The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-20

would be no thieves. The episode was
| quickly over and at its close the House
adjourned.
in THE SENATE.
The Senate took up the conference re-
port on the Cuban question.
| Mr.. Gray, Democrat of Delaware, a
member of the commitJae on foreign rela-
tions, said it would be vain to attempt to
disguise the feeling Of sympathy that o.
oupied the breast of every true American
in regard to the struggle in Cuba. Yet
the government of the United States
strictly enforced the neutrality laws and
had gone to the very verge Of It's inter-
national obligations in protecting Spain
from the effect of that widespread SYM
pathy. That feeling found proper, re-
speotful and oourteous expression in the
resolutions passed by the Senate. How
ever much Spain might be irritated by
that action, she had no right in any In
| ternational point of view to find fault
with, or call to account the government
of the United States for that expression
of opinion Of its people. Mr.. Gray ar
gued that this was no reason why the
| Senate should accept the House resolu-
| tions after its own resolutions were con-
| temptuously swept aside. He thought
there was grave objection to the language
of the House resolution. 1t did not put
| ths attitude of Congress where it ought
to be put as correctly as the Senate reso-
luton did.
Mr.. Platt, Republican of Connecticut
inquired whether there was any proof be-
fore the committee on foreign relations
that Spain failed to carry out her promis-
es at the paoifoation of the last revolt in
Cuba.
Mr.. Hale observed that it was remark
able that the committee on foreign rcla-
tions had not furnished any facts on that
point. The Senator from Ohio (Mr. Sher-
man) has merely stated that Spain violat-
ed her promises. He (Mr. Hale) asserted
the contrary. Spain, he said. had given
home rule to Cuba. She had established
a council, made up, half by election, half
by appointments. J Representation1in the
Cortes had been accorded to Cuba and
Porto Rico. just as Spain was enlarging
those
| CONCESSIONS TO HOME RULE,
the present revolt had broken out. Mr..
Hale remarked that those were ssfaots
this country has never been permitted TO
know" Mr.. Hoar joined in criticizing
the receut statement of Mr.. Sherman
that Spain had refused to carry out any
of the promises she had made. He asked
whether the committee on foreign rela-
tions stood by, or did not stand by its
chairman S statement.
Mr. Gray said he did not understand
that the committee had passed definitely
on that question. What it passed upon
was, whether such a state of public war
existed in Cuba as entitled it to be recog-
nized as bellige1enoy.
MIR. Sherman said that he had read a
letter from Gen. Campos, written year
after the paojfcation of 1875 showing
that all OF the promises of Spain had
been violated.
Mr.. Platt asked in what respect Spain
failed to keep the promises made in the
terms OF capitulation in 1878.
Mr.. Hale inquired whether anybody
denied that Cuba had representation in
| the Spanish Cortes.
Mr. Sherman-Sho had one delegate.
Mr.. Hale-I have list here showing
that Cuba and Porto Rico have in the
Spanish Cortes forty y-fye members in
| the House of Deputies, and fourteen
or fifteen members in the Senate.
Mr.. Gray-How many of them are ap-
pointed by the governor general of
Cuba?
Mr. Hale-Not one. Every essential
thing in that pacif1oation has been given
by Spain.
l
exclaimed, 81 speak with some feeling be-
cause am laboring under
SENSE OF INDIGNATION
on account of the suppression of the real
facts in this case. The committee has
kept the real facts from the Senate
Mr.. Gray proceeded with his speech, in
by Mr.. Hale that Mr. Gray sarcastioally
apologized for breaking SO often. II Q
pitched into Mr. Hale's speech and re-
ferred to him, as il by slip Of the tongue,
as the Senator from Spain. daughter.
| Mr.. Gray closed with an expression Of
hope that "Spain, without rupture Of
| friendly relations. shall sit down with us.
at council hoard of the nations and
consider whether there may not be soms
| other issue of this sorry controversy, than
the determination of whole people fight
| ing for their 1iberties.''
Mr.. Chiffon, Democrat of Texas, fav-
ored joint resolution recognizing the
belligerency of the Cubans, and not a
concurrent resolution. He did not think
| that Congress alone had the right to de-
clare war or give belligerent rights with
out the concurrenosssof the President ex-
cept when Congress accorded these rights
over the Presidents veto by o-thirds
vote He said that the tone of public
| opinion, while mild in the beginning,
was growing more and more aggressive.
The House resolutions were offered to
cater to the warlike spirit now dominant
in the United States. Against
| THIS WARLIKE SPIRIT
he felt called upon to protest. The Unit
ed States had nothing to gain by such
| war and much to lose.
The Senators spoke Of the barbarities
being practical in Cuba, hut there were
no facts on which to base suoh assertions.
If America was to go forth and purify the
world, why did 1t not turn its attention
to Russia and Turkey. He believed the
Intervention Of the United States in the
Cuban affairs meant the ultimate annex
alton Of the island to the United States,
with all the difficulties attendant upon