The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-14
SentimentaliSm.

The language recently used by Con-
gresham William f. Mason, of Chica-
go, when he addressed an audience Of
10000 Americans gathered to express
their sympathy with the struggles Of
the Cuban patriots for liberty, Is
worthy of repetition. Said he:
Here is this little island of Cuba lying on
our front doorstep within ten hours of
our coast, and for years and years has
the Spaniard eaten the bread of the Gu
bans efforts. Time after time they have
fought for their liberty. Five or six times
at least this government has turned Its
back upon Cuba, and now, when again
they are in the midst Of a conflict for lib
erty, do not talk about international law.
International law! I can find a precedent
for every crime that was ever committed
by nation in international law. Interna-
tional law, Mr.: Chairman-we can make
and unmake international law in this
country. The distinguished statesmen
who oppose helping Cuba say that we are
sentlmentalists. Let me say to you that
sentiment moves the world. Sentiment
wrote the declaration Of independence.
Sentiment threw the tea into the Boston
harbor. Sentiment led our men all the
way from Bunker Hill and kept their
courage up in the bloody scenes OF Valley
Forge Sentiment freed a million slaves
c-and arrnv FROM Donelson NJ the free
dom-swept height Of Lookout mountain to
the Wilds of AppomattoX. l am proud to
be called n sentimentaist, II that is sen.
timent IF the love OF liberty Is sentiment
let us not be ashamed OF It,
Despite these words, which there Is
conclusive reason to believe voice the
opinion of ninety-nine out of every 100
educated Americans. It does not an
pear that our state department has
given any consideration whatever to
the question Of It's duty toward Cuba.
If any consideration has been exhibited,
It has been behind closed doors and un-
der the seal of secresy. The unofficial
public has been afforded no hint or
clew. Newspaper report has credited
Secretary Olney with variety of in
tentions, some patriotic, some pusllla-
nimous: but he has neither affirmed nor
denied them. In the face of keen and
eager popular interest In and ardent
sympathy for the cause of the Cuban
revolutionists, who are fighting over
much the same battle on their
smaller soil that our grandparents
fought, nearly a century and a
quarter ago, when they threw Off
the oppressive yoke of King George,
the state department at Washing
ton remains to all appearances abso-
lutely dumb. giving back in response to
the public's proper inquiry only the
scant courtesy Of silence
In the light of its recent record In the
Hawaiian episode, this seeming indif-
ference to public opinion is perhaps not
surprising; but It offers justification for
the inquiry whether It be not high time
for the intelligent sentiment of the ma
tion, without reference to party lines,
to unite in a demand for the formu-
iation and observance, in our state de-
partment, whatever the admihistra-
tion's partisan complexion, of a clearly
defined. unwavering and straightfor-
ward foreign policy, which will be as
sacred q trust to Democrats as to Re-
publicans because a paramount one Of
virlle Americanism. When the news