The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-27
WOMEN FOR FREE CUBA.
One Lady Had Vote In the
Senate.
WHY THE CAUSE IS THRIVING.

Pretty Girls and Comcly nIstrons Work
For the Downtrodden Island, but Win
some Mime. De LONE Works For the
Spanish Cause.
WASHINGTON, May Especial. Tho
Cuban question is still with us and likely
to he for long time to come. President
Mckinley is devoting several hours a day
to the study of the problem presented in
| tho fertile island to tho south of us. He
realizes his responsibility most keenly and
| is eager to avoid mistakes. The president
| has read nearly all the reports Of our con-
suls, which have boon accommodating for /.
| yenr or more, and in them no has found IL
| great deal of light upon the situation. Tho
| ConsulS hnve reported to our government
that the Spanish IRE making no serious
| efforts to suppress tho instruction by use
of military force. They rely almost en-
| tircly upon the programme of starvation
which was instituted by General Wcylers
order requiring pacitlcos, or noncombat-
ants to concentrate in tho cities, whcro
there is no employment for them and
where mnny are suffering dire distress.
In the opinion of the president this is not
war, but cruelty. 1t is not civilized or
Christian method Of supprcssng armed
rebellion. Upon this ground alone IL
none better existed, the president would be
warranted in policy of intervention.
She Delivered IL Vote In the Senate.
There is story about u certain senator
winch Is too good to keep, but for obvious
reasons daro not print his name. Tho
senator in question is u man of about 80
years, and worry able and eloquent man
he is. ~ year ago he wns strongly opposcd
n lnt,
Ho thought tho United States should ut
tend strictly to its own business, and he
snld ms much in II speech on tho floor of
the senate. But lust week he 1nnde n
speech on the other side. 1t was ono of
the abcst speeches made in Cuba IS behalf.
What brought about this chanCe2 Tho
success of the insurgents? Tho sufferincs
OF tho noncombatants In Cuba? No. A
lttlo woman with n white, sweet fnco
and tondcr, loving manner She Is tho
senator's wife, and Is or go years his jun-
lor and one OF tho best friends Cuba has
in the world Some months ago she stnrt
ed her campaign. 1t was an artful one
ms n woman's campaign is likely to be-
Shc said TO her friends, also sympathizcrs
with Cuba: IL can't vote and I emit
make II speech, and am too moor 10 piye
money to tho Cuban cause, but l will
tell you what will do. i will promise to
deliver one vote in the senate and to secure
thorc the making of ono good speech for
Cuba. Her friends applaudcd her deter
1nination, and she has kept it to the let.
ter. Moreover, tho senator's colleagues in
the chamber know very we'll why ho
changed front, and he Ia man enough not
to be ashamed of it,
1t is undoubtedly truo TINT tho women
have had vast influence upon the FORTUNES
OF Cuba at this capital. In ono or two
particulars they have thrown their weight
on tho Spanish side, but as q rulo tho
women have worked for free Cuba. L
know of n number OF instances in which
the wives Of senators have had moro or
less influence upon their husbands 1t
was Mrs. Don Cameron who started Scna-
tor Cameron to- work for Cuba in tho last
congress. 1t was she and her aunt Mrs
.Iohn sherman, who induced the man who
Is now secretary of stnto to make his
speech for Cuba Inst year. Mrs Sherman
was present at u meeting of Cuban SYM
pathiZers recently held in this city ana
was criticised for it by some of tho news
papers. OF late systematic efforts have
been made to tako advantage of the SYM
pathy which tho women feel for Cuba.
An organization under the name of tho
Womnn's Cuban League has been perfected.
ana It's director is Clara Bell Brown. n
woman or great talent and energy If
Mrs. Brown would, she could tell some
interesting stories as to how the senate
was worked up to the sticking point for
Cuba. Shrewdly enough Mrs. Brown hns
called TO her assistance II boyy of pretty
girls ana comely young mntrons. She di-
reefs them and they scout the town. Cuba
Is talked in every drawing room. Even
the bicycle girls are ut it, II you arc II
man of any influence, whether in congress
or tho executive branch or tho no1ysnnnor
world, you will not havo long to wait he
fore some pretty woman gets You off in n
corner and pours the woes of Cuba in your
ears. Is 1t any wonder that Cuba 8 cause
Is thriving among us?
Her Influence For Spain.
The exception to the rulo is found in tho
case of the wife of the Spanish minister.
Nine Do LONE. This Spanish lady is of
high birth and flno breeding. She is not,
only beautiful, but fascinating OF course
shc Is heart and soul for Spain and dead
~ enemy of every enemy of her country.
we would not admire her if she were not
III she were not nn intense patriot deter
mined to do everything in her power to
help her country through it's troubles, we
should not think much of her. Nine. Do
Lome-brave, earnest woman that she is
cannot do much for Spain in Washington.
but she does what she can. She can use
nor social station, her charming manners.
her wit and yivacity, her beauty, her fas
cinating eyes, just as the other women use
theirs.
Judge Days Level Head.
President McKinley's real secretary Of
state, so far us this Cuban matter 10 con
cerned, is Judge Day of Ohio. Secretary
Sherman is consulted about it. of course
and nothing is done or doc;lnl ,,,,x>,, ,,,;tl