The record-union., 1897-05-17

WASHINGTON, May 16.-An enthu-
siastic audience of men and women,
many of them we'll known in Washing
ton. packed the Columbia Theater to
its doors this afternoon at a monster
mass meeting held in behalf of the
cause of the Cuban insurgents. The
theater was appropriately decorated.
Seated on the platform and participant
ing in the exercises were Senators Cal
linger and Allen, ex-senator Butler of
South Carolina; 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. Gen
eral William Henry Brown, President
of the Cuban League, called the meet
ing to order and introduced Senator
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 ana Burrows and Com
mander Clarkson of the Grand Army of
the Republic.
Senator Chandler sent the following
letter:
washington, D. c., May 10th.
f.Senor A. Aguirre. Washington, D.
c.: Dear Sir-Although unable to at
tend the meeting tonight, l send few
words of sympathy and of hope for the
relief and Independence of Cuba
AS l wish to see the United States
declare and maintain the independence
OF the island as France did that of the
American colonies and made the Unit
ed States nation, of course l shall, as
a practical friend, vote for every minor
effort tending TO the same beneficent
end l hope that Congress and the
President will soon formally recognize
a state Of war and Cuban belligerency.
This step. followed as it will be by all
the other independent nations of the
Western Hemisphere, cannot fail to in
sure Cuban independence which is
sought for.
Moreover, without delay, we ought
TO send a fleet to enter the harbor 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 me-
thods of warfare adopted by the Span
ish Generals.
In advancing 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 hold
Cuba without making one vast desert
and graveyard by driving the inhabi-
tants 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 iS6o one
Confederate General had been thus put
no death all the Powers of Europe, with
one accord. would have sent their fleets
and armies 5000 miles acrass the ocean
TO end such barbarous warfare and to
establish and maintain the Southern
Confederacy. Yet General Robert r.
Lee and all his Generals We're as truly
guilty of rebellion and incendiarism as
was Theodore Mendez Gonzales. who
was shot for that offense at Cabanas
fortress in Havana on Monday last.
We blame England for abandoning
the harmless and peaceful Armenian
Christians to massacre by the Mos
lens. and for submitting the liberty
loving Greeks to slaughter by the Turk
ism despot. England retorts that we
dare not stop the methods of unciVil-
ized warfare applied at our very doors
in the American Crete-the fair island
of Cuba, and both charge and counter
charge are justly made.
In helping to make Cuba independ-
ent. we are observing a traditional and
universal American policy; the duty to
promote a the first good opportunity
the severance of Cuba from Spain. In
1896 also the Democrats pledged them
selves to do this by their declaration
OF sympathy for the people of Cuba in
their present struggle for victory and
independence: and the Republicans by
their promise that the United States
should endeavor 10 restore peace and
give independence to the island.
There need be little fear that these
hedges viii be violated. President Nc
Kfnley willingly recognized the binding
force of the platform upon which he
was elected. and will soon do his part
toward making Cuba free and indie
pendent He may proceed with what
will seem to impatient spirits to be I'M
due 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 faithful in 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 great party and its Pres
ident let us rest patiently and most
hopefully. Very respectfully,
WILLIAM E. CHANDLER"
Carl Decker of Washington, who. as
correspondent of the New York Jour
nal" spent much time in Cuba with a
branch of a Cuban army in Santa Clara
Province, gave a description of the con
dition of affairs existing and of the
pitiable plight of many OF the people
suffering for the necessities of life. He
ridiculed the claims sent out by General
Weyler that the island had been paci-
fed and said that if the Cubans were
granted belligerent rights by the United
States they would certainly win Mr.
Decker has just returned from Cuba
In the course of his remarks Senator