The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-01

relations, and author of the joint reso-
luton recognizing the existance of
state of war in Cuba, and declaring
the neutrality of the United States.
was asked today concerning the proba-
bility of securing action on the resolu-
ton before adjournment, and in reply
said:
Unless the house should act upon
Mr.. Hyde's resolution, which is iden-
tical with the resolution offered by me
in the senate, that is now held up in
the committee on foreign relations,
congress will probably dispense before
any further action is possible. The
responsibility will doubtless hasten the
dispersion of some senators. The dis
position of the majority of the senate
committee is to devolve upon the presi-
dent a responsibility that he is evil
IDENTIFY eager to assume. Congress has
practically
CEASED TO BE A FACTOR
in the government, except in the case
Of veto. when the constitution permits
it to act finally by a two-thirds vote.
Even this function is denied when it is
applied to our foreign political rela-
tons.
For a government with coordinate
departments, of which we boast, we
are making strange and rapid move
ment towards re-eStabliShing the royal
prerogative in the hands of our execu-
tive as one comfortable power, If any
British constitutional power was des-
troyed in America by the revolution of
1776 it was the prerogative of the
crown. If the president acting alone,
can substitute the entire body of
THE LAWS OF WAR
for the laws of peace, which now
govern our relations with Cuba, and if
he can make this total revolution of
lour leal status as citizens and as a
nation, binding upon US by his pro-
clamation, it is in vain that we abol-
fshed the prerogative' in our federal
constitution. IF the president, without
the concurrence of congress, should
proclaim that war existed in Cuba, and
the United States assumes the rela-
ton Of a neutral power towards the
recognized belligerents under the laws
of nations, he would usurp a power of
the most dangerous character. In the
moment Of their enthusiasm for a de-
cree that would be so just and so HUI
name, the people would forgive the
usurpation, but the shock it would give
to our free government would lead in
time to great disaster. In the present
state of political agitation in the coun-
try, it is dangerously apparent that a
declaration of war with Spain, or a
declaration of the existence of a
STATE OF WAR IN CUBA,
made on the sole authority of the pres-
dent, would create a fever of excite
ment that would remove all other ques-
tions now under anxious discussion
from the minds of the people and
would control the presidential election
near at hand.
Il am finally convinced the president
will not venture on so dangerous a
course when congress disperses, leav-
ing our relations to this subject in
their present equivocal situation.
Spain viii be at liberty so far as our
government is concerned, to pursue
its accustomed course of summary
destruction of the rights, property and
lives of our people.
War exists in Cuba and the whole
world knows it, and while Spain ad-
mits its existence in every act, but
denies it on paper and in a diplomatic
way, our government and people are
required to endorse this falsehood and
to admit that peace prevails in that
island. They.
PUNISH OUR PEOPLE FOR TREAS
ON,
instruction and piracy with the death
penalty because they are charged with
disturbing the peace and breaking laws
that are intended to preserve the peace
in Cuba. while peace does not exist in
the island. To make the case still more
obnoxious to reason and public iSstice
by forcing our citizens to trial for
these offenses before military tribunals,
organized to convict and deprive them
of defense by counsel and Of the right
TO summon witnesses in their behalf
in this alleged time of peace. If the
government of the United States
should declare state of war exists in
Cuba 1t would use the only means that
is legally possible to prevent Spain
from this insulting conduct, unless we
declare war and fight it out.
After almost unanimous declaration
of both houses of congress that beliger-
ent rights should be accorded to Cuba
and that war exists there, if we dis
perse without giving relief to our peo-
pie from this situation, we can find no
excuse for abandoning them to
THIS DREADFUL FATE,
except that we are ready to abdicate
our power in favor of the supposed
power or wishes of the president. The
presidents powers are rot increased
by our refusal to exercise powers that
rightfuily belong to congress alone or
jointly to both departments of the
government. SO far as 1 am concerned
this will not be done through any want
of effort on my part.
For more than seven weeks the
president has known the will of con-
gress, which expresses constitutionally
the will of the people. If that declar-
alton is not sufficient to give our people
security against Spanish violation of
our treaties. or to impress the presi-
dent with its soiemnity, we should not,
and cannot, in justice to ourselves,
omit TO present the same facts and
convictions TO the president in a defin-
tie form of action that he cannot re-
fuse to consider
Neither Spain nor the president,
with the armies and nayies of both
countries and the
AID OF THE CIVIL POWER
given the president under our laws.
with the terrors Of Spanish cruelty or
the aid of our police and the Spanish
police and the PinlSertons in our ports
have been able to prevent the carrying
Of men and munitions of war from the
United States to Cuba. This effort has
been prosecuted with a faithfulness
and vigilance worthy of a better
cause
Spain fully understands the cause
of our resentments and the justice of
the Indignation Of our people and
boasts in speeches from the throne that
the president is not in sympathy with
congress or the people, and for this
cause she adheres more savagely to
her resolution that this shall be a war