The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-06-01

thRo Jne puDllC uSClaraJlOn made by
the former premier Of Spain on yester-
day to the Spanish people in the capt.
tai of that kingdom:
But wo are not even masters of the terri |
tory troddeu b. our soldiers The picture
could not be glOomier. We have war in Cubn
anu in tho Philippines.
War in Cuba, not on the authority OF
newspaper correspondence; not on the
authority OF q letter from one who is
in the insurgent ranks not on the
authority Of rumor or repute, but on
the authority of the former premier of
Spain. He says, I'VE have war in
Cuba :" aud can civilized mankind
question the sincerity or propriety OF
the government Of the United States
In saying the same? Yet we are con
stantly hearing that the island is
pacified.
The commander of 200, 600 men has
sent his bulletions over all the world
and announced that peace prevails.
What for, Mr.. President He who
runs may read. Spain has drawn upon
her last available man Spain has ex-
h&usted her credit in the money cen
tiers Of C~hristendom. If she gets an
other loan with which to carry on that
sanguinary war for even a few more
months she must do it by satisfying
the money loaners of the world that she
ia already withfn sight of ultimate vic
tory, and that the %sourc Of that
island are within her grasp for the re-
payment of the loan.
Peace in Cuba! II there is peace in
Cuba, it is the peace Of devastated
fields. Peace ia Cuba. If there is
peace in Cuba, it is the peace Of blaz-
ing homes. Peace in Cuba If there
Is peace in Cuba, 1T is the peace Of
ravished women. Peace in Cuba II
there is peace in Cuba, it is the peace
OF starving children; yea, and it's
pr ius are snug alone by the silent lips
Of the uncofiued dead, whose white,
upturned faces are nightly kissed by
the plying stars. No, no, Mr.. Presi-
dent, there is var In Cuba; bloody,
sanguinary, awful war. Our ears can
not be dulled to its roar; we can not
lightly put aside the fact. War is in
Cuba; war has been maintained in
CUBA for two years aud a half and to-
day Spain is no nearer the subj legation
OF tie revOlutionists than she was at
the moment Of the first engagement.
What then? All the conditions of
international law are met. That being
the case, [ state rs an a"Solut , and uu.
answerable ~prOpositiv. That this gov
eminent has the right to recognZ3
the belligcrency Of the revo~lutionlsts,
and In awaiting itself Of that right it
does not offer any affrOnt under the law
Of nations to the government Of Spain.
Read what the international law
writer's have said upon this subject. I
have not the time, nor is it my pur-
pose today, to present them in detail
to the Senate, but | know what The
principles are. | ave read them and
all that has been written on the sub
ject.
The right OF deciding when Il cause
for recognition Of belligerency exists
Is a right belonging solely and alone to
the nation that takes the action.
With that decision and that declara.
ton no other government on earth can
find fault. 1t is a right we exercise,
recognized by the law OF nations, often
acted upon by the great powers Of the
world. Whom Spain recognized the
bel igerency of the Southern Con
federacy. we neither did nor could we
have taken exception to hat determl.
nation and that action on her part. 1t
was her right to decide then, and it
is our right TO decide now.
Why should we not act? The great
Senator from Massachusetts, it seems
to me, has dwarfed and narrowed the
consideration of this proposition. He
puts 1T upon purely commercial and
''A 'hSoa SoISioNl oOiOuS'
Why should We not act? Mr.. Presi-
dent, Cuba lies at our Very doors. with
in a few hours sail from our ports
We hav" with her, or had with her a
great and an advantageous trade re-
latiOn. Oar citiz .ns have c uired
and occupied and carried on great
plantations in the island OF Cuba for
their " advantage and for the trade
ADVANTAGE OF the people Of this coun
try.
Why should we not act? There is
no patton, there is no place upon the
face Of the earth with which we have
such Immediate, such direct, such i'm.
portant commercial and other relations
as with and Ia the island of Cuba.
Greece and Turkey may engage in
war, and it matters little to us. Russia,
Germany, Italy, and England may EN-.
broil themselves Africa may become
the seat OF great strife and warfare
put they are distant countries our re-
lations with them are not relatively of
the same immediate Importance as our
relations with the island OF Cuba
Wha should we not act? will out
1T upon NJ other thar purely com
mercial grounds, If you please. Dur
ing the tendency Of hat war our trade
has been practically cut off We have
lost the advantage of tho Cuban
market. During these two years and
a half the interests OF American
cltlZ ms in shat island have been swept
away by sword and fire. During these
two years and II half the citizens of our
country temporarily resident therein
have been subjected to the %inconveni-
ences and the dangers, and oftcntimes
to the horrors, of that warfare. Yea.
even to day in the sunshine of the
nineteenth century, in "a paciiisd
island" American citizens, 800 IN a
group, are homeless and houseless and
hungry and starving and appealing to
us just for bread. Has q situation
ever before arisen which has shown so
great necessity for action upon the
part OF this government as does The
Cuban present situation?
Mr.. President, why should we not
grant b~elligcrent rights to the revolu-
tionists? We should do it, first, be-
cause every thoughtful man is con
vinced that Spain never can subdue
that island, and that il peace comes to
IT, 1T Will come In some other wav. If
Inc plantations once more bloom and
BLOSSOM, 1T will be from some other
cause. III our citizens once more have
protection nd shelter and food, it will
be because OF some other reason than
any probable or anticipated triumph
OF the Spanish authorities over the
revolutlonists. Why should we not act
now
1t is the abiding conviction OF the