Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-15
Senator Squires Speaks on
Defenses of the Nation.
TheExecutivc, Legislative and Judicial
Appropriation Bill Passes House.
Favorable Report on Pensions for Manned
Veterans Comes from Committee.

taclc has the Congress Of the United
States presented during the present
session by It's persistent talk in favor
of intervention by the United States in
behalf Of Cuba and Venezuela How
cheap is all this talk sincere though II
may DC on many occasions. Every man
who informed himself on the subject OF
national defcnces knows as a nation we
Pre- not in condition to undertake or
suffer in our present condition, because
It viii certainly bring the greatest loss
and humiliation. Our courage and
numbers would not avail, it is folly to
depend upon resources and inventions
Of an hour. We can talk loud and long.
profess sympathy. pass resolutions.
make believe to ourselves We are actu-
ally taking a hand in the diplomatic
affairs and international questions of a
great moment; hut those not salf-de-
ceived by egotlstical glamour and who
know the facts are perfectly aware Of
the painful truth that all this demon
stration is mere talk, buster, vapjd
sentiment or at most sympathy that is
easily satisfied with merely verbal ex-
prcssions.
MAI that the great body of the
American people understand ii so; they
are not acquainted with the facts as
10 our absolute inability TO maintain "A
high. dignitied, honorable. inteiliEer;
stand on a great international argu-
men, in case we should be pressed by
threat Of war the last argument Of
kings
The people do not know how shame
full Mi, f.,t. /
and played with by those who repre-
sent them in the halls of Congress.
They suppose. in the simplicity of their
hearts, that we are prepared to pro-
tect ourselves in case of war with any
of the second or third class powers, or
even against the first rate power. They
Know that the nation has millions of
brave and patriotoc men who would
gather Al the call to arms
They do not know that there is no
means of arming these hosts upon any
emergency that may arise. They do
rot know that the great seacoast
cities. through which extend arteries
of trade and commerce with each other
and with the people of foreign lands
p1pulouS though those cities may be
aud tcening with weal.h-are yet ex-
posed and defenceless against an at
tack by foreign navies with vessels far
outnumbcring ours in strength
The people do not know that their
commerce can be SO easily ruined
IheF do not know that our navy itself
may be hopelessly crippled by the de-
struction of our undrfcnded navy
Yards. depots Of supplies, dock yards.
powder mills and arsenals If the peo-
pie understood these facts as they OK
ist. they would say: Stop building
ships: as you do not mean to protect
our cities. dock yards and bases of sup
plies. it is folly to spend 50 much
money upon the navy
IF they knew the holowness of their
talk, the people would cry out Tor
shame at this travesty upon the main
tenance of the Monroe doctrine and the
intervention for Cuban independence.
have no patience with the discussion
that has been going on. so devoid of
practical benefit to anyone. 1t has not
only operated to make us ridiculous in
the eyes of those we'll informed. but
has brought ruin and financial embar-
rassment upon thousands and thous-
ands of people who have lost millions
ot dollars in consequence of this aCi-
tation in Congress. Nay. more. it has
held out false and elusive hopes to
people beyond the scas-hope of relief
and assistance never to be realized in
every nature of things
1t is keeping the word Of promise to
the ear to break it to hope, and thus
bringing untold misery upon hundreds
of thousands who loon to America for
help in the time of their struggles with
tyranny and bloody wrong. Whether
all this is merely politics | know not;
1t seems to me exceedingly wicked and
useless. If we are in earnest and mean
what we say. let us show our purpose
by our deeds. by preparation of a wise
prudent and ample character to enable
us to be consistent and to make good
our professions
After reviewing the policy of nations
in regard to their past defences. Mr.
Squire made a statement as to the for
titled ports of England in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the United States, slch
as Halifax, Bermuda, Kingston. Santa
Lucia and Esquimalt.
At the close of Mr.. Squire's speech the
Dupont election case was taken up, Mr..
Chandler advocated Mr.. Doupont's
right to the vacant seat from Delaware.
He said this was the first case in the
history of the country in which the
Governor of a state voted for a United
States senator: and the question was
in this case Governor Watson
could do that that thing. while he was
Governor Watson was an incubus. a
usurper. a terror which
paralyzed the Legislature and pre-
vented the declaration of the election
which actually had taken place nine
times the same day. Could the Vice
President he asked be come President.
on the happening of a vacancy perform
his duties at the Executive mansion
and finding an important house bill was
to be defeated by tie vote. Gust the
President pro tempore of the Senate,
secure by his vote passage of the bill,
then return to the Executive mansion
sign the bill and make it a law?''
At ELI p. NJ. Mr.. PETERS bond issue
resolution was to have been taken up, |
CONTINUED on page p