The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-12-17
A WAR is WELCOME,
Says Morgan, If Needed to Pro-
tect Americans In Cuba.
CUBAN HORRORS DEPICTEI
the Senator Advocated Strong and De-
oisive Action In Dealing with the Gu
ban Question--ResoiutionA Adopted Ask
ing For Importaat Information.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16,-CuGA c0ntln-
mes to be the most live topic in congress
sional circles.
Senator Morgan of Alabama held the
attention Of the senate and we'll filed
galleries for an hour by his earnest ad-
vocaoy of q strong and decisive policy
In dealing with the Cuban question.
The prominence Of Mr.. Morgan in the
Cuban debate Of last session, when he
had charge of the Cuban resolutions
reported from the committee on foreign
relations, gave special interest to his
speech.
He spoke in dispassionate style, al
though his words had directness and
severity in picturing the horrors exist
ing in Cuba, such as is seldom heard in
the senate. Mr. Morgan spoke freely
of the possibilities of war, welcoming
it II necessary to guarantee the protec-
ton 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's views
on the line of action which should be
adopted was summed up in the follow
ing:
Although I believe that belligerent
rights should be accorded the Cubans, in
asmuch as the president prefers more
coercive policy and warns Spain that the
time Is near at hand for decisive action, l
will support him in any movement that
will save our people on that island from
further outrage; l will not obstruct his
course with questions Of propriety, but
will fpllnxu tho pplpro w hon MIA nfaI hu the
president on the advanced ground that the
concession Of belligerent rights has be-
comU "untimely" and that our duty now
demands active Intervention. If that
crumbles away, will again fall back to
the position that just case for our own
people requires us to declare an armed
neutrality ready TO assail either belliger-
ent that inflicts wrongs on our own peo-
pie. If 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 was ragingp
will contine my remarks to comments
upon the facts stated in the recent annual
message of the president and the report
of the secretary of state. / am not able
to discover that the president has made
any specific recommendations or indica-
ton as to any action he deems 1t proper or
expedient for congress to take with refer
ence to Spain or Cuba; nor that he has
indicated any course, except a still patient
take. Congress, thus left to its own
initiative, must assume its own RESPONSE
bility 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
constitution to his especial charge. When
he undertakes to state the facts that affect
onr relations with other powers we must
accept these facts, unless the disproof of
them Is overpowering.
This message is therefore Of the most
impressive Importance, as statement of
the leading facts and conclusions that bear
upon our duties in respect to the conflict
of arms which has ragged for over two
years in the island of Cuba, and IL has the
support of nearly all American beliefs. l
have not heard that Spain controverts any
statement of the president in his message.
The evidence that comes from private
sources relative to the condition Of Cuba
and the horrors of persecution, rapine and
determination visited upon the people of
Cuba admits of no doubt Bs to its credibil-
ity. Yet Ii presents pictures so incredibly
inhuman and SO disgraceful to the civili-
Zation of this 6iSe that it stuns the mind
into disbelief that such things can be
true.
Mr.. Morgan went on to speak of the
trying situation, which required prompt
action to save thousands of innocent
people from cruel and deliberate butch
cry. The wholesale massacres Of Spain
was no surprise to the senator, who had
anticipated it. Then he said:
II war with the United States is neces-
sary to reconcile the Spanish people to the
loss of Cuba by foreign conquest, saiu
Mr.. Morgan, we shall be compelled to
meet that emergency. If the destruction
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 toward STOP
ping this war of annihilation and exter-
mination we have no time TO lose.
Mr.. Morgan spoke of the resolution
of congress at the last session, which
he said left to the president the choice
of concurring with the policy of con-
gress or delaying. The president chose
DELAY, The war has continued, said
Mr.. Morgan, until it has reached the
final and desperate stage OF war OF
devastation and determination, with
the people of Cuba as a prey to those
who have set aside the usual honorable
usages Of warfare, land have become
robbers, cutthroats, assassins, ravishers
and pirates"
Mr.. Morgan spoke of the necessity
Tor protecting our clUlZenS dDrOdus ne
ferring to Turkey he expressed the hope
that the policy of this government
should not be relaxed and that we
would not much longer hear of these
Turkish offenses against humanity.
At the clase of Mr.. Morgan's speech
his resolution was adopted requesting
the secretary of state for papers and in
formation relative to the Competitor
prisoners and other American citizens
held in Cuba by the Spanish authori'
ties.
Representative Woodman of Illinois
has introduced a joint resolution direct.
ing the president to intervene in Cuban
affairs. The resolution, after recitinP
General Maceo' assassination and Span
fish cruelties in Cuba, says that the pres
ident has failed to carry out the wishes
of the people; that the honor OF the
United States is at stake and that his
tory gives no precedent on which t.
base hope that Spanish operators viii
change to compliance with civilized
warfare. The president is directed Il
express severe condemnation OF thu
Spanish methods of warfare, especially
the murder of Maceo to recognize thu
independence of Cuba and to demand o
Spain the withdrawal OF all troops from
Cuban soil He is also directed to tax
proper steps to see that this demand