The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-19
Foreign Affairs Committee Re-
Dorts Cameron'S Resolution.
UNANIMOUSLY FOR CUBA
Secretary Olney Present and
Acutely Questions Morgan.
oLNEY SEEMS LESS OPPOSED
Will he Reported to Senate Next Mon
day--Senator Cameron Said to Have
Made His Paper Thorough
With All Precedents.

Made Ills PAPER tnorouRn
With All Precedents.
Washington, Dec. 1S.-The meeting of
the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions to-day was important in two re-
spects. 1t resulted in an agreement to
report the Cameron resolution for the
recognition of Cuban independence and it
developed through the statement of Sec
retary Olney the administration policy
in regard to the insurrection in Cuba.
The Secretary occupied the greater
part of the time of the meeting in an
swering questions and suggestions made
by members of the committee. He and
Senator Morgan engaged in general
spirited colloquies. Mr.. Olney made two
points against the Cameron resolution
/. That the Cuban insurgents have es-
tablished no government.
g. That the right to recognize new
State rests with the President, independ-
,ent of Congressional action.
He contended in elaboration of the
first point that the pretended government
of the island was without habitation.
Suppose you recognize the independence
of the island" he said, what are You
going to do with it,"
II for one," replied Senator Morgan,
"while advocating this recognition, want
it understood that | am opposed to an
nexation."
How then, would you maintain its
independence" asked the Secretary, him.
self becoming interlocutor. How would
you, for instance, prevent Spanish domi-
nation over the islandf'
81 would" replied the Alabama Sena-
tor, establish, il need be, protectorate.
/ would follow much the same policy that
we are pursuing with regard to Hawaii,
and | would send an army of occupation
to the island, if necessary, as we did
in the case of Mexico"
The Secretary made the impression
upon some of the members of that COM
mittee by the way he pursued this line
of inquiry that while he was disposed
to hold out strongly for the Presidents s
prerogatiye, he was not nearly SO strong
" opposed to Cuban independence as he
had been a year ago. He did not dissent
strongly from a point made that his own
report showed a sufficient cause for ac-
tion and he admitted that a state of af-
fairs, which permits the killing of Ameri-
can citizens and the destruction of Amer
lean property, was deplorable.
''They are, however" he added, "the
incidents of war"
mot of war property conducted, but
of anarchy" was the response Of Senator
Morgan.
The Secretary set at the rest the story
which has been very industriously cir
culated that Consul ul-General Lee had pro-
vided the State department with an
elaborate report on the condition of affairs
in Cuba. 1T is not true" he said. Gen.
Lee has made no general written report
at all. He has made reports on several
special cases, but none on the situation
as WHOLE
1t also developed during the examina-
ton that the government had made no
demand in the case Of the Competitor,
and in other cases of similar character
beyond requests for information.
The agreement to report the Cameron
resolution was reached Immediately af
ter Mr.. Olney left the committee room,
a quarter past II o'clock, and was ar
rived at without division or expressed
difference of opinion. The only division
was as to the time the resolution should
be reported to the Senate. Senator
Cameron moved its report on Monday
next. Senator Sherman suggested that
the report should not be put in until
after the holidays. When the question
was put to the committee the Cameron
motion prevailed by unanimous vote. The
bill was slightly amended, first however,
and now reads:
"Joint resolutions acknowledging the
Independence OF the Republic of Cuba:
Resolved by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America, in Congress assembled, That
the independence of the Republic Of Cuba
be, and the same is hereby, acknowledged
by the United States of America.
''Section 2. That the United States will
use its friendly offices with the govern
ment of Spain to bring to a close the
war between Spain and Cuba"
Senator Cameron's report in support
of the resolution deals at length with
the question of precedents in the matter
of the recognition of independence and of
Intervention of whatever nature by the
United States, beginning with the Greek
revolution and coming down to the
present time. Senators who heard the
report say it is very thorough in this
respect and goes over the entire ground.
While the committee will report the
resolution as agreed upon Monday, it is
not expected that the question will be
pressed until after the holidays.
Members of the committee are very
reticent as to what Secretary Olney said
in detail or what advice he gave, but
it is very certain that he advised against
any action, and especially action like
that contemplated, as no doubt opinion
was expressed that such action would
involve war with Spain.
One member of the committee said: ''Of
course, Spain viii fight Those Spaniards
do not know any better. But there is no
danger of other countries getting in our
way. No other European nation wants