Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-11
54th CONGRESS.
Continued from page ~

only bond Whicn exists DetWeeH SPAN
and Cuba is that which enables the
former to levy millions of tribute upon
the unfortunate island. The contest OF
the CuDans is a contest for freedom
against a monarchy across the sea. IL
is a struggle for the right to live and
| breath the free air OF good gov
eminent. To the average Spanish gem
| tleman. Spain is the object of adora-
ton but Spain without Cuba is to him
| the world without the sun. The revenue
| from Cuba has been the chieI joy of
| Spain for many years and II CUBA
should now ne separated from Spanish
| throne the sun would cease to shine
upon the Alhambra
| Cuba today is lost to Spain. The
public proclamation of Spanish defeat
| may not have been officially and def
| nitely announced. but in truth and
| fact the submission of Cuba Will never
again be yielded as of old. The tribute
| of $25. coo, 900 to $40, coo, 900 annually so
! long eXacted. will never again replensh
| the treasury of Spain. Every humane
heart American or foreign. sympatizes
deeply and sincerely. not with the
| rapine and pillage by which the insur-
gents in Cuba seek TO weaken their
enemies, but with the spirit which leads
them to look constantly ana with hope
toward that star of liberty which they
believe will lead them to Cuba libre.
Were the struggle to stop now, the
income to Spain from enormous eXac-
tons she has always levied upon Cuba
would be lost for some years. Many
thousands of young men of the flower
of Spanish manhood have been sacri-
feed to maintain the power of dy-
nasty. Many thousands of honest, sin
cere and loyal boys have left their
homes in Spain. never to return Many
mo..-er weeps unavailing tears for
the lad who left her side a year ago
and who now sleeps in the fever
swamps of Cuba.
This great continental question,
when stripped of all its complications,
becomes. in plain and simple language,
shall Cuba be free?' this country Will
never consent to the transformation
of Cuba into slave pen for the hold
ing in servitude of the captured patriots
and insurgents who are fighting for
the dearest rights of men. We will not
permit that island, land which has
the brightest possibilities for a people
of intelligence and enterprise, to be
| made the abiding place of death and
destruction. She lies too near our land
of freedom to remain the military pri-
son of the most cruel and unrelenting
people on earth. This war now being
waged is, avowedly. war of eXtermi-
nation or utter crushing out of liberty
on Cuba's $4,000 square miles of terri
tory. believe it the duty of the United
States to use the great power attach
ing to the nation to declare and to
maintain a prerogative of right be-
longing generally to republicanism and
specifically to this republic, that no
charnel house of ruin shall be contin-
ued in the West Indian waters, whose
waves break at our very front gate.
any longer than the time it shall re-
quire to break it up. And if the duty
of suppressing this damnng blot and
erasing it forever from sight shall fall
alone upon the United States, so be it,.
But we snail not stand alone in the
warfare which may follow in behalf of
common humanity. Nation after ma
| ton will make joint cause with us in
such a struggle and when we have sue
| ceeded and shall have made into the
| law the principle and made into his
| tory the fact, every other country
worth naming will roget it's mistake
in not participating in the humane
work.
| Concluding his long speech, Cullom
said: IF other means fail, we may
consider the propriety of a fair pur-
chase OF Cuba. That method has had
it's share of consideration under pre-
| aI ,i,,ic ic hot
we want the territory. but We mean
that the trouble shall meet a just set
Element and conclusion. Let the end
come, and come quickly. Let the blood
shed cease, and let humanity be
glorihed."
| Call Dem. of Florida. called un the
joint resolution introduced by him. yes
terday. recognizing the independence of
Cuba. He sent to the clerks desk and
in regard TO the case of Oscar Cespedes
an American citizen. He said there was
no better argument than this Cespedes
case to show how impotent the Spanish
authorities in Cuba We're to defend the
rights of American citizens. He could
see no reason whatever for failing to
make prompt recognition of the existing
observation-disclosures of Cuba-and give the
Spain in / ,orts and nd jurisdction 6s' OF Of
} the United vIes. Spain would have II
| tillS no leSlt9Ildle cause Oh Ollt1ce. IL
would be really to her interest that this
action should be taken and the wal
should be terminated without further de-
struction of life and property and with
out the further excitement of the people
of the United States
| Calls joint resolution was at the close
; of his speech referred to the committee
on foreign relations.
The bill to amend the immigration laws
was taken up unfinished business
Gibson, DEM. of Maryland. favored the
postponement of the consideration of the
f bill till after the holidays.
r Lodge. in charge of the bill, opposed
any postponement, saying the measure
was extremely moderate. and the only
opposition to 1t came from certain steam
I ship companies interested in the immi
grafton business.
Gibson made formal motion that tn,
: bill be disposed till the first Monday il
t January. He did not know. he said
what might be the interests of the steam
ship companies. But Maryland was neve
in its history more opposed than now
to restrictions on immigration believin,
that those in the existing law were preju
e dicial to her interests
>: Chandler opposed the motion 10 post
!. pone and argued in favor of immediate
= action on the bin.
(, The potion to postpone the bill wa
2, negatived: Yeas. 10; nays. 81. The Sen
ate substitute for the House bill wa
agreed to and the substitute was opel
}; for Independent amendments.
Sewell Rep, of New Jersey. moved t
amend the. first paragraph to make i