The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-16
SEVERE IN HIS LANGUAGE.
HORRORS OF THE SITUATION IN
CUBA DEPICTED WITH UN-
USUAL FRANfxNfSs.
ALTERNATIVE OF OPEN ooNFLIo
Preferable to Humiliatfng Delay
Are Rampant on the Island.

leqies for an hour today. by his earnest
advocacy Of a strong and decisive
policy in dealing with the Cuban ques-
ton. The prominence of Mr.. Morgan
in the Cuban debate Of last session,
when he had charge of the Cuban reso-
lutions reported from the committee on
foreign relations, gave special interest
to his speech today. He spoke in dis
passionate style, although his words
had a directness and severity in pic
turing the horrors existing in Cuba
such as is seldom heard in the senate,
Mr.. Morgan spoke freely of the posi-
bilities of war, welcoming it if 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 granting
of belligerent rights would be 'untime-
ly." Mr.. Morgan's views on the line
OF action, which should be adopted,
was summed up in the following:
Although 1 believe that belligerent rights
should be accorded to the Cubans, inasmuch
as the president prefers more zcoercive pol
icy, and warns Spain that the time is now
near at hand for decisive action, | will sup
port him in any movement thatswill save
people on that island from further outrage;
will not obstruct his course with questions
of propriety, but will follow the colors when
planted by the president on the advanced
ground that the concession of belligerenr
rights has become untimely, and that our
duty now demands active intervention. If
that crumbles away, l will again fall back
to the position that just care for our own
people requires US to declare an armed neu-
trality, ready to assail either belligerent that
1nnlcts wrong on our own. people. II the
president should say ''the time has arrived,
the hour has struck would any American be
so base as not to hold up his hands while the
battle is raging
At the close of Mr.. Morgan's speech
his resolution was adopted requesting
the secretary of state for papers and
information relative to the. Competitor
prisoners and other American citizens
held in Cuba by the Spanish authori-
ties. sse
In opening his remarks on the Cuban
question, Mr.. Morgan said:
l will confine my remarks to comments
upon the facts stated in the recent annual
message of the president, and the report of
the secretary of state. l not able to dis
cover that the president has made any speci-
action he deems it proper or expedient for
congress to take with reference to Spain or
Cuba; nor that he has indicated any course
except still patient waiting, that the execu-
tive proposes to take. Congress, thus left to
its own initiative, must assume its own
responsibility in a matter Of the most serious
gravity.
Congress must give to the statements of
the president unhesitating acceptance as to
matters that were committed by the consti-
tuition in his special CHARGE When he yr,-
dertakes to state the facts that affect our
relations with other powers, we must accept
those facts unless the disproof of them is
oYerpowering.
This message is, therefore, of the most i'm
pressive Importance as a statement of the
leading facts and conditions that bear upon
our duties In respect to-the- conflict of arms
Whleh mas ragged for over two years in the
island of Cuba, and it has the support of
nearly every American belief. 1 have not
heard that Spain controverts any statement
OF the president in his message. The evil
dence that comes from private sources rela-
tive to the condition of Cuba, and the hor-
rors of persecution, rapine and extermina-
tion visited upon the people of Cuba, admits
sents pictures so incredibly inhuman and so
disgraceful to the civilization of this age
that 1t stuns the mind into disbelief that such
things can be true.
GALLERIES. FILLED.
AS Mr.. Morgan spoke the galleries
filled and his words were followed with
close attention by the senators and the
large number of spectators. Mr. Nor
gan went on to speak Of the trying
situation which required prompt action
to save thousands of innocent people
| from cruel and deliberate butchery.
The wholesale maSsacres of Spain was
no surprise to the senator who had
If with the United States is necessary
to reconcile the Spanish people to the loss
OF Cuba by foreign conquest we shall be COM
PEELED to meet that emergency. If the de-
struction of Cuba is enough to satisfy the
popular sentiment Of revenge 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 stopping this
war OF annihilation and determination, we
have no time to lose. =
| Mr.. Morgan spoke Of the resolution
of congress at the last session. which.
| he said, gave to the president the
| choice of concurring with, the policy
! of congress, or delaying. The president
| chose delay. The war has continued,
said Mr.. Morgan, until it has reached
| the final and desperate stage Of a war
! of devastation and determination. with
the people Of Cuba as a prey to those
| who have set aside the usual honor
able usages of warfare. and have "be-
| come robbers. cut throats assaSsins.
ravishers and pirates. -
| All of these crimes, Mr.. Morgan de-
| clared, would be found to have been
| authentically stated to our govern
| ment, when the seals Of secresy are
| broken, and they are brought to the
| knowledge of the world for the vindf-
| cation of our case "if we are forced
| to war to bring an end to this satur-
| MALTA of blood and fire. Congress had
! dent. A firm declaration that the con
! fiict in Cuba had reached the stage
| of open, public war, would have ad-
monished Spain that the United States
at least, would hold her accountable
| for the observance Of the rules of civil
! lied warfare. The senator spoke Bit
| terly Of the interference Of supposed
business interests to prevent the gov
ernment from ending the "horrid and
| brutal purpose of infuriated men,"
| Mr.. Morgan spoke of the necessity
| for protecting our citizens abroad. Re-
| ferring to Turkey, he expressed the
| hope that the policy of this govern
ment should not be relaxed, and that
we would not much longer hear of
| these Turkish offenSes against human
| ity. The senator asserted that our pee
PIE in Cuba have rights. under the laws
1 OF nations which the courts Of all ma
tions will enforce, despite the opposl-
! ton even, of the president of the Unit
| ed States, If he should oppose them
He would give these laws full force
and effect.
Our people were not csntent. 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 END
less palaver of diplomatic correspond
ence." While we know that wrongs
| have been done to our people. and
other wrongs are threatened, our gov
/ ernment is in the most humiliatine
state of innocuous desuetude, If 1t in
terposes no helying hand to the suffer-
ers, and refuses to forbid the further
devastation and death that a cruel
government is now inf1icting upon
them.
The senator said he foresaw that the
/ time was near at hand uvloY, Tho apas