The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-22
RIVER AT s A. NJ.
Danger Height Of
CowARDs TO THE LAST.

COWARDS TO THE LAST.
made records for themselves on the
Cuban question that should cover them
with shame. The sufferings of the in
surgents, the honor of the American
name the hope of liberty itself have
been but the shuttlecock of party
politics. Neither senate nor house has
dared to take position that is strong,
manly, consistent or worthy of any
thing better than peanut politics. The
Republican party, as far as 1t is con-
cerned, has turned squarely in its
tracks, and is standing now where the
Democratic supporters Of the Cleve-
land administration stood three months
ago. Those senators who are close to
the white house deprecated the passage
of Morgan's resolution recognizing the.
Cuban insurgents as beiligerents. They.
brought forward in support of their
argument all that was urged by
thoughtful Democrats when the jingo
Republicans were bullyragging the
Cleveland administration for inaction.
They were put on record by Mr.. Fair
banks when they voted down reso-
luton which simply quoted its sub
stance from the platform adopted by
the Republican national convention at
st. Louis. Having thus stultified them
selves in every way possible, the Demo-
cratic jingoes and the Republican jim
goes locked hands and passed the cow
ardly Intellectual and humiliating Nor
gan resolution.
In the house it was no better. The
subject under consideration there was
the resolution appropriating $4,000 for
the relief of American citizens in Cuba.
1t was jammed through under a report
from the committee on rules, but not
without two remarkable instances. One
of these was the attempt of Mr.. Bailey
to have coupled with it a recognition
of belligerency similar to that which
was on its passage at the other end
of the capitol. The other was the in
timation by Mr.. Hit, so carefully
phrased as to hold neither himself nor
Mr. Mckinley responsible after events
have developed, that the president has
under consideration the adoption of
some definite and positive policy with
regard to Cuba. In order that the pub
lie may note how worthless was the
assurance given, we quote the language
of Congressman Hit: 81 have reason
to believe that the president is taking
as active and as effective steps as he
can to secure the independence of
Cuba" .t,1p.-
No doubt Mr., Mckinley is taking
steps of that description, just as Mr..
Cleveland did. But it has been shown
sufficiently that action by this country
on the lines laid down can be neither
practical nor effective. Just as the SEN
ate stultified itself when it's Republi-
can members voted to reject leading
plank Of the Republican national plat
form, SO did those Of the house stultify
themselves when reciting the horrors
of Spanish domination in Cuba. They
found no better remedy for her than
a recognition Of belligerency. Think Of
the weakness the shame Of it. A rep
resentative rises in his place and states
deliberately that an American citizen
has been apprehended for no fault Of
his, tied to a tree and cut to pieces
by an inhuman soldiery. IF this be a
lie, the man who states 1t as a fact
deserves immediate expulsion. If it be
true, what have we to do with such
mawkish measures as recognition of
belligerent rights? Is 1T with paper
wads from popguns that we are to de-
fend American citizenship and Ameri-
can honor?
Tales of blood and horror like this
have been recounted in both houses,
until we are forced to believe that be-
low them lies some substratum of
reality. If it be so, if Spain, adding to
the bloodthirstiness Of her revenge
upon the Cubans, has laid her guilty
hand upon Americans as WELL what
disgrace to us to answer by paper