Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-17
CHANDLER o. CUBA.


Washington, May 16.-An enthusi-
astic audience of men and women,
'nNany Of them we'll known in Washing
ton, packed the Columbia theatre to its
doors, this afternoon, at a monster
meeting held in behalf of the cause OF
the Cuban insurgents. The theatre was
appropriately decorated. Seated on the
platform and participating in the ex-
ercises were Senators Gallinger and
Allen Ex-senator Butler of South
Sarolina. Rev. Hugh Johnson, pastor
of the Metropolitan Methodist church,
Rev. Howard Wilbur Ennis and a
number of others identified with the
interests of the insurgents.
General VIM. Henry Browne, presi-
dent of the Cuban League, called the
meeting to order and introduced SEN
ator Gallinger as the presiding officer.
The latter made a brief address and
read a number of letters and kilograms
of regret, among them being those
from Senators Frye and Burrows ana
Commander Clarkson of the G. a. X.
Senator Chandler sent the following
letter of regrets:
'.Senor A. a. Guirre. Washington.
Dear Sir: Although unable to attend
the meeting, tonight | send Few
words of sympathy and hope for the
relief and independence of CUBA. As
| wish to see the United States declare
and maintain the Importance OF the
island as France did that of the Amefl-
can colonies and made the United
States a nation, of course ! shali as
friend vote for every minor methoc
tending to the same beneficent END. L
hope and believe that Congress and the
President will soon formally recognize
a state of war and Cuban belligenency
This step, followed as it will be by all
the other independent nations OF Inc
Western hemisphere cannot fail to en-
sure the Cuban independence which Is
sought fer.
Moreover. without delay we ought to
send a lleet to enter the harbors ana an
army to enter upon the soil OF Cuba, nfst
to protect the lives and property OF
American citizens, and secondly, to stop
the atrocous and uncivilized methods OF
warfare adopted by the Spanish generals.
I'm advocating all these measures,
am conscious of no passionate hostility
to Spain. In 1861 she recognized the
Southern Confederacy within less than
three months after its military struggle
began, and surely If she cannot hoia
Cuba without making it 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 incendlarlsm
she ought to lose the island.
.'If between 1861 and 1865. one Confed-
crate general had been thus put to death.
all the Powers of Europe, with one ac-
cord would have sent their fleets ana
armies 5000 miles across the ocean to end
such barbarous warfare and to establish
and maintain the Southern Confederacy.
Yet Gen. Robert E. Lee and all his gen
erals were as truly guilty or rebellfon
and incendiarism was Theodore Men
endez Gonzales. who was shot for thaf
offence at Cabanas forts in Havana, on
Monday last.
1--WE blame England for abandoning
the harmless and peaceful Armenian
Christians to massacre by the Moslems
and for submitting the interviewing
Greeks to slaughter by the Turkish dcs-
pot. England retorts that we dare nor
stop the methods OF unciviliZed warfare
applied at our very doors in the Ameri-
can Crete-the fair island of Cuba; and
both charge and counter-charge are just
ly made
Tin 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 declara-
ton of sympathy for the people of
Cuba for their heroic struggle for lib
erty and independence, and the Repub
leans by their promise that the United
States should endeavor to restore peace
and give independence to the island.
There need be little fear that these
pledges will be violated. President
Mckinley 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 impatient spirits to
be undue caution with the cries and
groans wringing in his ears of unarmed
men. women and children enduring in
human cruelty and dastardly murder
but he will not fail to be faithful to his
pledges and he will before long register
the decree which went forth in his tri-
umphant 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
President, let US rest patiently and
most hopefully.
Very respectfully,
VIM. L. CHANDLER"