River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-03-12
OPPOSED TO RECOGNITION.
Senator Hale Not in Favor of Granting
l.uhnns Relii eerenf Rights.

Senator Hale Not in Favor of Granting
Cubans Beliigerent Rights.
Wash ngton, March 10--The Cuban
belligerency resolution as reported
from the conference committee did not
have the plain, smooth sailing in the
senate Monday which the resolutions
of the same import had when they were
reported from the committee on for
eign relations. At that time there was
practically no obstacle interposed TO
them, but on Monday when the confer
ence report was taken mp in the senate
it was attacked by Senator Hale (rep..
Mel in two-hours' speech of great
force and earnestness.
He was one of the few senators. he said,
who had voted against the concurrent
resolutions reported from the committee
on foreign relations and he had seen no
reason since TO regret his action. and
should vote against the conference report.
All the reasons that he gave since then
| had grown In strength. The conditions
existing did not, he believed, justify
recognition of those in rebellion against
/ friendly government as belligerents
| The infiammatory appeals of senators,
| based upon statements that were not cor
roborated, was not sufficient to persuade
/ him TO act other than he had acted Sub
| proved. Senator Hale said, the business
/ of the position he had assumed.
The insurgents in Cuba to-day had, Sen
ator Hale asserted, no government except
| on paper. they held no courts; their power
1 Is seated in struggling bands. in struggling
/ camps. 1t has not only not won battle.
but has not fought what car be called a
battle. 1t is q clear case of pure guerrilla
warfare.
/ There was TO comparison between the
conditions in Cuba and in the southern
| states during our rebellion when foreign
/ governments recognized their rights as
| helligerents. The southern states held at
/ that time undisputed possession of vast
/ territory; the states had set up their own
] government, organized courts of Justice
| modified armies and sustained a navy.
Not one of these details had been secured
In Cuba by the insurgents. The recognI-
/ ton granted them by foreign governments
was done in courteous language. and not
through the passage of insulting resolu-
tions.
Senator Hale said the only explanation
| for the public and press clamor against
| Spain was that the country and congress
| had been falsely and mendaciously mis-
| led with conditions which did not exist.
Senator Hale referred TO the statement
made by Senator Sherman as to atrocities
committed by Gen. Weyler. 1t has since
| been shown that this was an ingenious
| effort to fasteE on the Spanish uban sit
uatlo0 OF to-day events OF 10 wears ago,
| but these alleged events were mendacious
| fabrications, fiction from beginning TO
end set up by somebody TO distort public
feeling.
He read from current news dispatches
of the burning by the insurgents of IL
| towns and the destruction of tobacco and
| of the inhabitants wandering helpless and
| starving through the country These -
said he, ARE the methods adopted to lie
feat Spain. Here" he continued, ''are
the exalting details in newspaper which
| sympathizes with the insurgents" Lib
erty," he added, does not fight its battles
in that way. Freedom often springs from
prison bars, from burning lips-aye, from
its own ashes-but not such horror and
confiagrati ton and devils work. The heart
stirred by the story of Bunker Hill turns
with loathing from such tales as these
II is not war, but incendiarism, destruc
ton by the torch, murder and outrage
1t is the widest stroke of savagery. l vii
never vote to give aid and comfort K
leaders whose exploits are thus chron.
icled."
Senator Hale said he depIored the ag.
gressive spirit of the last year: the de-
sire to incite trouble; the building up Of
the instruments of war instead of those oil
peace; the turning aside from the pillow
and the taking up of the sword. This was
militarism. There was but one result wher
militarism took possession OF great peo
pie. The arts of peace disappeared. and
in their place came vast srmament and
the dominion of some great military chief.
tain. This was the growing spirit of tht
day in this country. Out of it all. how
ever, Senator Hale said that he felt thai
the good sense of the American people
would assert itself. bringing peace rather
| hau