The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-01
Cuba i'm the Senate.

The house resolutions which were
adopted by the conference committee,
and have been before the senate for
some two weeks, have been referred
back to the conference committee. The
resolution demanding Intervention be-
cause the commercial interests of the
United States and the interests of
Americans in Cuba are suffering by
the war is the main stumbling block in
the senate. Senator Hill made strong
point against this resolution when he
denounced it for the low, material
ground on which the demand for inter-
vention was bast d. Intervention, he
said, should proceed upon the high
ground of the defense of the liberties,
the protection from oppression, of
people who are our neighbors.
Senator Mills of Texas is more ag-
gressive than some of his fellow i'm
goes" He has introduced a resolu.
ton looking to the seizure of the
island of Cuba by the United States III
case the Spanish government ehall re-
fuse to grant self government to the
Cubans
Senator Mills heart is in the right
place, as to this Cuban matter, and his
head is nearer right than that of some
who delight in deriding the jingoes."
The island of Cuba did not, Mr.. Mills
declared, stand in the same relation to
the people of the United States as
Hungary, Poland, Ireland or Armenia
did. The fathers had for a century as
serted and maintained that the people
of the United States had rights in Cuba
had rights in every foot of soil in the
Western Hemisphere. The United
| States had never asserted that it had
any rights in Ireland, Hungary, Po-
land or else where in Europe; but it had
asserted its rights in every solitary acre
of land on the Western Hemisphere. 1t
| had there the highest right-the right
of self.preservation. The Monroe doc
trine, he declared, was as old as hu-
manity, and God Almighty was its au-
thor, for when he made man he placed
in him the right TO preserve his life and
liberty.
6" We have sad," Mr.. Mills continued,
"that we will resist with all the pc wer
of this government the transfer of
Cuba TO any European power. 1t has
been the unchallenged American doc
trine that Cuba shall remain with
| OPuth uhiOoo ~ SOihO w u d w
there are rights there are correspond
ing duties. The people of the United
States owe to that oppressed and down.
trodden people of Cuba to say to Spain
The hour has come when you must
stop your iniquities. We are RESPONSE
BILE for the slavery of that people; for
every drop of blood you have shed; for
every dollar you have stolen. Cuba has
a right to appeal to us, and we intend
that you shall give her free govern
ment.'"
The opposition to American inter
ference in Cuban affairs came from
those who thought that they had right
to receive a cargo from Cuba and make
800 600 on it, and right to send a
cargo to Cuba an 1 make 500 900 on it,
These were the things that were poking
their heads up all over the country and
pleading against jingoes." He spoke
of Cuba as cripple lying at the gate Of
the fortress that commands the libertit {
of the American people, and crying fol
help. The American people would at
ter while lift her to her feet, and en-
able her to stand and walk.