The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-23
POSSIBILITIES OF WAR
Between the United States and spain
About Cuba.

Between the United States and spain
About Cuba.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-After an
impressive opening prayer by Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage, to-day, Senator Nor
gan of Alabama held the attention OF
the Senate and well filed galleries for
an hour by his earnest advocacy of
strong and decisive policy in dealing
with the Cuban question. The prom.
inence of Mr.. Morgan in the Cuban
debate of last session, when he had
charge of the Cuban resolutions re-
ported from the committee on foreign
relations, gave special interest to his
speech today. He spoke in dispas-
sionate style, although his words had
a directness and severity in picturing
the horrors existing in Cuba such as
is seldom heard in the Senate.
Mr.. Morgan spoke freely of the pos
sibilities of war, welcoming it it neces.
sary to guarantee the protection Of
American citizens. He asserted that
Spain's bankruptcy would prevent the
collection of any indemnity for
wrongs. The Senator questioned the
wisdom of the Presidents position
that the granting of belligerent rights
would be untimely.
Mr.. Morgan went on to speak of the
trying situation which required
prompt action to save thousands of
innocent people from cruel and delib'
crate butchery. The wholesale mas
sacres of Spain was no surprise to the
Senator, who had anticipated it.
''If war with the United States is
necessary to reconcile the Spanish peo.
pie to the loss of Cuba by foreign con.
quest, said Mr.. Morgan, "we shall be
compelled to meet that emergency. If
the destruction of Cuba is enough to
satisfy the popular sentiment of re-
venge, we can avoid war with Spain
by remaining inactive while our own
people are being ruined or slaughtered
along with the Cubans. If we mean
to take any action towards the ending
of this war of annihilation and exter-
mination, we have no time to lose."
Mr.. Morgan referred to the resolu-
ton Of Congress at the last session,
which he said left to the President the
choice of concurring with the policy
of Congress or delaying. The Presi.
dent chose delay.
"The war has continued" )" said Sena.
tor Morgan, until it has reached the
final anduesperate stage of war of de.
vastation and determination, with the
people of Cuba as prey to those who
have set aside the usual honorable
uBages of warfare, and have become
robbers, cut-throats, assassins, ravish,
ers and pirates"
ALI of these crimes, Mr.. Morgan de-
clared, would be found to have been
automatically stated to the government,
when the seals of secrecy are broken
and they are brought to the knowledge
of the world for the vindication of our
course, eff we are forced to war to put
an end to this saturnalia of blood and
fire."
Congress had reason to regret the
inaction OF the President. A firm de.
claration that the conflict in Cuba had
reached the stage of open, public war
would admonish Spain that the United
States at least would hold her account
able for the observance of the rules of
civilized warfare.
"Our.people were not content" said
Mr.. Morgan, "to suffer these wrongs
within earshot OF our frontier, and to
pile up claims, petitions and proofs to
be brought before Spain in the
endless palaver of displomatic cor
respondence. While we know that
wrong have been done to our people
and other wrongs are threatened, our
government is in the most humiliating
state of innocuous desuetude If it in
terposes no helping hand to the suffer.
ers and refuses to forbid the further
devastation and death that q cruel
government is now inficting upon
them"
The Senator said he foresaw that the
time was near at hand when the final
stand of the United States must be
taken. It was foreshadowed by the
message, and the moment might come
at any time the President would take
definite and final stand. When this
came the Senator would follow the
colors of the President, and if it meant
war, would any American hesitate to
respond2 There was no alternative
between further humiliating delay or
of intervention.
In conclusion, Mr.. Morgan said:
''In this condition of impotency to
establish peace in Cuba and perman-
ent security for our own people, while
the Spanish monarchy is dominant in
that island we have no alternative left
to us but the single choice between
the continuous repetition of the evils
portrayed in the message OF the Presi.
dent, or base, humiliating and cruel
delay on our part while rapine and de-
struction are rampant in the hope
that some fortunate turn IN events
may relieve us from duty that we
owe to humanity, to Charistian civili.
zation, to the spirit and traditions Of
our country and our people, and to the
lives and liberties of our people in
Cuba who are now held by the cruel
power of Spain. I do not rely upon
any authority for what passed beyond
| the Presidents s message and the report
of the Secretary Of State. That is
enough ;facts are incontrovertible and
our duty is plain. live fail to actup.
on them, we take the responsibility of
a delay to perform plain duty, at
the expense of our people whose
lives are in constant peril"
At the close OF Mr.. Morgan's speech
he asked for the adoption of the re-