The times., 1897-05-13
Does Oipeyism Survive2

Does Oipeyism Survive2
The Cuban sftuation created in the
Senate yesterday is more important to
the country than might appear upon the
face OF the returns. As reported, 1t
| merely amounted to this, that at the
| request of the Committee ON Foreign
| Relations, Senator Morgan, who had in
| tended to press his resolution Iecagniz-
| ing Cuban belhgerency TO vote, con-
! sented to let it lie over until today in
| order that a subcommittee of the For
| meantime call upon the President and
the Secretary Of State and ascertain
| whether those executive Officers We're
willing to allow the Senate access To
| the suppressed dispatches of Our errlsul
general and consuls in Cuba, oorToborat-
ing the conditions and horrors detailed
in The Times, or whether they would
insist upon their continued suppression
We are satisfied that Senator Morgan
took this action In Difference to a belief
among his colleagues that Senator Lodge
previously was correct in asserting that
the Administration was willing to lag the
Official reports of well known acts before
The Senate and the people The Senate
called for the information two weeks ago,
and UP to yesterday it had not been
furnished
THE Senate proceedings today ought to
tell us whether or not the mission WAS sue
cessful We are not advised at this writ
ing as to the fact, but we hardly are
afraid to say that nothing useful came Of
the visit of Senators Morgan, Davis and
Foraker TO President Mckinley and secre-
tary Sherman. 1t may be that TIE sup
pressed documents will be handed in this
morning, but we do not look for them 1t
seems impossible to conceive how they
could be withheld under the circumstances,
but they have been already So long de
MED to the Senate, under peculiar and
aggravating circumstances, that nothing
need surprise the nation; not even a nrac-
teal Endorsement Of the Cuban policy of
Cleveland and olney.
Although this Journal has repeatedly pub
lished the facts, it is well at this Juncture
to reitcrate them for the benefit of the
light they may throw upon today's pro-
ceedings Ia the Senate: Consul General
Lee and otherconsulsin Cnba havereported
to the State Department, in detail, full
confederation OF the accounts of Spanish
atrocities, hitherto publishedin The Times,
together with a number that have not APP
peared in the American press They have
reported that thousands OF innocent. peace
able people, including hundreds or AIferi-
cans, have been driven into MatanZas and
other Spanish garrison towns. and there
have been deliberately starved to death
by the orders of Gen. Weyicr. At the date
Of the latest of these reports at least two
hundred Americans were sick, naked and
shelterless, starving to death in the streets
Of Matanzas, andour consul there had been
forbidden to relieve them. This is but
one of the matters treated of in the re-
ports, but it will serve fer Illustration
All this has been perfectly wen known
in the State Department and atthe White
House for three weeks, and yet not a
single thing has been done in the direction
Of punishment, remedy or relief If the
President had allowed the facts to be-
come known, the charity OF the country
would have responded instantly, and car
goes of food and clothing would have
been sent before now to these unfortunate
fcIlow-citizens But it has suited the policy
of the Administra ton to deliberately sup
many American lives have been sacrificed
in consequence.
We await the developments of this day
before saying more. Whether the papers
are or are not forthcoming, their contents
are known and will see the light. What
ever may eventuate, it is the plain duty
OF the people Of Washington to inaugurate
q national movement for the succor of
phese sufferers 1t matters little whether
the Government smiles or frowns On tho
effort Seventy million free people viii
not allow their brothers and sisters to be
sacrificed to Spanish deviltry within a
few miles OF their shores, while the priwi-
legeof free speech and assembiage and the
right to bear arms remains to them.
The people are organizing all over the
United States. why stand we here idlei''
Crown Princes as Commanders.