Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-10

maintain themselves but drive so great
an army as gentlemen say the Spanish
| nave into the fortresses and the cities
If Cuba 50 that they hardly dare come
| nut except once In a while To send a de-
tachment t. meet the Cuban patriots
when they taunt and defy them close to
he walls Of their strongholds-a peo-
Die who are doing this and are today
n control Of almost the whole Of the
island Of Cuba have earned their indie
>endence and are entitled to recog-
lition as belligerents at the hands of
This great. interviewing. Democratic
'epu5!ic. Loud applauseD
The speaker pro tempore The time
# the gentleman from Maine has ex-
bred
Mr.. Milliken. 7 believe. Mr.. Speaker
hat | am entitled to more time from the
Predecessor Of my friend from New
iork. aud / prefer not to accept the cur
aiiment that he has made on the time
Welded me by his predecessor. hope he
Viii see his way clear in allowing me To
continue tor the time 10 which | am en-
tiled
Mr.. Quisg After so graceful a re-
quest. Mr. Speaker, | could not, of course
ieny the gentleman.
MI Mllliken. am always graceful TO
ne gentleman who Is so graceful him
elf. | can not help being graceful to my
riend. ANA l thank him for his courtesy
Now, our friends on the other side pro-
TAIN that they have an immense amount
4 sympathy for the insurgents in Cuba.
helr hearts are on fire with love for
hem ana their eyes are filled with tears
m account of their sufferingS. hut they
an not see their way 10 help them or to
'iter them any ENCOURAGEMENT in their
hours of trial and tribulation They can
lni the rsGOu,1itlnn If h.;f
peliigefencY. This is the kind of friend
hip which sounds we'll butt the fellow he
rfendel does not care for it. Why can
rot they believe that the CuhanS are en-
itted 10 recognition? oh. because they
ny the Cubans have no government. Is
hat true OF course they have not as
table government - We have but they
AVE about as stable Il government as
,ur forefathers had when they had been
lghtiuS Tor eighteen months for their
independence. Has Spain any right to
COMPLAIN of us if in the interest of hui
nantty or of common justice we recog-
llze the Cuban patriots today as entitled
@ helliSerent rights
Why, Mr. Speaker. ii | recollect right
was hardly forty days after the first
gun was fired by the rebels upon Fort
sumter before they We're recognized By
Spain. Were they more entitled to re-
oognition then than Cuba is today? 1t is
rue that they had Il government. They
had form of government. They had a.
place for their capital. as indeed the
'ubans have today: hut had they made
more progress. according to the numbers
lighting. than the CuhanS have made
Had they. in forty days after the first
gun fired upon Sumter. invaded any part
If our territory. driven us into our
ortifications. captured any large body of
Federal troops. or in any other manner
established the fact that they were able
20 cope with the powers of the General
Government? Why. | think not Even
the disaster of Bull Run which was the
first victory of any consequence achieved
by the rebels and the first serious disas-
ter to the Union arms. had not occurred
when Spain recognized the beligerency
of the Confederates Indeed. there had
then been no battle fought between the
Confederates and ourselves unless YOU
call the bombardmcnt of Fort Sumter a
battle when Spain recognized them. The
rehels had merely declared their intention
and were getting ready.
Now, after eighteen months. when the
Cubans have taken control of three
fouTths of the Island of Cuba, when the
only places almost which they do not
occupy are the fortified cities that the
insurgents can not take because they
nave not artillery to batter down walls
ana Notifications, when they are not re-
treating but are advancing daily con-
tinuaiy. tirelessly lighting and whipping
the Spaniards. further and further gain
ing accretions to their forces. showing a
SIKH iii the movement of armed forces
that perhaps has never been excelled
when we find that they are acting to-
gether with perfect harmony with no
breach in their ranks, no squabbles
among their leaders. no division among
them. but a uniform. steady purpose to
achieve their independence. when we find
them banded together by the strongest
ties that can bind humanity by all the
ties of patriotism in the heart Of each
and every man. when We find them push
ing forward for the one great object of
their struggle. the independence of their
country, l ask If. under these crcum-
stances. If sustaining themselves as they
have sustained themselves during all
this time against the power of Spain
they are not quite as much entitled to
recognition at our hands as the Confed-
crates in our war for the SUPPRESSION of
the rebellion-in forty days after the first
gun was fired and before the battle of