Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-12
THE CUBAN RESOLUTION Offered by Senator Morgan Finds.
 Opposition 5. = M ANT.LE OF MONTANA Says His Constituency Want Change in the Provisions for Wool in the Pro- ssz
 Iose1 Tariff Fill.
M ANTLE OF MONTANA

llOn OCSQplSu lhC SiflilO UptOAN'NH SA -1S senate today, the debate taking a wide. range and at times becoming spirited when comparisons were made between the attitude of the formzr administration and the present on the subject. The deba.e
 went over until tomorrow. During the day Senator Kyle, populist, of South Dakota rising to question of privileges disclaimed having sought commi tse places from republican senators. A par
 tial conference report on the Indian ap- propriation bill was agreed to.
 Senator Mantle, of Montana, intro-
 duced two amendments to the wool schedule of l.he tariff bill. He explained theis these repr- selted the views of the, National Wool Growers association, while the matter had been agreed to by a number of senators on the repubncan side. The amendments wer- referred 10 the finance committee.
 The Morgan Cuban resolution was taken up as soon as routine business was out of the way, and MT. Morrill,, repub- lfcan, of Vermont, spoke in opposition. The senator said tha purpose or all Gu
 ban resolutions, including that or MT. Morgan, was to wreSt the jurisdiction hitherto held and exercised only by the executive branch of the government in recognizing the belligsrent rights or the independence of a nation, and thus the exercise of the power by congress in re- gard to Cuba. MT. Morrill, said congress has no perrogative thereto, and would be violating all precedents. He claimed that ghe question whether bell1gerent rights of revO1~ers should have recogni- tion should not merely be based on sym pathy, but they should be based on jus tice and law. Wers we now to recog- nize the Cubans' right to belligerency, the legb innate authorities would be re- lieved of responsibility for damages which American citizens may suffer through any acts or misdeeds of the re- vo1ters. The present administration was retaining Gen. Lee at Havana, which was some proof, rhe senator said, that some good work was being done there now, and this supplemented by the inquiries of q competent special commissioner would give the president better information than Ihat derived from the sudden in spira tion of any Cuban annsxationdsts in America. The senator held that Spain, yexed by filibusl-ers and by the stalwarf sympa thy in the United States for the insurgents, would construe a resolution recognizing the independence of Cuba as equivalent to a declaration of war. For himself he hoped for the early and complete independence of the island, and when the rime was ripe, independence would show whether there was war or not war.
 MT. Merrill turned his attention to the thew and botched version of the Monroe doctrine. with all its apochryphal addi- tions by our intrepid jingoists." This new version, he said ought to make the United Stares the "unmasked guardian and the fighting champion of all the American republics. big and little." The senator compared the pacific utierances of Washington with those "fa tulent ex- aggerations of the Monroe doctrine" He had never accepted this new version as applied 10 Venezuela If it was to be an es tabhshed policy, then 1t was time to create an army and navy, which will eclipse all that might be brought against it, to pile up Eaxes to sustain a huge mill itary establishment and to supplant tha sch oolmaster with the soldier.
 MT. Foraker, of Ohio, spoke briefly on the desirebility of careful inquiry by the foreign relations committee. There was l DO purpose, he said, to trife with the resolution. and he urged MT. Morgan to allow 1t to be referred
 MT. Allen populist, of Nebraska, asked what more could be learned.
 MT. F'oraker responded that question existed as to the facts.
 MT. F'oraker said he had read some of the evidence in the possession of the state department, and he felt that it should be examined carsfuly before ac- tion was taken.
 This led MT. Allen to a warm criticism of the "premedltated purpose of the state department to keep the senate in ignor- ance.
 MT. Foraker disclaimed having said anything to warrant the assertion that the executive or the state department withheld information from the senate or desired delay.
 Speaking of the policy of the admin isitra ton, he said: "So far as the admin istra ton Is concerned, 1t is not under taking to shirk It's duty as to Cuba. its policy in regard to that question, and in due ime it will take its action in correspondence with that policy.
 May l be permitted to ask" inquired MT. Allan, what is the policy of the ad- | ministraItion in respect to Cuba ?"
 '"The policy of the admins tration," said MT. Foraker, ''as I understand it, is to ascertain at once, beyond perad- | venture, what are the exact conditions l existing in Cuba. It has taken steps in that direction. It has sen It's duly au- thorized agent there to make the tn- | quiry. It will be but short time until 1 report made by the administrators | own representa- tive, report on which the | administration will feel warranted in taking action"
 MT Mills, democrat, said 1t was rather | a late day to stop and inquire whether | war exists in Cuba. The state depart | ment was not the only source of informa- tion. We know just as well that war exists in Cuba as that war exists in | Greece, or that an overflow has occur red on the Mississippi river. Moreover, | the senate was pfecluded from question: ing the facts, as it has already passed a concurrent resolution declaring that a state of war exists in Cuba.
 MT. Lodge, of Massachusetts, a mem | Der of the commi.tse on foreign rela- tions, stated that there was late inform ation in possession of the state depart | ment which was most important and should be given 70 congress and the couniry before the passage of these res- olutions. Under the last administration, he said, the senate had b.en kept in the | dark as to Cuba, but he did not believe there was any disposition on the part of the present administration to withhold | any information from congress or the country. He believed the information now in the hands of the executive would strengthen the resolution, as it would l then have behind it the support of our i, consu1s and officials
 MT. Stewart. populist. of Nevada, ar ! gued that 1t would be as wise to collect evidence that the sun shines as to set forth war was going on in Cuba.
 The Cuban resolution was laid aside