The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-28
HE SCORES MCKINLEY.
continued from page j

| mon merchandise from our people. Why
should our government prevent cur citi-
Zens from selling their goods to the peo-
| pie of Cuba, since there is no state OF
war in that islaud?
| "Of course our people are not intcrns.
/ tiona, lawyers, and. they do not have
either time nor inclination to study prob
lens of such moment. But If they only
knew the situation would resent the mis-
Interpretation Of International law under
which this adj administration is acting.
"These facts are being considered by
Senator's and Representatives. IL you
want to tell the people the Truth you can
tell the III that all of the members OF the
Senate committee on foreign relations,
with two exceptions, are at variance with
President; and those Senator's are in pos
session Of every fact which is available in
the Department of State. Furthermore.
you may state that the majority of the
House committee on foreign affairs look
upon this great question in tile same
manner. The gentlemen who compose
that committee are well versed in inter.
national law, and they know that the
neutrality laws do not apply at this time.
'You ask me what we are going to do
about it; and will tell you. We are go
ing to follow the lead of Pr sident Nc
kinley until the patience of the people of
this country is ABOUT exhausted. We
know that the policy of particeps crim.
mis- in the W holesale destruction of hui
man life is not the policy of the people of
our country. We know that it is simply
question of time when the people will
arouse and stand by us. Then, when we
are assured that the people are with u.s.
we are going to pass Il bellgerency 1eso.
iutiJn through both houses OF Congress
Inv. do
matter of individual, as we'll rs col.
lective, duty; and thus clean our own
conscences of participation in slaughter
which can be not only modified, hut ac-
tually stopped
You want to know who is to take the
lead. and l will tell you. The people
must take the lead, just rs they did in the
Venezuelan matter. Popular opinion be-
came strong enough to warrant President
Cleveland in making an enunciation of
the Monroe doctrine two years ago; and,
when Cleveland spoke in his vigorous and
determined patriotic manner, the people
arose ell masse and cheered him. When
forty. eight hours after his enunciation
the people would have been willing to
have voted to make him dictator.
'When you place these facts before the
people you should reiterate and make
perfectly plain the fact that in interpa-
tional law, to which all nations are
agreed, this country has no business to
act Is policeman of the seas for Spain and
in Spanish interests. We might as we'll
send our warsLips to protect German in
terests i'll China or Freuch Interests along
the Suez canal
Fell the people that Spain has no
right under international law to expect
us to patrol our coast to prevent our citi-
Zens from carrying merchandise to the
citizens of Cula; for those Cuban citizens
have perfect right to purchase whatever
they please from our citizens The neu-
trality laws do not apply, according to
the official declaration of Spain for the
government at Madrid in most vehe-
ment manner declares that there is mo
state of war in Cuba, the citizens Of that
island are in state of peace.
THAT being the case, uuder interna.
tional law, you have q right to sell any
Cuban citizen n rifle, shot gun. sabre,
cannon or any other article of merchan-
disc that he wants. If he wants two or
two hundred rifles. or two or two hun
dred diamonds, you have perfect right
to sell your goods to him. and no United
States warship has any business to inter
fere. or course, il you undertake to land
your goods without paying the tariff du-
ties. you will be subject to punishment
by Spain AS smuggler
But you should make..it plain that the
government of the United States has no
right to prevent you from selling your
n state of peace, for there is no state of
war; in Cuba.
''lnasmuch as President Mckinley sees