Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-04
FOLLOWS UP PRECEDENTS
Cuban Resolutions in Limo with Past Acc
tions of This Government.
HOUSE TAKES UP SENATE RESOLUTIONS
Chairman of n Committee on
Foreign Affairs Makes n strong
Flea for Recognition of the
Insurgents.

WASHINGTON, April 3.-The galleries Of
the house were crowded today by the many
who had come to listen to what was likely
to prove the end Of the long debate over the
proposition to recognize the belligerent rights
of the Cuban insurgents. AS soon as the
house convened Chairman Pickler of tho
pensions committee insisted on the regular
order and therefore tho Cuban resolutions
had to give way for a time. At 2:S0 o'clock,
however. MIR. Hit secured the floor and COM
menced his speech on his motion that the re-
port of the conference committee be adopted.
After explaining the parliamentary status
and pointing out the difference between the
senate and house resolutions, Mr.. Hit said:
"Mr. Speaker: The two resolutions which
your conference committee has agreed to
and now reports, propose, first, that we
should accord to the people Of Cuba belliger-
ent rights, and second. tender friendly offices
to the Spanish government for the %recogni-
ton of Cuban Independence. These resolu-
tons passed the senate on the 2Sth of Feb
ruary. by a majority of 5S votes. On the
I'd of March the house adopted in place Of
them, by 245 majority, three resolutions, the
first Of which proposed the recognition Of
belllgerent rights: the second, the use of our
good Offices and friendly influence In the es-
adjustment of a government by the choice
of the people of Cuba; and the third, that we
should be prepared to protect the interests
of American citizens In Cuba by interview
ton, If necessary. 1t will be seen that each
of the first resolutions proposes a recognition
Of belllgerency.
1.-THE second resolution as we adopted 1t
was In more cautious form than the senate
resolution and Spain could not, unless per-
~sistently seeking a quarrel, have resented
such a proposition, while the resolution of
the senate, proposing independence, was
more exposed TO captious objection.
90 proposition by one nation to another
in ordinary peaceful time to recognize the
independence of a part of its territory would
be offensive; for example, a proposition by
Great Britain to our government to recognize
the independence Of New England or Cali
fornia. But when a war between a parent
country and a dependency has been going on
for a considerable time, and when separation
is the best solution of the war, the media
ton or friendly counsel OF another nation to
solve an existing struggle by recognizing in
dependence may be a truly friendly act. In
cases almost precisely parallel, where Spain
was at war with her dependencies on this
continent in the early part Of this century,
our government did, in fact, take the very
step proposed in this second resolution. Dur
ing the presidency Of Madison, Spain was at
war with her American colonies. The colo
MES refused to open any negotiations unless
the acknowledgment of their independence
was made its basis, and a little later Presi-
dent Monroe said: TO promote that result
independence by friendly counsels with
other powers. including Spain herself. has
been the uniform policy of this government
In his message of 1921 he repeats this
language a second time-almost the language
of this second resolution. Again, during the
ten years struggle between Spain and the
people of Cuba, from 1868 to 1878, General
Grant, through our minister at Madrid,
offered the good offices of the United States
to bring that war to a close on the basis OF
Cuban independence, Spain to be paid an in
demnity which the United States should
guarantee.
NO DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
1--WE are under no obligations to favor
Spain and oppression, as against Cuba and
freedom. Remember how Spain invaded and
seized upon Santo Domingo when the United
States was engaged in the war of the rebel
lion. 1t was disclosed in the debates in the
Spanish Courtes afterward that that occupa-
ton of Santo Domingo was entered upon ex-
pressly to thwart the influence of the United
and prevent our obtaining a station
at SANTANA. 1t was in this spirit that Spain
SO early recognized the belligerency of the
confederates a month before blood was shed
in battle. 1t was done in cooperation with
Louis Napoleon, who also pursuing the same
scheme Of oppression, took advantage of our
troubles to overthrow the republic of Mexico
and set up an empire there. We have no
debt of gratitude and should be influenced
by no sentiments but those of justice and
that enlightened self-interest which is the
true guide in the policy of nations.
when this vote has been given as lit will
be. overwhelmingly by this house, concurring
with the senate in expressing the will of the
people Of the United States, we cannot doubt
that the executive will act and obey the
voice of the nation, and that we will speedily
hear that the president has recognized 1.-THE
belligerency of the struggling Cubans. The
cause of Spain has been apparent
from week to week for two months past. 1T
will not be long until we shall have an end
IF all the bombastic pretensions and abomi-
nations of Weyler's savage operations and the
Cubans, having INDICATED their rights with
heir arms, will enjoy the liberty they have