The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-11
IN A JOCULAR MOOD
Hale, HOar and Sherman Delight the
Senate Galleries.
CUTTING WIT AND REPARTEE
The Cuban Question Resolves Itself
Into a Joshing Debate and Ad-
Journment Is Taken on
Cupont's Case.

washington lO.-AS soon as
the senate journal had been read. Lodge
rose to question of personal privilege.
He sent to the desk and had read the
Spanish minister's reference in an in
terview to Lodges utterances calling
in question the translation of a state
ment attributed to General Weyler in
which the latter declared he would
'eXterminate" the insurgents. Lodge
said literal translation of Weyler's
language would be that he would
''clean out" the large insurgent bands
and ''exterminate" the small ones.
Lodge said he did not wonder at the
extreme sensitiveness of the Spanish
people, but he did not think this Of
fered an excuse for the Spanish minis
ter adopting the course he had. 1t
was prtty we'll established that debates
In the senate and house were purely
domestic matters and it was not prop
er for a representative of a foreign
country to communicate except
through the state department. If an
American minister in Europe discussed
political affairs there he would be sent
home.
Lodge read from the letter of Daniel
Webster, when secretary of state, pro-
testing against the statement by the
Austrian minister as to domestic mat
ters. The senator added a most en-
phatic protest against public comment
by any diplomatic representative on
the debates of congress. The constitu-
ton protected senators for language
used in debate. 1t was one of the safe
guards of free speech
Gray of Delaware said the United
States should proceed according to the
judgment of self respecting nations un-
moved by the emute at Valencia or
Madrid and without being turned aside
to discuss the question of transla-
tion between the senator and the min
lister.
Gray said he would be quick ITO resent
an attack on the privileges of a sena-
tor. But in all fairness he thought IL
hardly worth while to stretch the SEN
atorial prerogatives and privileges in
order ito question the right of gentle
man who had no power to reply in be-
half of Spain. There should be some
concession to the stress of the situa-
tion.
Teller of Colorado said the rule was
unvarying against communicating by
a foreign minister except through the
state department. Twice had foreign
ministers been sent home for state
ments of less importance than this.
But considering the circumstances"
added Teller, had ] been in authority
/ would not have sent him home for
this offense. but 1 would have the sec
retary of state in a most kindly way
suggest that a repetition of the offense
would lead to his going home"
There was no probability that Spain
would dissent in an offensive way to
the passage of the pending resolutions,
Teller said. Spain knows we have a
right to recognize belligerents. Spain
would naturally show some feeling but
she would not go to war
There was ripple of applause which
the vice president checked when Teller
referred to his sympathy with the Gu
bans
Il would be delighted" said he. ito
hear that Havana had passed into the
hands of the insurgents. would be de-
lighted to hear that the insurgents had
run the Spanish soldiers into the sea-"
But. the senator added, he felt no irri-
tation over the student ebullitIons in
Spain. In conclusion Teller vigorously
asserted that the American people
would not tolerate any dictation or
criticism from foreign representatives
accredited here.
Chandler thought the Spanish min
lister had been guilty Of an impropriety.
His references, said Chandler, were Of
fensive.
L desire to say" interposed Morgan
that the Spanish minister misouoted
M h.
THAT illustrates the point / desired
to make" continued Chandler. proceed
Ing to quote Senior De Lome's referen-
ces to our war of the rebellion. 1t was
unseemly, he said. for the Spanish min
ister to have written such a communi-
cation. Chandler expressed the opin-
Ion that there was entirely too much
attempt at outside interference or ad-
vice. He referred to the cabled utter
ances OF Minister Castillo and the pres
ident OF the council of Spanish minis
ters.
Hale then took the floor. He was not
prepared, he said. to yield one jot from
the position he took yesterday, and ex-
pressed satisfaction that he had been
able to obtain from an Official source
such temperate reply 10 the infiamma-
tory utterances against Spain. which
were without any official foundation
whatever. lie commended the careful
tone of the Spanish minister. who. he
said. had observed all the courtesies of
the English language. With regard TO
the general question as to the pro-
perity of men in high official station
expressing their views. he declared that
the press Of to-day had invaded realms
not dreamed OF 80 years ago. Great
men did not hesitate TO make known
their opinions. not only on literary
questions. but on vital questions OF
International comfy. He cited Glad
stones expression on the Venezuelan
question.
At this point Gray came forward
with a suppositious case. Suppose"
said ne. that some members OF the
British house of commons should read