The herald., 1896-04-04

that all Cubans and friends OF Cuba turn.
The reason is plain. They know 1t would
be of Importance and inestimable assist
ance to the Cuban cause. 1t would give
them flag; it would give them status in
the world. IL they procured vessel and
entered New York harbor tomorrow with
their lone star flag they would be liable to
be treated as pirates.
But with q recognized flag they could
enter as the ships from all countries do.
They could buy munitions Of war openly;
they could buy supplies of every kind.
Ihe Spanish government buys munitions
of war at Hartford and at Philadelphia
buys supplies, loads ships-in fact, the
United States is today the base of opera
tons in furious war to crush those who
are struggling for liberty, and our govern
ment has been busted for year in obey
ing the intimatio1s of the Spanish minis
ter.
The success of the Cubans is now prob
able. They have fought on successfully
for a year, each month and e,ch week
pressing forward, bringing province after
province under their power. until their
authority has extended over 600 miles
from the eastern to the western end of the
island. and the Spanish forces are today
largely penned in the cities.
The million white people of Cuba once
organized into an Independent government,
will soon settle into q stable condition and
enter upon a career of prosperity. Ameri-
cans who are descendants of those who
struggled through contest against tyran-
ny like that today in Cuba should not be
false to the memory Of their fathers or the
traditions and spirit Of their history.
We are under no obligations to favor
Spain and oppression as against Cuba and
freedom. Remember how Spain invaded
| and seized upon Santo Domingo when the
United States was engaged in the war of
the rebellion. 1t was disclosed in the de.
bates in the Spanish cortes afterward that
that occupation OF Santo Domingo was
entered upon expressly to thwart the infiu-
ence Of the United States and prevent our
obtaining station at Samana.
When this vote has been given. as it will
be. overwhelmingly by this house, concur
ring with the Senate in expressing the will
of the people of the United States, we cam
not doubt the executive will act and obey
the voice of the nation and that we will
speedily hear that the president has rec.
ognized the belligerency of the struggling
Cubans.
Mr.. Swanson democrat of virginia)
asked If these resolutions would carry with
them the recognition of Cuban belliger-
| ency.
| Mr.. Hit replied that they would not of
themselves. but he had no doubt that they
would lead to the recognition of the Cubans
by presidential proclamation.
II do not believe" said he, "that the
as to disregard the expressed wish of the
representatives of the people. have
faith that the president is the agent of the
people and their representative, not their
ruler" loud applause.)
The conference committee, he explained,
in answer to a question, had no power to
change the form of the resolution from
| concurrent to joint, go as to compel affirm
ative or NEGATIVE action by the president.
"The Cuban people," continued Mr.:
Hit, ''are earnestly devoted to the cause Of
Independence. They regard Spanish rule
with the utmost detestation.''
"The people of Cuba" said Mr.. Patter-
| son. " are practically united in the cause
of autonomy; in my opinion they are en-
| titled to it. and il this government would
| interfere to prevent Spain from acquiring
| territory in continents of this hemisphere
or the contiguous islands, do not see why
the United States should not interpose to
prevent Spain from retaining territory by
subiugation."
Mr.. Hyde asked Mr.. Hit whether, il the
president refused to take any action on the
resolutions, their effect would he nothing.
Mr.. Hit replied that he declined to en-
tertain such a hypothesis, a response that
was greeted with tumultuous applause.
Mr.. Boutelle, Republican of Maine, who
has steadily opposed the passage of any
Cuban resolutions, then took the floor. He
said he had never regretted his course, and
ne tnOuguV his attltuOo naQ De0n VlnQlcat.
ed by subsequent events. This proceeding
was remarkable illustration of show not
to do it.'
The resolutions had no legal effect. They
amounted to nothing. That had been pro-
claimed in the senate and was we'll under
stood here. The chairman of the foreign
relations committee in the senate admitted
that the resolutions when brought back by
the committee were as dead as Julius
Caesar. They could never have passed the
senate, and therefore the house conferees
thought it was wise to SURF ender.
Mr.. Hit denied emphatically that it had
ever been admitted in the senate that it
would have been impossible to pass them
again in that body.
Mr.. Boutelle, continuing, argued that
public ardor on the subject had measur-
ably cooled and that there was no demon
strable proof of the existence of the fact of
Cuban belligerency. He taunted the com.
mittee with having refused to make the
resolutions joint, and insisted that it was
clearly understood that the president did
! not favor bellgerency. He did not pretend
10 voice the whole public sentiment of the
country, but he did represent the conserva-
tive element that deprecated foreign broils
that might eventuate in a foreign war.
Mr.. Boutelle created much amusement
by a sarcastic description of the presidents
twist of the British lions tail in his Vene-
zuelan message. He painted Mr.. Cleve-
land in battle array, with plumes stream
ing and sword clankiug, marching down to
the seashore and shaking his fist at John
Bull, crying:
Fee. fl. 10, fun!
smell the blood OF an Englishman!
"Four days afterward," continued Mr..
Boutelle, '"just as we are preparing to
pack our grips and go home for our Christ
mas turkey, this great warrior, with
plumes broken and spurs tangled in his
trousers, dragged himself up the steps of
the capitol and made his Macedonian ap-
peal. The treasury's bankrupt; for Gods
sake, gentlemen, don't go home until you
have given us money enough to tide over
the holidays
"That," said he disgustedly, sis what
you call vigorous foreign policy"
In support of his contention against the
recognition OF bellieerency, Mr.. Boutelle
read from the messages of General Grant
and charged that it was the boast of the
revolutionists that they had burned and
destroyed crops, fields and villages in order
to drive the people into insurrection.
After he concluded, Mr.. Smith of Michi-
gan secured a minute in which to read the
declaration of the Massachusetts Republic
can convention on the Cuban question.
Mr.. Skinner, Populist. of North Carolina
closed the debate for the day with brief
speech in favor of the adoption of the con-
ference report.
Without action. at Il O the house took a
recess until o'clock.
At the pension session of the house to.
night several members attacked Mr.. Er(l-
l1oI -