Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/242

 to provide for biennial elections in place of annual elections.

The people of the United States had long sympathized with the citizens of the Island of Cuba, in their struggles to throw off the rule of Spain and to secure to themselves an independent government. The war against the revolutionists had been waged with terrible barbarity by Spain. Hostile demonstrations had been made in January, 1898, at Havana, against American citizens, and the battleship Maine was sent to Havana harbor on the 25th of January for their protection.

On the night of February 15th the Maine, while lying peacefully in the harbor, was blown up in some mysterious way and two hundred of her officers, crew and marines perished in the terrible explosion. The destruction of the battleship produced a frenzy of excitement and indignation throughout the country and, although Spain hastened to officially express regrets for the “incident,” the belief prevailed that in some way the Spanish authorities had at least been accessory to the terrible crime, if they were not the secret perpetrators of it.

A court of inquiry was convened by the President which proceeded to Havana and, on the 20th of February began a rigid investigation of the affair, reporting to the President in March. Yet, the way in which the crime or accident occurred was not unraveled and will doubtless always remain a mystery.

The indignation felt by the people of this country over the outrage, was one of the chief elements in bringing on the war against Spain which soon followed. Early in March Congress made an appropriation of $50,000,000 for National defense. Soon after a squadron of warships was gathered off the coast of Cuba, under command of Commodore Schley, of the American navy. In April, Congress declared Cuba free from Spanish control and directed the President to use the military forces of the United States to aid Cuba in her struggle to overthrow the authority of