The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-25
CUBA THE DEMOCRATS, GAME.
sympathy for Insurgents to Serve
Them in Place of Silver.

Them in Place of Silver.
Washington Letter in New York CONNER
clal Advertiser.
The wretched plight of Cuba is to be
thrust upon the American people soon again
in Congress. The man directly responsible
is William II. King, repreSentative-at-arg
IN Congress from the State of Utah, who
leaves Washington tomorrow for Havana
to study from the standpoint of a Demo-
craft the condition of the unfortunate ISL
and under the rule of Captain General
Blanco.
The expedition of Congressman King to
cuba would be worthy of hardly passing
notice were it not fer the fact that there
has been some mystery about what the
Democrats and some Republicans propose
TO do about the Cuban question in this
Congress Some say that these gentlemen
who would take immediate and active
part in freeing Cuba can do nothing be-
cause the speaker of the House will snuff
them the moment that they make an at
tempt to get the Cuban belligerency resou-
ton which passed the Senate at the extra
session last spring through the House. Mr..
Reed probably could do this if he fit,
but whether he will see fit is an entirely
different matter. Cuba has momentarily
occupied the attention of the House on sew
eral occasions since the OPENING of the ses-
sion, and Mr.. Reed did not attempt to hold
the members bringing 1T up in hand
But whatever Mr. Reed will or can do
about it. one thing is certain: That the
Democrats are preparing to make an at
tack; they are going to make a strong APP
peal to the galleries on the Cuban matter:
Cubans, and they are going TO do it because
1t is the best piece of horseplay in sight.
Silver oratory does not compare with Cuba
as means for reaching the people and get
ting the ear of the public. Sixteen to one
Is an old song at best How old and dry it
is is shown hy the fact that although Sec
rotary Gage has been recently before the
banking and currency committee of the
House advocating the strengthening of the
gold standard, no free silver congressman
has seen tit to denounce him, and that task
has been left to man who is supposed to
be a Republican-Senator Chandler, of New
Hampshire.
Politics is the only explanation of Mr..
Kings trip to Cuba as a gatherer of po-
litical ammunition and Mr. King ought to
suit the ideas of the Chicago Democracy;
he is shrewd enough to pick up the most
sensational and telling points against the
rule of Spain, and he is enough of an ora
tor to present these points in a way that
will appeal to the mind of the lingo But
what will come of all this? Just this: Dem
ocrats must have something upon which to
Test the congressional elections next fall.
Silver is dead, and there is no possible way
of reviving it before next November.
The Democracy as now constituted is alb
Solutey lost without a. sensational issue.
and they propose to make a sensational
congressional issue out of Cuba If they can
accomplish it by hook or crook The bel
ligerency resolutions cannot get through
the House unless the administration Re
pubicans give their consent and they will
not do this unless Mr.. Mckinley arrives
at the conclusion that it is time for action.
clusiOn during the present session of Con-
gress, if the war in Cuba should be
brought to an end by Spain, then the DEM
ocratS would be the losers.
Everybody knows the pitable condition
that exists throughout the Island of Cuba.
and the brilliant opportunity that Mr.. King
will have to gather sensational information
without bringing his fertile Western imag-
ination into play He will find that the
plan for giving aid to the recOncentrados
has collapsed completely. that a food fam
inc prevails over the island. He will place
the blame for this upon Spain and Captain
General Blanco, but he will not say when
he gets back that Spain went far with
her plan of relief as her means would per-
NIT her to 60 He will find that the people
are starving, and that will be sufficient
He will find that the plan of autonomy is
a failure. Whether it has failed through
bad faith OH the part of the Sagasta Min
istry or through political strife in Havana,
in which many Cubans have taken part,
will not matter to Mr.. King or the Demo-
cratic congressman. The latest advices
that come out of Cuba say that nobody
there expects intervention on the part of
the United States. Everybody who is not
starving is busy with political fences, and
starving people do not count.
1t is understood that Mr.. King will write
UP his trip for a yellow journal when he
gets back. That gives a better insight than
anything else possibly could into the exact
character OF his mission.