Evening star., 1897-04-08
What Senator Morgan Says Of the
United States Flag.
IF IT DOES NOT PROTECT CITIZENS
His Speech on His Cuban ResoIu-
tons Continued Today.
THE NKRUPTCY ACT

|
| the Cuban debate. Mr.. Chandler offered
a resolution. which was agreed to, as fol-
| lows: Resolved That the committee on
| interstate commerce be directed to inves-
| tigate the payments made or agreed to
| be made by the interstate commerce con-
| mission for attorneys fees: and also to
| inquire whether in any cases the attorneys
| of the commission have also been om-
ployed by railroad companies in similar
| cases; and further whether any additional
| authority from Congress is required fer
| the employment of counsel IN any pen,lin:s
proceedings which have been Instituted by
| or on motion of the commission.
| The resolution of Mr.. Earle Is. c. for
the reorganization of Senate committees
| went over, Mr.. Chandler presenting an
| amendment to be urged when the resolu-
| ton is taken up. The amendment proriues
| that on Tuesday. April -. at pm, the
Senate will proceed to appoint its COM
| mtteeS.
| MIR. Morgan Continues His speech.
| The Morgan resolution declaring that a
| state of war exists in Cuba was then taken
| up without objection, and Mr.. Morgan re-
| sumed his speech in support of it. The
| senator reverted TO the statement of Nj.
| Hale yesterday that the number of Ameri-
| can prisoners in Spanish prisons re-
| duced 10 twelve. In sarcastic tones Mr..
| morgan SAID mat Sucn releases as mad Oc-
| CURED were the result of application by
| our government, and perhaps It would be
| appropriate to adopt vote of thanks TO
! Spain for not Staying these prisoners out
| right. Aside from the official testimony
| as to the condition in Cuba. the news
| paper press had piled up a mass of tes-
| timony which established beyond question
| that the war was being prosecuted 10y
| Spain contrary to all the rules ot civilized
| warfare.
| Mr.. Morgan commented on a letter writ
ten by Dupuy dc LONE. the Spanish min
| lister, to Miss Clara Barton relative 10
| Red Cross work in Cuba. In The course
| OF the letter use Is made of .he expression
during the present war" This, declared
| Mr.. Morgan, was an inadver.ent aGmis-
| sion by the Spanish minister despi;e all
his diplomatic cunning that war was GO
| ing on. And yet Congress and ;he lpresi-
| dent would not recognize that state of
| war which would assure to American rris-
| oners the treatment of prisoners of war
| and not Of fnsurreetionists.
| Protection of American Prisoners.
Mr.. Morgan said the question of pro-
tectinG Americans Imprisoned in Spanish
prisons could not turn on numbers; whether
| a or II we've in prison. Suppose. instead of
| a, it had been Only one. Who could say
| that the United States government would
maintain its dignity by standing by while
this one American citizen was held by
| Spain In violation of treaty provisions and
! SoiitIdTy " every OF ClVlllZatlOn
and justice. The United States had warned
| off European nations from all control over
| Cuba said Mr.. Morgan. We seemed to ex-
ercise sort of guardianship over that is
| land as against all other nations.
But" exclaimed the senator, that
| guardianship. if We have it, is like the
guardianship of the devil over a condemned
| SOUL We are warning nations that they
must mold aloof, while We stand by and see
the inQuis.torial methods of Spanish war
fare, Spanish dungeons and Spanish tyran-
ny executed against Cubans and against
our own people without one word of pro-
test"
Mr. Morgan yielded temporarily for mo-
ton by Nh. Carter (Mont.) that when the
Senate adjourn it be until next Monday.
Mr.. Hoar tMaSS) urged that the Senate
ought to 60 with the bankruptcy bill
at least tomorrow and on his request Mr..
Carter withdrew the motion.
Resuming, Mr.. Morgan spoke of the Com
petltor expedition. He reviewed the cir
cumstapccs of the case; the departure of
| the little schooner probably with the pur-
pc Sc of carrying aid to the insurgents. In
particular the senator took up the case Of
young Owen Melton, one of the Competitor
prisoners, and followed the progress of his
| trial and his imprisonment incommunicaGo
In the Spanish dungeons Mr. Morgan de-
clared that 1t was long course OF violation
of tfeaty rights and the ordinary methods
OF Judicial procedure.
Young Mclton's Case.
Young Melton, said he, was held today in
a loathsome dungeon, not because guilt
had been established against him. but be-
| cause he Is a young American boy He
was held in a miserable place in which, at
times forty other prisoners were crowded
Three pals of water were brought to them
daily to quench the thirst from the rations
OF dry Goldfish. These facts had been
stated to the Senate committee of foreign
relations by two credible witnesses in
ciuding Rev. DIR. Diaz. Mr.. Morgan then
reviewed the case of Rev. Dr.. Diaz While
preaching at Havana bombshells had been
thrown into his church, he and his brother
were arrested and hel for seven days in
communicate. The evidence of such SPAN
ish cruelty came to the Senate from ur-
impeachable sources. 1t was declared the
senator, record of horror unmentionable
to decent and civilized ears. 1t could rot
even be described on the floor of the Sem
ate without shocking all present and driy-
Ing people from the galleries to the cutter
corridors.
Mr.. Morgan read portions of the evidence
given by Messrs. Lawrence and Diaz ana
heretofore published as a senate document
Mr.. Morgan said he had tried for a wear to
get from the State Department facts in the
case Of Owen Melton, and not until the
closing days of the last administration was
he able to get even a partial statement
The Senate would be in the dark today as
to the Melton case IL the committee had not
secured evidence of the facts. There was
not more innocent man on the face of
young American was neld by Spain in flag
rant and contemptuous defiance of treaty
rights.
The Flag "a Dfsssraced Rag"
Mr.. Morgan read from the laws and
treaties 20 show the unjustiiable character
of Melton's Imprisonment. And yet this
American is lying in that Spanish jail, and
10 President, TO official raises his hand to
save him. Then the senator explained with
great vehemence, whether there are sew
enty-four prisoners in Cuba or 74OOO. or
whether It is one in the person of Owen
Melton, this Arkansas youth. the flag of
the United States, If it refuses to shelter
him, is a disgraced rag"
Mr.. Morgan gave way at . o'clock to the
bankruptcy bill, stating that he would con-
tinue his speech at the next meeting of the
Senate.
The Bankruptcy Bill.
Mr. Nelson {afinn.) addressed the Senate
on the bankruptcy bill He said there was
no public demand for the drastIc collec-
ton machinery provided by the Torrey
bankruptcy bill. When the measure came
Continued on Second Page.)