The record-union., 1896-02-28

Spanish Queen-If 1t Does, the Time
VIII Come When There VIII be a
Retribution Upon Us as People.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The cause
of Cuban independence had strong ad-
vocacy and support in the Senate to-
day, in a speech of fervid and impas-
stoned eloquence, delivered by Senator
Vest Of Missouri He spoke Of Spain
as "toothless old wolf" sitting at the
door of the cave of despotism and grin
ming at the procession of free republics;
denounced the declaration of Captain
General Weyler, and asked whether the
Senate should sit silent and dumb while
Cubans were butchered into subsection
to the Spanish Queen. IF we do" he
exclaimed, God will curse us. The
time viii come when there will be a
retnbution upon us as a people because
we have not cherished the legacy of
self-government bequeathed to US by
our fathers
The Cuban debate is to be continued
tomorrow, Senator Sherman of Ohio
being one of those to take part in it. The
voting on the resolution and amend
mentS IS TO DeSIn at 4 .. m
The subject of the sea coast defenses
Of the country was elaborately treated
In a speech by Senator Proctor of Yer
mont, in which he advocated land forti-
fications in preference to the creation of
powerful navy, and it was announced
Immediately that the Committee on
Fortifications contemplated trip to
New York to examine the defenses of
that harbor.
A resolution was reported from the
Committee on Contingent Expenses
authorizing the Committee on Coast
Defenses to take testimony and to visit
such places as may be necessary, which
was amended so as to limit the exami-
nation to the defenses of New York and
agreed to.
A resolution authorizing the printing
of $4,000 copies of the report on the
introduction of reindeer into Alaska was
also agreed to.
A peculiar pension bill was taken up
and passed. 1t gives a pension of $40
a month to a private citizen, Christie
pher Schmidt of st. Paul, Minnesota, on
account of blindness resulting from a
chance shot which had struck him while
passing before the military rife range
at Fort Smelling, Minnesota
Proctor CRep) Of Vermont then ad-
dressed the Senate on coast defenses.
The exposed condition of the coast of
the United States. he said, lrsHised
no proof, and the necessity Of defend
ing it should require no argument 1t
had been stated recently by Admiral
Walker that if the English were to
send over such a naval force as they
could spare from Europe, they would
have their own way; that something of
a fight might be made for Sandy Hook
and that nothing would prevent them
from taking the whole coast 1t could
safely be said that we had reached the
point where the question was not so
much whether or not we shall defend
our coast, as it is how we can best ac-
complish it. Shall it be done, he
asked, by land fortifications alone, by
a navy alone, or by a wise combination
Of the two methods?
1t was fully substantiated by reason
and authority, first, that a proper sys-
TEN of land defenses will make our
great cities safe from any naval at
tack; second, such a system can be con-
structed for a sum many times less
than the cost of a navy like the great
ravies of Europe, and for a sum that
may reasonably be expended; third
land fortihcations are much more eff
cient for coast defense than a navy,
and when once constructed are dura-
ble. cheaply maintained and easily
strengthened; fourth, the defense of
our cities cannot be left to the navy
alone. however large; fifth, navy that
would equal the great nayies of Europe
is unnecessary, and its cost makes
such a navy impracticable; sixth,
navy quickly deteriorates and is ex-
pensive to maintain; seventh, the con-
struction of land Notifications should
always precede the building of navy.
Proctor went on to elucidate those
several points. he gave the total cost
of a complete system of land defenses,
as estimated by the Endicott Board IN
1SS5 as S9S 100000 That estimate,
however did not include S6.000 600
for Puget Sound. The cost of the ex-
istine navy would be. before compile
ton of vessels now under construc-
4ion. over S110.000,000. For the sum
for which We have purchased our navy
we could have our ports practically
safe against the combined attacks Of
all the navies admittedly superior to
oIlrs. and would have occupied the
first place in the world as regards our
fortified frontier and still have money
enough left to provide good share Tor
the additional floating batteries and
torpedo boats necessary.
At the close of Proctor's speech bill
for the construction of two first-class
steam cutters for service on the Pa
cife Coast (cost not to exceed S2oO.OOO
eacbl was. on motion of Squire CRep9
Of washington, taken from the calen-
dar and passed.
White Dem.) of California continued
4he speech begun by him yesterday,
cnntending that the question Of recog-
milton of the belligerency or OF cuban
3ndependence was one solely within the
fnnctions of the Executive Department
of the Government, and that Congress
had no right to impose its will upon the
President in such a matter " nlte
said he did not believe that the Cubans
had achieved independence, ana ne
would not vote that to be fact which
he did not know to be fact.
Vest asked what would have become
of the struggle for American independ-
ence if France had acted on the prlnci-
pie advocated by the Senator from Cai-
ifornia. The American people would
have to-day been English subjects. in
stead of being free citizens OF ITee
country. France during the struggle.
had recognized the independence OF
the United States, and had gone farther
than any other country had ever gone
- -, = i;4z.,s "a except from self