in that National
receptacle for the bodies of patriots.
Every reason will dictate that both
groups should finally be buried TO
geihcr and we suppose that there is no
doubt but that Congress will, ON being
reminded Of this omission. order that
the bodies now buried az Key West
shall also be taken TO Arlington for
burial with those of The others who
perished al the same time 4 memorial
VIII be erected over these bodies in
The Arlington cemetery, which will tell
Of the explosion and the manner of
their death The majnmast Of the
wrecked ship will be the monument
over the graves Of the victims. Those
who are buried in Key West cemetery
deserve equally with those who NAV
be now buried under that memorial. TO
res, under that malDmasL monument.
With regards 10 tbe expectation tina
the exposure of the wreck will ahso-
luteiy determine the cause Of the de.
struclion Of the vessel, whether by ey.
plosion from within or without, we see
that Doubts are being expressed i'm
some of The papers whether the expos
urc Of The wreckage will, in fact, alb
solutely determine this question. Ad
miraI Melville, in his article in the
North American Review. to which we
have referred heretofore, is clearly Of
the opinion chat, if the explosion was
from without. il can be determined
without any uncertainty. but If from
within. there might be moro or less un-
certainty as 10 precisely how the dis
aster was caused.
The work done aud progressing in
the way Of raising the wreckagc Of
the noble old ship is gratifying TO all
Americans. This success is q high
tribute To the ingenuity and practical
JbtliN Dl lH' Ndi l''Hfitii'hi 'uS
neers who have this work in charge
and Of the practical value of the work.
But when 1t is stated. as the New
York Tribune states, that the work of
raising the ship "is above all a vindi-
cation Of the good faith and moral
courage Of tho American government
and people, we beg to demur 10 the
suggestion that the American govern.
mcnt and the American people have,
al any time, shown any disposition TO
shun the Investigation and complete
explanation Of he wreck. The sole
fault has been with our shifiy. polit-
ical. cvasine Congresses. Successive
Congresses have put off the appropria
ton of money for this work, lust AZ
they put off tho appropriation Of money
20 carry out Indian treaties, and have
Involved the country in scandalous aud
costly Indian wars in consequence: lust
rs successive Congresses refuse term
after term to appropriate money that is
justly due TO claimants against the
government Congress, considered in