The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-26

".' ~
Havana TO Compel Respect for Americas
acknowledgements sherman Explain. I'm
Inconsistency In Voting to Report tho Rec
oiution ana Then Voting to sidctrn~k I.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 25.-This has been an excit-
ing day. both in Congress and at the Depart
ment OF State. That the Cuban questionhas again
become most critical was plainly shown by the
sudden but not altogether unexpected outburst
OF patriotic sentiment In the Senate, and by the
evident anxiety OF administration officials 70
withhold from the public every particle of infor-
nation touching upon the acute situation In
Cuban affairs prccipitated by the threatened
resignation OF Consul General Ice at Havana.
The overwhelming sentiment OF a large majority
OF the Senate In favor Of vigorous and immediate
action to protect the lives OF American citizens
In Cuba was no more marked than the evident
determination Of the small band Of pro-Spanish
Senators TO assist the President and the Seere-
tary OF State In their desperate efforts TO main
tain the status quo for another week.
By a vote OF 40 10 81 the Senate decided to
displace all appropriation bills and other mat
tiers Of pressing and important legislation for the
purpose Of going on with the discussion Of the
resolution reported from the Committee on For
eign Relations demanding Of Spain the imms-
diatc release OF Julio Sanguily. an American
citizen confined In a Cuban prison. Even this
decided majority did not represent the full
strength OF the pro-Cuban sentiment In the Sen
ate. because several pronounced friends Of tho
Cuban cause felt in duty bound to sustain the
Committee on Appropriations in their effort to
keep control Of the calendar OF the Senate In
order that the rapidly approaching day Of final
adjournment might not come and find some of
the appropriation bills Enacted upon. Senator
Allison, the Chairman Of the Committee on Ap-
preparations, Is "A friend of Cuba. and 30 10 Sem
ators Cullom and Sherman. who are members Of
the Committed on Foreign Relations, and Haw-
ley and others, all Of whom voted to-day to
sidetrack the Sanguily resolution in order
to give the appropriation bills tho right Of
way. But the Appropriations Committee, the
Steering Committee, and all the various combi-
nations formed for the purpose OF keeping tho
money bills to the front. went down before the
overwhelming sentiment in favor OF n declnra-
ton TO Spain that II must respect the rights of
American citizens.
The significant vote was preceded by four
hours Of the most exciting. dramatic. and sensa-
tional ~speechmaking that has been witnessed In
the Senate since the Cuban question first DO
came a vital issue. This cross-nre debate, 40
companied by repeated outbursts OF patriotism
and Americanism. brought nearly all the leaders
OF both sides TO the front, and the fierce denun-
Citations OF the Spanish Government for its con-
| tefnptuOus treatment OF American CltlZens, the
fervent declarations OF sympathy for Cuba and
the cause of the insurgents. the ringing words
of cheer 10 the American victims OF Spanish
atrocities, and the sarcastic criticism Of the
~cringing and un.American policy of the State
Department aroused tho occupants of the gallery
to such a pitch OF enthusiasm that their applause
could only be silenced by the threat OF the Vice
President to clear the galleries II necessary To
prevent this violation OF the Senate rules.
Nothing could he moro dramatic than the
speeches OF Senators Frye. Lodge, Teller, and
Allen, all OF whom heaped sneers upon the
Cuban policy OF the Cleveland Administration,
and flung defiance to Spain in their appeals for
the protection Of the rights OF American citizens,
let the result be what II may. The eloquence of
these Senators, supplemented by the equally
earnest II less impuls!ve speeches OF Messrs.
Morgan, Daniel, Hill, and other friends OF Cuba,
brushed aside the hair splitting OF Hale, Gray,
Villas, and their fellow defenders OF the Admin
i~stration, who opposed the appeals OF the Cuban
Senators by Quibblings over the question Of
whether or not there was a flaw in the natural
ization papers OF the American citizen now con-
fined In the c ubanprison and for whose release
the Consul-Genera at Havana is using every
power at his command.
All day long what one Senator called the
bombardment OF Spain" continued in the SEN
ate, and but for the flibus;ering tactics OF the
band of Cuban administration apologists the
resolution OF the Foreign Relations mi
demanding the immediate release OF Julio San
gully, would have been passed by a majority of
about two 10 one.
White OF California threw himself into the
breach to stem the tide OF battle. and, with .
long prepared speech on the general question Of
the right Of Congress to recognize belligerency
or independence, talked against time TO save the
day for the Administration. and after the ses-
sion had lasted six hours forced a recess until
evening. Then, as he was not present to con-
tinue his speech, the Indian Appropriation bill
was taken up. The Senator from Spain" a.
Mr.. Hale Is usually called nowadays, endeavored
in vain To check the flow Of Cuban sympathy by
holding out the promise that Sanguily would b
released in IA day or two as the result OF regular
State Department negotiations. but he was
quickly caught up by his colleague. Mr.. Frye,
who pointed out that such release could only
come by the granting Of n pardon, following the
withdrawal OF his appeal against the decision Of
the Spanish court. This would mean his relin-
quishmcnt Of all rights Ia make Il claim Of
damages 10 himself or family. II was Hale's ex-
posture OF how SanSuily's lawyer had fallen
into the trap set for him by spain that gave
Frye the opportunity to step forth in the
main aisle and with clarion voice declare
amid the applause Of the entire Senate,
lnAl u nc NtTt StNTtlhTN " CIdU0
Il mnn-of.war should be sent forthwith TO Spain
for the enforcement OF the demands for the pro-
lection Of the rights OF American citizens. Whom
Senator Frye made this declaration his face was
flushed with indignation, while that OF his COL
league was ashy white from anger at the way
his own guns had been turned upon him. II was
a stirring scene and one that the Senate will not
soon forget.
Another picture much like this was seen whom
the junior Senator from Massachusetts,, Mr..
Lodge, rebukcd his venerable colleague, Mr..
Hoar, In much the same way that Frye had re
bukcd Hale. All day Mr., llonr had contcndod
that the resolution Of the Committee on Foreign
Relations should be defeated because. forsooth.
there was u possibility that the naturalization
papers OF Julio S,nguily. granted by the Supo-
rior Colrt us Now Work in ISIS, might contain q
flaw. lie split hair On this point pcrststently
until Mr.. lolgc, standing III the III in isle, lust
,,b.., I@.,.,u ,,Y,1 ,Vlpp I,n. nav tnF ia hIE nrat