Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-17
BATTLESH|P MAINE
RELICS NEGLECTED
IN CITY OF HAVANA

The following editorial from the Ha
vana Daily Post, telling the story Of
the neglect of the Maine relics present.
ed to Cuba by the United States, will
interest patriotic Americans:
Some four years ago the United
States government completed the task
Of raising the battleship Maine from
Havana harbor. Most of the sacred
relics of the ship that caused the birth
of the Cuban nation were lowed out
to sea and given an official funeral.
Wagonloads of beautiful flowers float
ed above the last resting place as the
old ship settled down to it's bed in the
ocean. Two nations dipped their flags
in honor.
| From the old ship there were saved
! from burial two sets of relics to help
perpetuate its memory. One was taken
to Washington, and in the Arlington
Cemetery there was used In the erec-
ton of a beautiful and fitting monu-
ment to the memory of the ship and
| the American boys who lost their lives
within her. Under the impression that
Cuba would appreciate relics from the
old ship whose loss meant the kind
ling of the fires that set her free, the
Maine commission thought to pay a
compliment to this republic, and ignor-
ing requests from American cities to
be allowed to show honor to these rel
les, the remaining set was ceded to
Cuba.
The relics consisted of the forward
turret and two Pinch guns. most APP
propriate for use on the base Of a
which l',1h1 nrDn1iCpl she
would erect to the Maine.
! For three years those sacred relics
were allowed to be part of dump.
Trash gathered there. Hundreds of
visitors every year were astonished
and shocked when told that the rusting
pile on the dump before them was the
extremely valuable relics coded by the
Maine commission.
To have allowed these relics to stay
! for three years right where they were
unloaded by the American engineers
was 1isgraceful on che part of Cuba. 1t
caused much Indignation in the United
States that rumors became current
there that the Maine comission in
tended to ask Cuba to return the relics
! in order that they might be given to
some American city which would
know how to honor them.
! simultaneously with the report of
such action by the Maine commission
/ Cuba removed the relics from the
wharf to a vacant lot in Vedado And
, there they are still today in the same
place. an always present insult to the
United States and to the brave Ameri-
can boys whose lives were snuffed out
that February night is years ago.
! Another year should not go by with
those relics sacred to Americans al
lowed to lie where they are. Rather
let them be buried. The Cuban Con-
| gress begrudges a few paltry thou
sends for a Maine monument.
! Therefore let the relics be loaded
once more on carts. carried to the
wharf. placed on barges, and then TAX
en- as nearly as possible to the grave
OF the greater part of the Maine
There let them be given honorable
| burial so that they will not longer be
subjected to the dishonor of being
treated as a mere junk pile as they are
now. Then no longer will they arouse
the indignation of Americans to whom
they mean so much. No longer will
they lie as a. monument Of reproach
to the Cuban people.-Kansas City
Star.