Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-03-28
THE SENATE AND HOUSE
MILLS MADE A SPEECH on CUBAN
RESOLUTIONS.
House Passed II Number of Bills.
Among Them One Effect
ing EN-Confedera

ance in the senate galleries today, as it
was expected that Senator Mills reso
1utions proposing to use the army and
navy IN taking possession Of Cuba and
holding it until the people had estab-
lished local self-government would oc-
casion further debate, The bill passed
amending the law prescribing the death
penalty for Indians convicted of rape
and leaving the punishment discretion
ary with the court.
A resolution offered by Senator Hoar
was adopted requesting the president to
transmit to the senate all dispatches,
correspondence, etc, from November 5,
1875. to 1878, concerning the pacitlcation
of the pending conflict in Cuba.
Senator Mills was recognized at this
point in support of the Cuban resolution
introduced by him yesterday. He said
the resolutions heretofore before the
senate We're steps in the right direction,
but very short steps. The people Of
Cuba had far greater claims on the
United States than mere recognition of
bel1igerency. If Ireland struck fer lib
erty today, the hearts of the American
people would beat in sympath thy, and SO
if Poland or Hungary asserted the right
of liberty. But the United States had
much closer rela tons to Cuba than to
Ireland or Poland or Hungary, for 1t
was q part of the western hemisphere,
over which the Monroe doctrine extend
ed the influence of this country. Sen
ator Mills declared the Monroe doctrine
was the law of protection, and as such
God was the author of it. 1t was the
same right of self-protection which al
individual exercises in abating a nui-
sance or destroying a powder house
near his premises.
He said: Jefferson had used plain
words in threa tening to join England
and sweep the French fleets from the
seas if France persisted in holding the
mouth of the Mississippi river The
same spirit had brought forth President
Cleve lands Venezuelan message"
Cuba stood as the key to the gulf,
and our unvarying policy. said Senator
Mills. had been to resist any transfer of
Cuba to any other monarchy. The Uni
ted States had stood by as a jailer and
prevented Cuba from going to France
or Eng gland. and if we insisted on keep
ing Cuba in the possession Of Spain,
was It not the moral obligation Of the
United States to see that Spain gave
Cuba fair government; to see that the
hell of Spanish despotisn was lifted
from the Cuban people. The day will
come, said he, when the American con-
science will be aroused to its guilt in
permitting the oppression Of Cuba, aud
when that consciousness comes the
American people Will fill this chamber
with senator's who will stop that oppres-
sion.
The senator spoke of the atrocities at
tributed to General Weyler and added;
This is the work of an atrocious
ecoundrel. He could not be in Cuba to-
day if the United States would draw
the sword. How the cheeks OF our
American women must be suffused,
how our children must blush to know
that this government stands idly by
while Spain, with the keys Of her dun
geons dangling at her side, permits such
an atrocious villain to raise his hand
against defenseless women
The protection which Spain gave to
Cuba was the protection which the
hawk gives to the dove. Cuba cries to
Us, Deliver us from these monsters,
but We stand meekly serving az Spain's
jailer. In our state of Texas they had
drunk of the dregs of Spanish brutality.
He related the circumstances of the
annihila ton of Santa Ana's forces OF
Texas soil and reviewed the bloodiness
of the Nirginius affair To the shame
of this government We had permitted
.l, ~; ,J,
without reparation. For 90 people
butchered in Spain while rightfully
claiming the protection of the United
States, after a diplomatic correspond
ence of years, Spain paid $1,000
Senator Stewart asked if Spanish
bonds were not potent factor in resist
ing intervention.
Senator Mills replied that there was
something beneath the surface. He did
not know what this mysterious force
was but he felt that it existed He did
not know how far sugar stocks would
be affected by action on the part Of
the United States. 1t was asserted that
trade would suffer, but Senator Mills
declared that a hundred billion dollars
would be a small expenditure for the
glory of releasing the prisoners on the
Isle of Pines. It was the duty of the
United States to protect and relieve
these people, or else to say to England or
Russia: Take that island and protect
the people," Until we do this a stock
of bloody guilt is on our heads.
Referring to the objections coming
from commercial sources, Sen
ator Mills quoted the words of Gold
smith: "Honor fails when commerce
long prevails.
The senator said he had Just received
letter asserting that another fool
has turned jingo,' and asking him why
he had not left jingosm to Senators
Lodge and Chandler. The letter was
signed "A Disguised Democrat
"Now, if I had the X rays said Sen
ator Mills, land used it in examining
| the pocket of the writer of that letter
| I would find sugar stock there
| The senator closed with the figurativ
picture of Cuba lying like a cripple at
| shrunken cheek. crying: Help us, helI
| u.s.
| There was a ripple of applause as
| Senator Mills closed.
! Senator Morgan followed with fur.
| tner evidence VI t.le tAlSltiiCe VI " Oh
in Cuba. This brought out a protest
| from Senator Hale, who pointed out
| that the Cuban resolutions had beer
| formally committed to a conference
| committee, with the understanding
that the entire subject was recommitted
At the conclusion of Senator Nor
gan's remarks, Senator Mills resolu
ton went to the calendar and the sen
ate resumed consideration of the leg
islative appropria ton bill. The bill wa
completed with the exception of item
Irelating to compensation of district at
torneys, marshals, commissioners. etc
The legislative bill was laid aside am
bill passed excepting Logan cars iron
the operations Of the law requiring car
to be equipped with grab irons. etc.
At 5:35 o'clock the senate adjourned.
Pnuncefote May Go Back.
London, March 24.-It is reporte
that the British ambassador at Wash