The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-03-26
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.

Washington, March 19.-In the senate
today Mr.. Davis Rep.) of Minnesota
chairman of the committee on territories,
reported favorably the bill to admit New
Mexico to statehood.
"A resolution authorizing the use of the
uneXpended balance of the appropriation
for canal and locks in Columbia river
Oregon, amounting to $4,000 was
passed.
A bill was passed authorizing the
building of a bridge across the Tennessee
river at Knoxville, Tenn.
Mr.. Sherman insisted at 1870 o'clock
on going on with the Cuban question, re-
sisting the opportunities of several sena-
tors to take up minor bills.
Mr.. Sherman stated that Mr.. Mills of
Texas, who was entitled to the floor on
the Cuban debate, was sick in bed.
Mr.. Stewart of Nevada was then recog-
nized in support of the Cuban resolutions.
He spoke of the Intellectual effort of
125,OOO Spanish soldiers to put down the
uprising.
Cuba was smaller in area than the
Il debt of less than $30000,000, while
S3OO,OO0,O00 of SPANS debt was secured
by the customs duties of Cuba. 1t was
an extension to this hemisphere of
Great Britain's course in placing Egypt
under the lash in order to meet the
Egyptian debt The greed of Spanish
bondholders was at the bottom of Cuba S
slavery to Spain. The American people
were thrilled with sympathy for Cuba,
said he, and yet senators stood here
quibbling over a report of the facts.
Let us pass a joint resolution" de-
clared Mr. Stewart, "and throw the re-
sponsibility on the president for thwart-
ing the resolutions"
Mr.. Gray Dem.) of Delaware said that
as a member of the committee on foreign
relations he had withheld his assent from
the conference report accepting the house
resolutions. He regarded the original
senate resolution as preferable and it was
consistent with the dignity of the senate
to insist upon the form which had COM
manded such overwhelming strength in
the senate. There was no reason why
the senate should abandon it's position,
thus contemptuOusly sweeping aside an
expression first in point of time.
He abated nothing in his support of
the original resolutions. The authorized
statement of Premier Canovas Del Cas-
had specifically spoken of the conflict as
"a civil war"
1t was a self-evident war with 100000
Spanish soldiers in the field and the SEN
ate resolutions merely recognized this
fact.
A controversy arose when Mr.. Gray
asserted that the present war was pre-
cipitated by SPANS failure to carry out
her promises to Cuba, made at the close
of the former rebellion.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut said this as
sertion was frequently made, but no evil
dence was given, and he asked if the COM
mittee on foreign relations knew the as
sertiOn to be true.
Mr.. Hale also asked if the committee
did not know that General Campos, who
is so lauded in contradistinctiOn to Cen
eral Weyler, had stated that Spain had
carried out in detail all material prom
ises and was proceeding to enlarge the
conditions of autonomy and home rule in
Cuba when this struggle broke out. Mr.
Hale said he had documents to show this
Mr.. Hoar also took hand in unfolding
this view.
Mr.. Hale insisted that Spain had car
ried out every one of her promises, save
those of a minor character.
Mr.. Hale added:
81 speak with some feeling because
am laboring under a sense of indignation
at the suppression of acts. The COM
mittee has kept the facts from the coun-
''Does the senator know" questioned
Mr.. Gallnger, sharply, that the Cubans
can not hold a meeting without having it
suppressed by some Spanish function
airy"
Mr.. Hale answered that this was fact
of which he was not informed and not
pertinent to the question.
During his remarks Mr.. Gray caused
great amusement by the remark to Mr..
Hale, II call the attention of the senator
from Spain"
There was a round of laughter in which
Mr.. Hale did not join and Mr.. Gray quick
ly corrected the apparent inadvertence by
saying Il should say the senator from
E'aine."
Mr.. Gray frequently alluded to the SEN
ator from Spain, each time quickly cor
recting it amid suppressed laughter
He referred to the bloody Spanish or
der in the last Cuban rebellion, declaring
to be pirates anyone found in insurrec-
ton on the high seas.
Did not the Federal government seek
to do this in 1902" said Mr.. Hale.
God forbid that that be true" an
swered Mr.. Gray.
Mr.. Hale said that the Federal order
was not carried out.
"Why was it not carried out?' asked
Dir. Morgan, rising quickly