The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-21

Cuban question came before the senate
to-day for definite and final action, and
Is expected that votes will be taken
al early date on uhe several pending
propositions--requestng Spain TO
recognize the belliEerency OF Cubans,
and requesting 4 recognition OF Cuban
Independence. There Is every indIea-
t,un, also, that the debate will lead TO
nare radical and decisive resolutions.
The Cuban resolution as reported by
the committee on foreign affairs, is as
follows:
resolved, BY the senate tths house
OK representatives eoneurr!ng). that in
the opinion OF Congress a condition
OF public war exists between the gov
ernment OF Spain and the government
proclaimed and for some time NAM
tanned by force OF arms by the people OF
Cuba; and that the United States OF
America should maintain strict neu-
rallty between the contending powers.
according to each all the rights OF bel
liSerents in the ports and territory Of
the United States"
Mr.. Cameron. CRep.. Penua-), moved
the substitution OF the following:
Resolved, That the President Is
hereby requested TO interpose his
friendly offices with the Spanish gov
ernment for the recognition OF the In
dependence Of Cuba
The opening OF the debate to-day
drew large crowds 10 the galleries, and
there were frequent demonstrations OF
approval at the stirring and dramatic
vb.e-nnces OF several OF the speakers,
aIr. Lodge. OF Mass, and Mr.. Morgan,
OF Alabama, were particvaarly forctoie
and direct In their language, Mr.. Nor
e.an explaining the rise and spread or
the rebellion. Mr.. Lodge said:
Just year ago another revolution
began. II began IN the eastern part OF
the island with sman band OF 200 men.
With the vast wilderness of lyns bull
!sEiins that comes from Spain Il is very
d.fiouk and II Is not worth while per
hans TO trace the bastles which have
been fought. But there are certain
Facts RG1ich there is no mistakinS.
Those men who started SO feebly q
year aso In the eastern part Of the
Island have crept over that island
from one end to the other.
The 500 have grown until even to-
day the hostile accounts rephesent
them at 5000 in the field. We oil
know that the railroad lines, that the
telegraph lines are down, that every re-
port Of Spanish victory that comes to
US IN 1he newspapers Is followed oy
the statement OF fresh 4nsurgent i'd
vance. We know as matter OF fact
tErat the whole Of that island to-day
except where the SpSnISh fleets ride at
anchor and where Tlre Spanish armies
are encamped, Ia In the Glands OF the
lrsurEents. We know they have
formed government; that they have
hail two elections; that every officer
IN the army holds his commission from
tho government which They have es.
tablished. We know the terms OF that
provisional government and in the
presence of these facts and OF the
fighting that these men have done, l
think u not unreasonable OF them 10
ask some recognition at the hands OF
che United Statea,'
A Comparison.
Comparing the former commander.
Gen. Martinez de Campos. with the
present one. Gen. wyler, Mr.. Lodge
said:
Martinez campos, the ablest general
In Spain, has been recalled because he
failed to put down this insurrection-
recalled when the insurgent troops had
been actually in the suburbs OF Havana
and in his place has been sent a man
whose only reputation known to the
world Is that OF the most cold.blooded
brutality In the late war for liberty In
that island"
Again the senator said. referring to
the desperate lighting OF the insur-
Cuba is fighting not only for inde-
pondcnce. These men are fighting
every one Of them, with n price on
their heads and n rope around their
necks. They have shown TINT they
could fight well, They are fighting the
battle OF despair"
He would, he said. go further than
the resolution Of the committee. While
other Spaniard depcncics had broken
away from Spain. Cuba had remained
faithful. earning the title Faithful
Cuba" And yet oppression, dishOn-
esty and robbery had been visited ON
the island
The time bud come, declared Mr.
Lodge. when Il was the duty Of the
United States. to act firmly and fully.
The past relations between this c0un-
try and Spain offered no ties 0f Eratl-
tude or blood 10 check our action The
senator reviewed the "aiouIahip Of
Spain" toward the United States. Eng
land was the ilrst 10 thruHt her hand
into our bloody wound NJ the outbreak
OF the civil war, Franco was next and
Spain followed. Within three months
OF tho firing on Sumter spnll had rec
ogYllZNd the COufedcThrv.
The senator nnalyZcd the "bloody de-
crecs" issued by General WcyIcr,
plnn OF "daHOlatiOn and determination"
He may proIong tho agony until the iH-
land is solitude. and yet we. TlX hours
away. stand Idly by AG n matter ~
humanity the senator appealed for ac-
tida.
There was hearty applause as Mr..
lA1lgc ClOSed with thc following per-
urntlon:
'Ir that war COOS on In Cubu, with
ths added horrors which this new gem
oral hringB with him: n II continue.
the responsibility iH an ur. We cannot
escape Il. We should exert every In
ruCuc. of tho United States Stand
Inv As / hclievc they do. for humanity
rnl civilization. we should cNercis"
ivory Influence NJ our great country 10
pHt a stop 70 that war which r. now
soglng there. and Try to give 10 TINT
'HlnnA mlce more peace aul liberty
and security"
Nr Morgan, who reported tho resO-
lu'l"n expressed the UpluisI ,44t .,ay
t.'.rU hat thls country mig tntc
i'nbing " Cuban recognition would re-
ryIi H. war with Spain, and he also
da,4 that Spain would welcome u war