The Portland daily press., 1896-12-22
CONGRESS- and CUBA.
continued from First Page,
MILLS AND MoRoAN's REPORT

MILLS AND MOR0AN'S REPORT
Further Reasons Adduced for Interference
in Cuba's Behalf.
Washington, December 21.-Senators
Mills of Texas and Morgan of Alabama,
Join In making an additional report on
the Cameron resolution. While they give
the majority report their approval, they
deem it well to present additional rea-
sons for the passage of the resolution.
They quote the report OF the committee
on foreign RELATIONS In 1859, when that
committee was considering the Senate
bill making propositions to facilitate
the acquisition of Cuba by negotiations,
and make this comment: ''That report
covers period of SO years and sets forth
the political conditions and disastrous
effects of Spanish rule during that time.
They are the same in their leading char
acteristics that existed at the beginning
of the insurrection set on foot by the
native population in 1869. in the outbreak
at farra followed by ten years OF war
fare attended with horrible butchsry.
The causes that provoked the uprising of
the native Cubans are the same that are
stated in the report of the Ommittee
made ten years previously in 1885,"
Senators Morgan and Mills say that
Spain is not the "mother country" of
Cuba, even in tho sense of having sup
piled that island with large part of the
ancestors OF her present population. She
is cruel stspmother, whose introduce
tion into the Cuban family has been the
Immediate cause Of robbery of the step
children of their inheritence, and their
cruel prosecution to keep down revolt.
After quoting a speech made in the
Senate in 1859 by Hon. j. r. Benjamin,
which they consider q more complete
statement of the condition of the people
government in that island then than
stated in the report of the committee
in 1861 they say that the relations OF
Spain and the United States were not
then. strained by the disturbance OF
actual inaurrection in Cuba as afterward
from 1868 to 1878, and have almost ever
since and are now by the excessive and
inhuman abuses of power in Cuba to
which no limit can be anticipated.
The President recognizes the fact that
the present war is for independence on
tho part of the CubaHs and not for the
gratifying of personal ambition or alone
for the redress Of personal or political
grievances.
Hon. Estrada Palma, the report con-
Jinues, was duly accredited diplomatic
delegate plenipotentiary to the United
4
stituticnnl assembly of the republic Of
Cuba. He addressed note to the. Secre-
tary of State, accompanied by state
ment of the facts in which the case of
Cuba is set forth officially. In the papers
that accompanied this note, the delegate
stated the causos and progress OF the re-
volution in Cuba and showed that 1t
had reached a stage In which the issue
between the contending parties is tnde-
pandapca or aXtarmina fiOD. -
The recent message of the President is
clear on the point that he has been
forced to the same conclusion.
Enc letter Of the Secretary Of State is a
declaration of the Independence of Cuba,
stating the grounds of the Cuban peo-
pies united action. That declaration is
in keeping with the historical narrative
given by MIR. Benjamin in his speech
with the report of the committee on for
eign relations in 1859 with the messages
of President Grant and Hayes and the
letters of Mr.. Sickles and Mr.. Gushing ms
IN inistars to Spain and Mr.. Fish and MT.
Evarts as secretaries of state.
All these papers are uniform in the
statements of wrongs and grievances of
the Cuban people and of the wrongful
course Of Spain toward them. No one
has contradicted any of those statements
upon the part of Spanish government
or of any officer Of oreditable authority.
The tenor of the message to this session
of Congress is reaffirmation OF all this
history.
The President, the report says, has in
timated that delay is the wisast policy,
but he has RETAINED from saying that
delay is required by our national honor
or By the interests of humanity. The
report declares that the only difference
in the situation in Cuba, rs descibed
in the report Of the Senate committee in
1859, and described in the President e
message in 1896. is that tneAwrongs of
Cuba have been aggravated and the
means Of repression employed by Spain
has grown into war against humanity,
a war Of determination of the native pop
ulation.
-.In conclusion the report says: eff the
iirm purpose of our predecessors tn put
an End to this condition of affairs in
Cuba III the compa ratively mild form IF
tyranny that existed fifty years ago, has
degenera ted into doubts and misgivlnga
as to our duty to our own people and the
demands of Christian civilization, let the
responsibility for this lapse from the
true spirit of American liberty and our
love of home rule and independence rest
whore it justly belongs not upon the
people. through inditferen ce to their will
on the part of their representatives in
Congress.