The herald., 1896-03-18
THE F|FTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
SENATOR MORGAN CONTINUES HIS SPEECH
on THE CUBAN QUESTION
The Spanish Minister Called to Account for
His Presumption In Critlclsins the State
ments Of Senators-The House Amends
the Administrative Tariff Act
Associated Press Special Wire.

WASHINGTON, March lI.-ln tne senate
today Elkin's resolution, directing the COM
mittee on foreign relations to report the
status of the Cuban war, went over TIL to-
morrow, after conference between Elkins
and Sherman. Mitchell, Oregon, COM
planned that the Cuban resolution was
making no headway and said II the Cuban
question could not be disposed OF in rea-
eonable time, he must insist OH going on with
the Dupont election contest. Sherman re-
sponded that he could see no reason why
the Cuban question could not be disposed
of in day or so. but he did not desire to
cut off speeches. He would insist on keep
ing the Cuban resolution before the senate
to the exclusion of any other subject.
Pugh, Alabama, was recognized for
continuance of his silver speech begun yes
terday. He argued that the movement for
an international monetary conference was
Senator Pugh declared that if the friends
of silver in the three political parties could
be united on one man they would elect
president by all overwhelming majority.
But unfortunately the friends of silver were
fighting each other in separate political
organizations, and this fact was the great
est and the only obstacle in the way OF
their success in the next presidential cleo
ton. 1t is utterly unreasonable, said MIR.
Pugh, to expect free coinage Democrats,
who constitute four-fifths of the party, to
go oover to the Populist party. made up OF a
mere fraction of the friends of free coin
age. Mr.. Pugh concluded at :45 pm.
The Cuban resolutions were then taken
up and Mr.. Morgan of Alabama proceeded
with his speech in support of the resolution.
He spoke of the suDersensitiveneSS OF
Spain, caused, he said, because she felt the
sand slipping from under her feet. while
the gem of the Antilles was passing out of
her grasp. Spain had sucked this orange
we'll nigh dry, until the sweetness was
about exhausted.
Mr.. Morgan said the Spanish minister's
statement made public yesterday was
most weak effort. 1t had been kept in
secret doubtless because all its prophecies
of subduing the insurgents were disproved
by facts. The Spanish minister repre-
sented that the insurgents would not come
out for an open fight for the etiquette and
chivalry of Spanish warfare.
And yet the insurgents free their prison.
ers, being unable to feed them, and they
maintain no prisons such as the Spaniards
have at Ceuta, Africa. Spain's conduct
of the war in Cuba ran with blood.
The Spanish minister's reference to
sugar and our interests in sugar was not
sufficient, said Mr.. Morgan, to sweeten the
sentiment of the committee and lead it to
close its eyes to the feeling of the Ameri-
can people. The senator said this Spanish
minister in his statement admitted con-
uition of war existing in Cuba.
Mr.. Morgan referred to Minister Dupuy
de Lome's ''celebrated diatribe" CRITICS.
ing senators and appealing over their neads
to the American people.
'Such a remark by supercilious for
eign minister was most remarkable, and
it would be high time for the American
COMPRESS 10 retire if the American people
ever listened to the appeal of q foreigner,
Mr.. Morgan said he totally uissented from
the view that a foreign minister had any
right to appeal to the press as to any pend
ing question of legislation.
After reading Buchanan's letter, while
secretary of state, to foreign minister,
declaring that the government would not
entertain inquiries as to subjects treated in
presidents message, Mr.. Morgan said:
"Would to God we had someone now who
had some comprehension of the rights of
the different departments of the govern.
ment"
The senator read another letter by Sec.
retary Fish, saying that public criticism by
foreign minister warranted his dis
missal.
~ have not asked for the dismissal of
the Spanish minister" proceeded Mr..
Morgan. "Let him stay here if he wants
to. but have the constitutional right of
protection against assaults from man
holding commission from foreign gov
ernment."
Mr.. Morgan went on to say that it was
essential that foreign ministers be repri-
manded, and If need be. dismissed for as
saults on senators for words used in de-
bate. 1t was the duty of the executive
authorities to extend this protection.
The senator then had the clerk read the
reply of Gonzales Quesada. secretary of
the Cuban junta. to the Spanish minister's
letter. 1t related such shocking details as
to indignities on naked Cuban women
by Spanish troops that Mr.. Chandler urged
that the statement be printed but not read.
Mr.. Morgan assented, but Mr.. Hale insist
ed that the statement be read in flu II, in
bo said hat TO orodihi1it1y rr,iUhk
be judged. Mr.. Morgan said he did not
vo,ich for the truth of Senor Quesada's
statements, but he asserted that Quesada's
character was quite as good as that of
Minister de LONE.
The reading of the Quesada statement
proceeded, giving details of alleged atroci-
ties by General Weyler, including the
branding of women on their breasts, the
assaulting of defenseless women, etc.
At the close of the statement Mr.. Hale
rose to state that he had this horrible re-
cital read in full in order to show that such
awful atrocities would not be accepted as
true unless accompanied by evidence.
They would not be believed on the mere
promise of giving facts ut a subsequent
day. Mr.. Hale added that he did not be-
lieve these statements of the Spanish gen.
erals atrocities. They were mere fig
ments of the brain.
Mr.. Morgan read further evidences of
the Spanish cruelty in Cuba. One referred
to the massacre OF seven young men who
were stood against wall and shot to
pieces by regiment of soldiers.
'.Who is responsible for that state
mert?" asked DIR. Hale. "Is any name
signed to that recital?''
Mr.. Morgan said it was taken from the
recital of an eye witness given in a New
York paper. The massacre of students was
historically established beyond a question.
II Mr.. Hale insisted on having witnesses it
would be necessary to bring Minister Du-
puy de LONE and Gonzales Quesada to the
bar of the senate.
Mr.. Morgan went on to read from per-
sonal letters received by him giving the ex-
perience of men in Cuba. The letters told
of violation of girls and the massacre of
women and children. Six men, gathering
bananas, were killed and bananas stuffed
down their throats as joke. A Cuban
general was stripped of his clothes and ex-
hibited before crowds of women, then
killed and his body dragged mile. A
beautiful girl was torn from her mother
and carried off by Spanish officer. These
atrocities were given with great minute
ness, said to be the personal observation
OF the writer's of the letters. Mr.. Morgan
said the writer was graduate OF the Vir-
Rinia military academy.
Another letter was from Philadelphian,
who recounted atrocities witnessed by him,
and another from General Daniel Dickens,
formerly United States minister to Spain.
Mr.. Morgan said the letters disclosed the
existence Of q bloody war, and it was the