Evening journal., 1897-05-19
HOTSPEECHFOR CUBA
Senator Mason Says Bayonets as
Well as Bread Should Be Sent.
A LARGE AUDIENCE WAS PRESENT.
Every Member of the Senate Was In
Place When the Illinoisan Made His
Fiery Grafton, and He Was Listen
ed to with Rapt Attention.


Fiery Grafton, and He Was Listen
ed to with Rapt Attention.
Washington. May Ex-senator Mason
delivered a fiery address on Cuba when
the Morgan belligerency resolution was
called up.
He had been previously advertised as
heading combination Of senator's
pledged to prevent action or prolonged
discussion until a vote can be reached
on the resolutions.
In anticipation of something sensa-
tiona the galleries were full, and near
ly every senator in town was In his
seat
Senator Mason made the point that
the presidents relief message was
recognition by the highest authority in
the United States that a state of war
existed In Cuba and that 1t was the
duty Of congress to still further en-
phasize the presiden, Il declaration.
Mr.. Mason read J esident McKin-
ley's message to prove that state Of
war exists in Cuba.
IF there is not war" he said then
there ought to be with u.s.
He said the Americans In Cuba need
ed to be defended with bayonets as
well as with bread
He referred to Senator Wellington's
reference to our Indebtedness to Eng
land and said that he. too, acknowl-
edged the Indebtedness.
Refers to Arbitration Treaty Defeat.
Thank God" he exclaimed. I'VE set
tied a small part of 1t at Bunker Hill.
Another part of it we settled here in
the senate two weeks ago"
This latter remark was directed at
the defeat of the arbitration treaty and
was the first public reference TO it in
the senate.
Senator Mason later on said d"
thereby horrifying the dignlhed senate
and shocking the proprieties.
1t was the cause of a tilt between
, Senators Wellington and Mason. The
Marylander disputed the statement by
Mason that at the time Washington
was at Valley Forge the Colonial gov
ernment was not worth any more than
is that of Cuba today.
Mason reiterated his statement and
declared that on the occasion referred
to the Colonial government wasn't
worth a continental damn"
This irreverence threw Wellington
into a white heat. and he vigorously de-
nounced the utterance as a Justification
of history.
The dialogue between the new sena-
tors aroused eager interest. The sena-
tor from Illinois gave all the entertain
ment expected Of him. and the yelling
tonian Interruptions only added zest to
the performance.
Then Mr.. Mason read from reports
sent to the senate by the committee on
foreign relations in support of his state
Mr.. wellington was elected on the
platform of independence for Cuba" he
said. 80 was I. SO was Mr.. McNin-
ley And I am here to stand by it so
long as I continue on the payroll"
Popular Feeling For Cuba.
He said that during the last campaign
he had felt the pulse of thousands Of
people and was satisfied there was a
deep general interest among the people
in the interest Of Cuban freedom.
He was for Cuba, not for commercial
reasons or for the acquisition of terri
tory after the English fashion, but for
better reasons.
Mr.. Mason predicted that this coun-
try would yet develop Lafayette for
Cuba. e.
Speaking Of the nevtbaper reports of
the Cuban war, Mr.. Mason defended
them as In the main correct he SAID
that so per cent of the tmen who had
gone to Cuba to write Of the war had
lost their lives.
He proposed to vote on the resolution
If it took all summer. Cuba was popu-
lar at st. Louis when the party wanted
votes, and he appealed to Republican
senators to stand by the declaration.
Mr. Mason said he did not believe the
adoption Of the resolution meant war;
but. If an honest protest meant war, let
1t come.
He was followed by Mr.. Hoar of Mas
sachusetts in opposition 70 the resolu-
tion, who counseled temperate action.
Mr.. Hoar spoke in his usual calm and
dignified style, and took occasion to de-
ride buncomb appeals to constituents
and braggadocio as to our nationa
strength. Mr.. Hoars criticisms. al
though impersonal, were clearly aimed
at Mr. Mason. Senators Gallinger o.
New Hampshire and Hawley of Con
necticut also spoke. the former for th'
resolution and the latter urging that tn
United States should not rush into wa
while our coast defenses are manifest!
inadequate. No final action on the res
olution was taken.