The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-17
and conferred for some time with Mr..
AIdrich lrenl of Rhode Ialand - n

and conferred for some time with Mr..
Ahrich lrep.) of Rhode Island.
The bill validating certain New Mexico
bonds was taken up, the house amend
ments agreed to and the senate amend
ments disagreed to, so that the bill now
goes to the president
Mr.. Palmer (dem.) Of Illinois called up
one OF the pension bills heretofore vetoed
by the president, but yielded to Mr.. Nor
gan for a speech on Cuba.
Mr.. Morgan said:
1 VIII conf1ne my remarks to comments
upon the facts stated in the recent an.
nual message of the president and the
4 report of the secretary Of state. 1 am
not able to discover that the president
has made. any specific recommendation
or indication as to any action he deems
proper or expedient for congress to take
with reference to Spain or Cuba, nor
that he has indicated any course, except
still patient waiting, that the executive
proposes to take Congress, thus left TO
| ITS own initiative, must assume its own
responsibility in matter of the most
serious gravity.
Congress must give to the statements
OF the president unhesitating acceptance
as to the matters that were committed
by the constitution to his especial charge.
When he undertakes to state the facts
that effects our relations with other pow
ers we must accept those facts unless
the disproof of them Is overpowering.
This message Is therefore, Of the most
Importance as a statement OF the leading
facts and conclusions that bear on our
duties in respect 10 the conflict of arms
which has ragged for over two years In
the island Of Cuba, and It has the sup
port Of nearly all Of American belief. I
have not heard that Spain controverts
any statement Of the president in his
message. The evidence that comes from
private sources relative to the conditions
of the Cubans and the horrors and per-
secution, rapine and determination visited
upon the people of Cuba, admits no doubt
as to its credibility. Yet it presents pic
fraceful to the civilization Of this age
that 1t stuns the mind into disbelief that
such things can be true"
As Mr.. Morgan spoke the galleries
filled and he was followed with close at
tention.
Mr.. Morgan went on to speak of the
trying situation. which required prompt
action to save thousands of innocent peo-
pie from cruel and deliberate butchery.
The wholesale massacres of Spain was no
surprise to the people, who had antici-
pated 1t.
IF war with the United States Is nee
essary to reconcile the Spanish people to
the loss of Cuba by foreign conquest"
said Mr.. Morgan, I'VE shall be compelled
to meet that emergency. If the destruc-
tion of Cuba is enough to satisfy the pop
ular sentiment of wrong, we can avoid
war with Spain by remaining inactive
or slaughtered along with the Cubans.
If we mean to take any action towards
stopping this war of annihilation and ex-
termination we have no time to lose"
Mr.. Morgan spoke Of the resolution Of
congress at the last session, which, he
said, left to the president the choice Of
concurring with the policy of congress
or delaying. The president chose delny.
The war has continued" said Mf.
Morgan, until it has reached the final
and desperate stage Of a war Of devasta-
tion and extermination with the people
of Cuba las prey to those who have
set aside the honorable usages Of war,
and have become robbers, cutthroats, as
sassins, ravishers and pirates"
All of these crimes, Mr.. Morgan de-
clared will have been found to have been
authentically stated to our government
when the seals Of secrecy are broken
and the are brought to the knowledge Of
the world for the vindication Of our
course, "if we are forced to war. to put
an end to this saturnalia of blood and
fire."
Congress has reason to regret the in
action of the president. A firm declara-
tion that the conflict In Cuba had reached
the stage of open public war, would have
admonished Spain that the United States,
at least, would hold her accountable for
the observance Of the rules Of civilized
warfare.
The senator spoke bitterly of the inter-
ference of supposed business interests
to prevent the government from ending
the horror and brutal purpose of infuri-
ated men,"
Mr.. Morgan spoke Of the necessity for
protecting our citizens abroad. Refer
ring to Turkey, he expressed the hope
that the policy Of this government should
not be relaxed and that we would not
much longer hear Of these Turkish Of
fenses against humanity.
Tho senator asserted that our people
in Cuba have rights under the laws OF
nations which the courts Of all nations
will enforce, despite the opposition even
Of the president Of the United States, II
he should oppose them. He would give
these laws full force and effect. Our pe0
pie were not content, said Mr.. Morgan,
to suffer the wrong within earshot OF our
frontier and to pile up claims, petitions
and proofs to be brought before Spain
in the endless palaver Of diplomatic
While we know that wrongs have been
done to our people and other wrongs are
our government is In the most
humiliating state Of "innocuous desue-
tude" IL 1t interposes no helping hand to
the sufferers and refuses to forbid the
further devastation and death that cruel
is now inflicting upon them.
The senator said he foresaw that the
time was near at hand when the final
stand of the United States must be taken.
II was foreshadowed by the message and
the moment might come at any time the
president would take definite and final
stand.
When this came the senator would fol-
low the colors Of the president, and II 1t
meant war, would any American hesitate
10 respond?
There was no alternative for further
delay or Intervention.
In conclusion, Mr.. Morgan said:
ain this condition Of impotency to es-
tablish permanent peace in Cuba and
security for our own people
while the Spanish monarchy is dominant
n the island, we have no alternative left
IN but the single choice between the con
.inuous repetition of the evils portrayed
n the message of the president, or base,
and cruel delay on our part,
while rapine and destruction are ram
,ant in Cuba, In the hope that some favor