The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-24
IN FAVOR OF CUBA.


The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
Friday last unanimously agreed to report to
the Senate resolution recognizing the 1nde-
pendence of Cuba. This reads:
Rcsotred By fle Senate and House OF Representa-
fires Of The United States of america an Congress as
semdtcd, That the Independence OF the kepnohe
OF Cuba be, and the same Is hereby. aekno"iedgea
by the United States OF America.
Sec q That the United States will use its friendly
Offices with the Government Of Spain 10 bring 10
close the war between Spain and Cuba
The resolution was an amendment Of the one
introduced By Mr. Cameron. Senator Cameron
had said that the United States should use its
friendly Offices; the committee substituted the
word will" Senator Camor0n had indefinitely
mentioned Cuba; the committee deliberately
inserted the words " Republic Of" so that there
could be no doubt of the status OF the Govern
nent of the island.
This was done after the most earnest appeal
from the Secretary Of State that no action be
taken at the present time. The Secretary was
cioseted with the committee. hoping that the
advice which came from man IN ms haEn
official position would cause the committee 70
hesitate. Senators Lodge, Cameron and Davis
were especially persistent in their inquiries,
expressing their desire to have the fullest in
formation rs tho basis for Congressional action.
II was evident from tie FIRST, however, that
nothing that the Secretary was saying was
affecting tho determination of the friends OF
Cuba to secure action. Briefly summed up ne
made two points against the Cameron resoiu-
ton:
That the Cuban insurgents have established
no Government,
That the right to recognize new State rests
with the President, Independent OF Congress
sienai action.
The announcement Of the committees action
| caused q sensation. The next day Secretary
Olney made remarkable contribution to the
situation. In part the formal statement maoe
1 read:
81 have no objection to stating my own view
| Of the resolution respecting the indie pendence
| of the so.calied Republic of Caba, which, 1t Is
reported is to be laid before tho senate on
Monday. Indeed. rs there are iikeiy to DO
| serious Interpretations regarding such reso-
luton, both in this country and abroad, ana as
such apprehcnsions may have injurious results
1 of grave character, it is perhaps my duty 10
point out that the resolution II passed ny Enc
Senate can probably be regarded only as an ex-
| preston Of opinion by the eminent gentlemen
who vote for it in the Senate, and, II passed
/ by tho House Of Representatives, can only no
regarded as another expression OF opinion ny
| the eminent gentlemen who vote Tor 1t In the
1 House.
"The power to recognize The so-caiicd Re-
public of Cuba as an independent State rests
1 exclusively with tho Executive A resolution
on the subject by tho Senate or by the House.
| BY both houses or by one, whether concurrent
or joint. is imperative as legislation, ann IS
| important only as advice OF great weight vol
unfairly rendered to the Executive regarding
the manner in which he shall exercise ms
Constitutional functions.
"Thc operation md effect OF the proposed
| resolution, therefore. even ii passed by both
1 houses OF Congress by tw0-thifds vote, are
| perfectly plain. It may raise expectations in
| some quarters which can ncycr be realized. IL
| may infame popular passions, both in this
| country and elsewhere. may TINS put IN peril
| the lives and property of American citizens
| who arc resident and travelling abroad, and
| will certainly obstruct and perhaps defeat the
| best efforts of this Government to AFFORD such
| citizens due protection"
| Interviews Immediately came from prom
! ineut public men. Senator Morgan said:
"The Secretary takes very high ground. and
cannot msintain his position. How he can say,
rs he does in his statement, that the resolution
/ which the committee has agreed to report may
iufiane popular passion both in this country
| and elsewhere, may thus put in peril tho lives
4 and property Of American citizens who are resi-
| dents and travelling abroad. and will certainly
obstruct and perhaps defeat the best efforts Of
this Government TO afford snch citizens due
protection, after he has slept on the rights OF
American citizens in Cuba until the President
ack nowledges that many Of them have been
killed and their property destroyed when they
were n0n-com6arants and innocent o: al,
charges. is more than can understand. His
course in this matter, and especially his ac
quiescence in the butchery Of American citizent
in Cuba scarcely recommends him to the Amerl
can people. For one ] resent and detest It"
Senator Chandler said:
Before q resolution is reported from the
4 committee" he said before il is passed by tht
Senate, before il is passed by tho House. tht
Secretary issues statement saying: If yot
| pass il by both Houses it viii be vetoed, j
| passed by two-thifds minority over the veto II
will be de6ed.' It is the most startling propo
sition coming from an Executive officer.
Cabinet officer issuing such statement should
be subjected to severe eensure. The idea o
} announcing in advance that the President viii
not carry ont the expressed will OF two-thirdi
Of Congress is most repreheusible. The only
trouble" concluded the Senator. is that IL VI
| were 10 pass the resolution over the Veto ani
Mr.. Cleveland should refuse to execute tn.
Law. there would be no time to impeach him.
, / Senator Blanchard said: 6 The President can
not declare war; that rests with Congress alone
,, | Yet here is novel contention that the powc
which may declare war cannot recognize SOY
ereignty, and the power which may not decInr
war can recognise sovereignty. 1t is prepos
ferrous"
Senator Hale, of Maine, one Of the active op
ponents Of the resolution. said Secretary Oh
ney is clearly right. Recognition rests witt
the Executive. The resolution would be usur
| patton on the part of Congress of Executive
functions. It is we'll that Secretary Oiney ha
| made the statement. 1t will afford an oppor
tsnity for the sober second thought of tho pee
pie to find expression"
Mr. Disgley said he had always believed tina
9 | IL was 1.-The best policy for Congress to leav
a diplomatic matters to the proper Departnaen
of the Government. When the Legislativ
branch OF the Government attempts to inter
q fere with tho DIPLOMATIC there arc likely to
! serious errors committed"
t Gen. Henderson said AS a citizen of Re
= public, my sympathies are strongly with th
. Cuban insurgents. As citizen Of this Repnt
lie am in favor of attending strictly to GU
. own business"
Is Mr.. Cameron said: II can see no useful en-
0 to b attained by agitating the question villa
/. my own act or the sction OF tho House woul
!. be ON supposed state Of affairs When We Al
called upon to act upon information on a re-,
u state Of affairs NO will take such action as ju
% tice aud patriotism shall dictate, with due +,
d gard 70 our treatics and to the real interests
she United STATES"
CONSIDERING VETOED BILLS.
The House and tho Senate last week sac
10 took pension bill thst had been VETOED by ii
s. President. The veto Of bill to pension Lyd
"a A. Taft, . divorced widow" was sustained
| % to 65-tWo- thirds not voting to override tt
| Presidential disapproval in tho House. III
8 bill was ssiled mp By Mr.. Poole IN. " II
=. Clevelands objection to 1t was that while Il
4. beneficiary had divorced her soldier husban