The herald., 1896-02-21


the resolutions. He spoke of the bloody
contest now in progress and the actual
condition of war existing. The course oi
Spain had caused revolt after revolt in
Cuba. The senator traced the history ol
these uprisings and the course of the
United States.
Reading from n manifesto issued by the
Cuban authorities, Mr.. Call arragned
Spain for imposing enormous axes on
Cuba. The manifesto re td by Mr.. Call
reflected severely on the official admiiiis-
ton of Spain.
"A sea of blood is now running assert
ed the senator. Murder and reprisal pre-
| vailed. Mr.. Call declared that the recen.
| order of Captain-G eneral Weyler visiting
death of those even suspected of sympathy
| with the insurgents was brutal and bloody
! edict
Mr.. Cam sron followed in support of the
| substitute lie had offered.
| "For my own part" he said, ~ regard
the question. of BELLY erency as false issue
a mistake, into which the friends of Cuba
should not fall. If Spain wishes to impede
or delay effective action on our part, she
will enc urage us to was 9 our energy and
our initiative i'll struggling with the legal
dIfiiulties that involve this question of
| belilgerency, which, when stripped OF all
its popular notions, is almost an empty or
| perhaps mischieyous legal form.
Il object to it, in the first place. for the
same reasons which caused General Grant
| to reject in 1875, because it is offensive to
| Spain and deliisive to Cuba. The contest
| is no longer one of belliger ency but one of
independence. In the second place, OBJ
ject to it because it comedies to Spain the
| belligerent right of searching our ships on
the high seas and seizing them whenever
they find anything on board which can be
| considered contraband of wsr.
II object to it. in the third place, be-
| cauea ii ip,posaa i1aIIiueranf 6Iitiaa a. we'll
as belligerent rights, and relieves Spain of
| all further responsibility for the destruc-
ton of American property in Cuba, by
| transferring that responsibility to the in
| surgents.
II wish the government to act. | want
to see the chronic misery of Cuba ended.
| | know that the course favor was the fixed
policy OF the Republican party of the
| United States and of the American people.
| The course ! prefer is, as | believe, the
true expression of public feeling, which is
unanimous in demanding action in favor
OF freedom. Evidently the government of
the United States can do no less than to
take up the subject where President Grant
left it and to resume the friendly media
ton which he actually began, with all the
consequences which nece ssarily would fol-
low its rejection
Cameron said in conclusion that if this
resolution was adopted and Spain paid no
date recogni ion of Cuba.
Lodge spoke vigorously as TO the need of
action. He would he said, go further than
the resolution of the committee. While
other Spanish dependencies have broken
away from Spain, Cuba had remained
faithful, earning the title, faithful Cuba"
And yet oppression. dishonesty and rob-
berry had been visited on the island.
The time had come, declared Mr.. Lodge,
when it was the duty of the United States
to act firmly and fully. The past relations
between this country and Spain offered no
ties of gratitude or blood to check our ac-
ton. The senator reviewed the "friend-
ship of Spain'' toward the United States.
England was the first to thrust her hand
into our bloody wound at the outbreak of
the civil war; France was next and Spain
followed. Within three months of the fir.
ing on Sumter, Spain had recognized the
confederacy. Mr.. Lodge spoke of the sup
preston of a free press and free church
in Cuba. A free Cuba would mean the de.
velopment of that splendid island, one of
the richest spots on the face of the earth.
But there was political rather than a
material interest which bid us act. Cuba
lay athwart the route to the Nicaragua
canal. She was the sentinel of the gulf,
great bulwark of the American coast.
The island is today lost to Spain," said
Mr.. Lodge. "They may continue to deluge
the island with blood, but the island is lost
| to them,''
The senator analyzed the ''bloody DEGREES
issued by Gen. Weyler-a plan of desola-
! ton and determination.
'He may proong the contest until the
island is solitude; and we, six hours
away, stand idly by" AS matter of
humanity the senator appealed for action.
Our words of sympathy for Armenia were
mere words. Those fearful atrocities had
proceeded while all Europe had not stirred.
The protests of Lord Salisbury we're pitiful.
The money power and the money lender
was the real power, and this vast power
cared nothing for the slaughter of Arme.
mans.
''Why was the flying squadron, that mar
velous naval armament, lying idle in the
English channel? The world was now
locking to Russia to protect Armenia.
"but," proceeded Mr.. Lodge, "the United
States has an Armenia at it's very door.
The United States can stop the horrible
state of things in Cuba, Let it only be
known that the United States intends that
the pillage and slaughter shall stop and it
will stop. A firm and emphatic diplomacy
can accomplish this end. The whole
American people would welcome action by
the United States. If that war goes on
with that bloody commander in charge,
the responsibility is on cur shoulders. We
cannot avoid it''
There was burst cf applause from the
galleries as Mr.. Lodge concluded. which
the presiding officer checked by rapping
for order.
Mr.. Morgan, who reported the resolu
tions. followed. He said the possibilities
of war between the United States and
Spain should in no way embar as the con-
sideIation of the subject and the shaping
of proper course. The committee, in
submitting this resolution, was not moved
by retaliation or by any consideration of
past relations between the countries. 1t
was based solely on the conditions and re.
quirements of today. Mr.. Morgan referred
to the conflicting information at hand. Out
of the mass of details, however, the COM
mittee felt that it was On firm ground in
presenting this resolution. While Cuba
was surrounded by navy and controlled
by a censorship many of the best means
or information were unattainable; but cer-
tain definite and positive facts were es abb
lished beyond question as premise to the
action OF the committee.
Mr. Morgan then took up the legal ques-
tions involved, explaining the duties and
obligations of recognizing belligerency.
When armies are formed and men leave
their place as citizens and become soldiers
then the civilized world recognizes this
transfer as creating state of beIliQerency.
Under existing circumstances, those par
tlcipating III the uprising we're not recog-
nized by Spain as soldiers, but as felons,
rising against their government, to be
treated with ignominy of felons, they aad
their children.
And yet" said MIR. Morgan. "while war
is public and beyond the possibility of
question or denial. Snair reflses to racoo.