The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-17
.0UTsPOKEN FOR CUBA,
Senator Chandler Would Send Army
and Navy to Free the Island.
Monster Meeting In Columbia
Theatre, Washington.
Barbarlties That Equal Armenian 0utrages
Are Enacted at Our Door.

Washington, May IT, Columbia thea
ire was crowded to the doors yesterday
by prominent men and women at the
capital who are sympathizers with the
cause of the Cuban insurgents. The
audience was most enthusiastic, and de-
nunciation of Weyler's murderous war
fare was most bitter.
Among the prominent men on the plat
form and participating In the exercises
were Senator'S Gallinger and Allen, ex-
Senator Butler of South Carolina, Rev.
Hugh Johnson. pastor of the Metropoli-
tan Methodist church; Rev. Howard
Wilbur Ennis. and a number of others
identified with the interests of the in
surgents. General William Henry
Browne, president of the Cuban league,
called the meeting to order and intro
duced Senator Gailinger as the presiding
officer. The latter made brief ad-
dress and read a number of letters and
kilograms of regret, among them being
those from Senator's Frye and Burrows.
and Commander Clarkson of the G. A. X.
Senator Chandler sent the following
letter Of regret:
Senior A. A. Aguirre. Washington:
Dear Sir-Although unable to attend
the meeting tonight send a few words
OF sympathy and of hope for the relief
and independence Of Cuba.
AS wish to see the United States de-
clare and maintain the independence of
the island, as France did that Of the
American colonies and made the United
States a nation, of course shall as
practical friend vote for every minor
method tending to the same beneficent
end. hope and believe that congress
and the president will soon formally
recognize a state OF war and Cuban bel
ligerency. This step, followed as II will
be by all the other independent nations
Of the Western Hemisphere, cannot fail
70 ensure the Cuban independence which
II sought for.
Moreover. without delay we ought to
send a fleet to enter the harbors and an
army to land upon the soil OF Cuba, first
to protect the lives and property OF
American citizens, and, secondly, to stop
the atrocious and uncivilized methods
OF warfare adopted by the Spanish gen.
erals.
In advocating all these measures am
conscious ofsno passionate hostility to
Spain. In 1861 she recognized the South
ern Confederacy within less than three
months after It's military struggle be-
gan, and surely IL she cannot hold Cuba
without making II one vast desert and
graveyard by driving the Inhabitants
into the cities to starve and by hanging,
shooting or garroting Cuban officers and
soldiers for rebellion and incendiarism
she ought to lose the island. If between
1861 and 1866 one Confederate general
had been thus put to death all the pow
ers Of Europe, with one accord, would
have sent their fleets and armies 5000
miles across the ocean to end such bar
barous warfare and to establish and
maintain the Southern Confederacy.
Yet, General Robert Z. Lee and all his
generals were as truly guilty Of rebellion
and incendiarism as was Theodore
Menendez Gonzales, who was shot for
that offense at Cabanas fort in Havana
on Monday last.
We blame England for abandoning the
harmless and peaceful Armenian Chris
tians TO massacre by the Moslems, and
for submitting the liberty-loving Greeks
to slaughter by the Turkish despot Eng
land retorts that we dare not stop the
methods of uncivilized warfare applied
at our very doors in the American Crete
the fair island Of Cuba-and both charge
In helping to make Cuba independent
we are observing a traditional and uni
Versal American policy: the duty to pro-
mote at the first good opportunity the
severance Of Cuba from Spain. In 1896,
also, the Democrats pledged themselves
to do this by their declaration of SYM
pathy for the people Of Cuba for their
heroic struggle for liberty and indepen-
dence, and the Republicans by their
promise that the United States should
endeavor to restore peace and give inde-
pendence to the island.
There need be little fear that these
pledges will be violated. President Nc
Kinley willingly recognizes the binding
force of the platform upon which he was
elected and will soon do his part toward
making Cuba free and independent. He
may proceed with what will seem to i'm
patient spirits to be undue caution, with
the cries and groans ringing In his ears
of unarmed men, women and children
enduring inhuman cruelty and dastardly
murder. but he will not fail to be faith
fcl to his pledges, and he will before
long register the decree which went forth
In his triumphant election, that Cuba
should be taken from the control OF Spain
and made peaceful and independent. In
this faith in a great party and its presi-
dent let us rest patiently and most hope
fully.
Very respectfully.
William Z. Chandler