The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-01-30
ANATION SREQUESI TOSPAIN
To Grant Belligerent Rights to Cuban
RevOlutlOniStS.
IT WILL PROBABLY BE IGNORED
The Remarkable Resolution Reported by
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Tillman vigorously De-
nounoes President Cleveland

WASHINGTON, Jan. 80. The presenta.
tion of foreign relations committee reports
on Cuba, and highly dramatic and SEN
sational speech from Mr. Tillman, the
new senator from South Carolina furn-
ished two stirring events in the senate
yesterday. The majority resolution on
Cuba asks the president to urge Spain to
grant belligerent rights to the insurgents,
while the minority report directs the presi-
dent to take steps towards securing from
Spain the complete independence of Cuba
Both resolutions went TO the senate cal
endar.
The action which the committee urges
the president to take in respect to Cuba is
said by persons versed in diplomacy to be
absolutely without precedent. Never be-
fore has a nation been requested to accord
belligerent rights to rebels against its gov
ernment and never have such rights been
accorded. A recognition of belligerency
amounts to nothing unless manifested in
proclamation of neutrality, so that the
senate committee's proposition is really
equivalent TO a request upon Spain to per-
init the United States to issue proclama-
tion declaring ourselves neutral as respects
the present conflict in Cuba.
If it was the intention of the senate com
mittee to secure humane treatment of the
Cubans, and to insure them against cap
ital punishment under the charge of trea-
son, this, it is said, might have been indi-
Gated by n request that Spain recognize
the municipal balligerency of the insur-
gents, which would in no sense be equiva-
lent to an admission of international
belligerency. Because the United States
government in our late war treated cap
tive Confederates as prisoners of war,
made exchanges of prisoners and >recog-
nized flags of truce, the nations of Europe
held that we had recognized their belliger-,
ency and Immediately, by the issue of neu-
trality proclamations. proceeded practi-
cally to recognize the belligerency of the
south themselves
Mr.. Seward, then secretary of state, en-
tered most vigorous protest, and in the
course of the correspondence he made
IL very nice distinction, showing that
the United States had been induced to
treat the COnfederates in this fashion
solely from impulses of humanity, and
not from any consideration of intcrna-
tional law. His protests were unava!ling
to affect the action of European nations,
but he did place the United Statcs on
record in a fashion that will make it ex-
tremcly difficult for our administration to
reconcile Mr. Stewards utterances with a
compliance with the request Of congress-
presuming that the senate committees
resolution will be adopted.
Such torrent of invectiye has seldom
been heard in the senate as that in the
speech of Mr.. Tillman Veteran members
of the body characterized the speech as
fft 40 lvul la in ha
of the upper branch of congress. 1t
abounded in statements of sensational
character, arraigning President Cleveland,
Secretary Carlisle and other men in high
places. There was a directness of state
ment and a dramatic manner of delivery
which awed floor and galleries. The ges-
lures of the senator Were used frequently
in acting his words. At one point he made
profound salute and clipped his hat to
Sherman" us the financial victor of
quarter of century The galleries were
moved alternately to applause and laugh
ter. Pausing for "A sip of water, amid
rounds of laughter, he remarked 81 sci
dom wet my whistle while | speak; still,
you can't run windmill on water"
The next moment there was II hush
through the chamber as the senator ap-
piled such names as Judas" to n member
of the cabinet or characterized the presi-
dent in bitter terms. At times the sem
ator's voice sank TO Il whisper, as, for in
stance, when he gave warning of the ap-
proach of popular revolution and the
marching on Washington Of a host with
rifles In their hands. Again his voice re
sounded through the chamber and the
outer corridors as he called senators and
members towards for not resorting to
impeachment.
Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas, gave further
notice of test Of endurance today if nee
essary to secure "A vote on the silver bond
bill, after Senator Hill had declared that
he would not consent to a vote before
Feb o.
The session of the house was brief. The
opposition to bill reported from the in
valid pensions committee to amend the act
Of 1890 so that in the consideration of
widows claims unexplained absence for
seven years should be considered sufficient
proof of death, led TO the making OF the
point of no quorum early in the session,
and the house was forced to adjourn after
passing several public land bills