The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-06
THE CUBAN QUESTION
AGAIN BROUGHT TO THE FRONT
In IHE SENATE

Recognizing That People AS BeIIigerents.
Resolution Condemning the Proposed
Execution of General Rivera The Gomez
Letters Resolution Passed-A Vessel to
Garry Food to- Starving People of India.
The Tar. II Bill Received From the House
SENATE.
Washington, April 1.-~Immediately
after the journal Of the senate was
read, the tariff bill was received from
the house and was referred to the com
mittee en- finance.
Senator Hale, from the committee on
naval affairs, reported a joint resolu-
ton authorizing the secretary OF the
navy to transport contributions for the
relief Of the suffering poor in India,
and asked it's Immediate consideration.
The joint resolution was read. The
preamble recites the existence or q
famine in India, causing thousands OF
deaths, and the fact that generous peo-
pie in various states Of the union have
contributed wheat, -four and corn for
the relief Of the poor in India, and the
joint resolution authorizes the secre-
tary Of the navy to place at the dis
posal Of the collector OF he port of
New York any ship or vessel belonging
to the navy that may be best suited for
such service for the purpose Of trans
porting to the furnishing poor OF India
such contributions; and also to char
ter and employ q suitable merchant
vessel with cargo capacity OF from
1000 to 4, 900 tons for such And
1T appropriates the amount of money
necessary.
Senator Stewart, while favoring the
joint resolution, declared that the evils
caused by the famine in India were
trifling compared with those caused by
legislation in destroying the value OF
silver. The savings Of the poor Of India
were in silver, and, therefore,, they
could not meet the present emergency.
Senator Hale gave a brief explanation
Of the matter, reminding senators or
the fact that at the last session a SIM
liar measure vas passed for the trans
portation Of contributions from San
Francisco to India. There were now
contributions at the port of New York
awaiting transportation. What was
well done, he remarked, was twice we'll
done if it was done quickly.
Senator Morgan said that he was
very much impressed with the excel
lence Of the thought embodied in the
Joint resolution, and he hoped that the
senator from Maine would not object
if. in the course Of a few days, he Mor-
gam should find occasion to offer a
similar resolution for the purpose or
taking supplies to the island or CUDa
to feed those poor, miserable AInerl-
cans penned up in the villages ana
towns there by the of Gen.
eraI Weyler and exposed to starva-
ton ia order to subdue their spirit
and make them loyal to Spain" He
hoped Also that if a resolution was Of
fered to relieve the people OF Crete
in the same way by disregardlng the
blockade which Great Britain and the
other powers were now enforcing to
starve the Cretans to death unless they
submitted to tyrannical outrage, the
senator from Maine would support it.
Mr.. Hale-I will be very glad to meet
those resolutions when they come nat
urally before us. This gift Of the Amer
lean people is not complicated with any
politics or any political conditions OF
the people to whom the gift is sent:
They are suffering untold woes; ana
every little thing, or great thing, that
we can do to alleviate those Sufferlngs.
every senator will, l am sure, be will
ing to do.
The Joint resolution was hen passed.
Senator Allen offered a resolution re-
citing the report that the Cuban gen.
eral. Rivera, is to be tried by drum
head court-martial and shot, and de-
claring that lin the Judgment OF the
senate it is the duty Of the United
States government to protest to the
Spanish government against such a VlO-
Iation of the rules Of civilized war
fare"
Senator Hoar suggested that the res
olution should go to the on
foreign relations.
-~-I1 r <htn1 II Chn1II6 he
considered this morning. The matter
is very important. If the life of this
man is to be saved, it must be saved
without delay. OF course, we under
stand that the reference OF the resolu-
ton TO the committee on foreign rela-
lions means it defeat and destruction.
Senate Hoar-I do not understand
that the power Of life and death over
persons on either side OF the contest IN
Cuba h committed to the senate OF the
United States. And / do not conceive
that the dignity or the authority OF this
body is preserved by hasty action on
reports and umors. I think that TINS
whole matter requires the calmest ana
most orderly proceedings, and 1 ob)ect
to it's consideration at the present Time.
If the senator from Nebraska will allow
his resolution to go to the
on foreign relations, I will not object.
I have never heard that the committee
was accused of sitting such matters In
relation to Cuba
Senator Allen-The dispatches from
Cuba are to the effect that this general,
who was wounded and captured In
battle. is to be summarily tried by a
drum-head court-martial and shot. II
that be true, it is in violation OF every
known rule Of modern warfare. 1t
would be an act Of ~barbarity which no
civilized nation should submit to. Ana
while / understand as we'll as the SEN
ator from Massachusetts does that we
have no official c~ognizance Of this mat
ter, I understand also that we nave a
right to express it as the sense or the
United States enate that an act such
as is contemplated would be in VIOLA
ton of the rules of civilized warfare
and would be absolutely
Senator Hoar-The resolution should
go to the committee on foreign rela-
tions, as should all resolutions aftect-