Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-06-05
NATIONAL CAPITAL BUDGET
Senator Morgan Insists Upon Action
on His Resolution Respecting
Competitor Incident.
The PRESIDENT is NOT The SOLE JUDGE
Senate Should Not Adjourn Until Ad-
vised on Cuban Affairs-Every Day
Americans Are Held in Havana
is a Day of Dishonor.

washington, June 5.-Amendments to
the joint resolution for the reorganiza-
tion of the Northern Pacific were offered
in the senate by Senators Mitchell and
Nelson, providing that the new company
shall be liable on the land treaties of the
old company; also for injuries to persons
and property.
Mr.. Morgan asked for action on his res
olntion requesting the president for in
formation as to the capture.of the Com.
petitor by the Spanish war ship and the
condemnation to death of United States
citizens, anG whether any demand has
been made for the release of the citizens.
The senator said that, while the case
was one of great gravity, involving the
unwarranted condemnation to death of
American citizens, yet no information
except through the press reports and
rumors had been received. The execu-
tive branch of the government had not
given the slightest information on the
subject.
DUTY OF THE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Morgan read the statutes requir-
ing the president to make demand for
the release of American citizens. He
argued that it was the duty of the presi-
dent under the constitution to keep con-
gress advised on the state of the Union
and in particular with regard to foreign
affairs.
Of late the courteous custom had
arisen to adopt resolutions making re-
quests on the president for information,
but this did not relieve the president
from the duty of giving full information,
and it was only of late, Mr.. Morgan said,
that the failure of the executive to give
such information to congress had grown.
The question was raised by Mr.. Sher-
man as to the propriety of Mr.. Morgan
making public use of the testimony of
Lawrence before the committee on for
eign relations.
The Alabama senator sharply rejoined
that there should be no such concealment
of the facts from the country.
PRESIDENT NOT THE SOLE JUDGE.
Mr.. Morgan said that the testimony of
Lawrence, who was present at the Com
petitor trials at Havana, showed the
grossly irregular character of the pro-
ceedings; "and yet" declared the senator,
'the president has paid no more atten-
tion to the subject than though it had
been the slaughter of some poor negro or
mulatto in the Cuban army"
Mr.. Morgan said that he did not want
to commit to the president the sole au-
thority to demand or withhold demand
for the release of Americans or to recog-
nize or Withhold the dignity of belliger-
ency.
TRIAL CONDUCTED IN SPANISH.
Mr.. Mills reminded Mr.. Morgan that
the Lawrence testimony had shown that
the Americans on trial at Havana had not
understood any of the proceedings, which
were conducted in Spanish.
eyes," Mr.. Morgan continued, "that
testimony of Lawrence shows that the
entire trial was in the Spanish language.
When an American prisoner was told to
stand up he said, 4 do not understand
what you have been saying, how am to
answer your brief explanation was
made. Then the sentence of death was
pronounced on that American citizen"
The senator said that occasional groans
and shrieks we're heard from that stricken
country telling of the terrible butchery
going on there.
SENATE SHOULD BE INFORMED.
He had received letters from Cuba,
some with the seals broken, detailing the
conditions prevalent there. Before the
benaGo duJOuFus III suoulu KNOW lrOm Uuo
president what the situation there is and
whether American citizens are to meet
with death without a demand for their
lives.
Mr.. Morgan SAID that he had great re-
spect for the Office of president, but this
was a government of law, not of provis.
ional will. The president is enjoined to
execute the laws; he swears in his official
oath to obey the law. The senate had re-
quested information of the president and
he had replied that it was incompatible
with the public interest, although
section 200l of the statutes provided
that, when demand was made for the
release of an American,"all the facts rela-
tive thereto, as soon as practicable, shall
be communicated by the president to
congress-"
The senator declared that every day of
confinement of American prisoners at
Havana was day of dishonor. Congress,
which was the sole war power, should not
leave without authorizing that power to
be used if nee essary.