Warren sheaf., 1896-03-19
FOR AND AGAINST.
Cuban Belligerency Debated in
the Senate.
Senator Hill Opposes the Conference Re.
port-Says Intervention Clause Is Too
Much Like Buncombe Sher-
mans Stand.

Washington, March Ex-senator Hill
on Thursday stated his position in re-
gard to the conference report on the
Cuban belligerency resolutions.
In opening Senator Hill announced his
purpose of voting against the conference
report. and stated the reasons which in
duced him to take that position, after hav-
ing voted for the resolutions that passed
the senate. His opposition was to the
third clause of the conference report, which
proclaims the purpose of the United States
to be prepared to intervene in order to pro-
| tect the legitimate interests of the United
States He opposed that resolution as be-
ing liable to misinterpretation and as be-
ing unnecessary, and therefore, unwise.
He thought it was too much like threat
too much like buncombe, and that it was
putting Intervention on too low ground.
He could not vote for it, and as confer
| ence report is not amendable, he would
have to vote against the report.
| Not Afraid of Spanish Students.
IF congress is to do anything, it should
be done," ne continued, without bun
combe and without threat" He favored
the other two resolutions because they
were substantially the same as the senate
| resolutions. He would not retrace his ac-
ticn on those resolutions. He favored
those resolutions because they expressed
| the opinion of congress. He was not to
| ic sentiment that may have been brought
| about. He was not, he said, to be fright
| ened off by the acts of a few Spanish stu
| dents, who had stoned our consulate and
| despoiled the American flag.
| Senator Sherman Is Heard.
Senator Sherman also spoke to the
question in defense of the conference
report.
! Senator Sherman discussed at length the
| character of the resolutions and the con-
ditions existing in Cuba. It was not best to
| send Joint resolutions to the president, he
said, as it would compel his action in ten
days, and this was not judicious. He had
confidence in the president. There were po-
litical differences between them. but mo
| one doubts his courage; no one doubts his
fidelity to the flag of our country"
If there Is no state of war in Cuba, -
| exclaimed Senator Sherman, passionately,
| where in the name of hell does war ex-
list, for war IS hell"
There never was stronger case of war
| than that existing in Cuba, and many of
the victories achieved by those ignorant
| leaders were brilliant. Senator Sherman
contended that the dispatches from Cuba
and all the testimony before the commit
| tee showed that state of war existed
| in the island, and that the Spanish gov
ernment had been unable to quell the in
surgents. The natives were fighting for
freedom and liberty, and the blood of every
American should leap in sympathy for
those now cndeavoring to throw off the
| Spanish yoke 1t was the common people
who assisted in the American revolution.
Why were the patriots of Cuba ignorant?
Because for years Spain had denied them
the privilege Of education. They were not
ignorant of all things, however; they We're
wise enough to fight for liberty. 1t would
lie better if tile better classes of Cuba
if thereVfwerc any there, were to join in,
Senator Sherman said, and assist in giving
Cuba the liberty for which her sons were
| fighting.
1t was the duty Of congress, he said, to
state, in language that could not be mis-
| interpreted, that state of war exists
in Cuba; that the United States would
recognize the combatants and deal with
them as beiligerents; that the United
States should not give to Spain the ad-
vantage Of our ports, our commerce anc
| our police and deny them to the men
fighting for their liberty. Congress had
done nothing it ought not to do in this
| question; but was slow in doing what
ought to be done. The war in Cuba, said
Senator Sherman, ought to be continued
until the Cubans gained their freedom
then all America would be free.