Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-04-09
55th CONGRESS-.
Morgan Insists on Protection
for Americans in Cuba.
Torrey Bankruptcy Bill Taken Up
Debate Promises to Be Long.
Warren Of Wyoming. Answers Chandler
Statements About Tariff Bill.

Washington. April S.--The Senate, to ;
day, heard Morgan of Alabama for the
third successive day on his resolution
| declaring that state of war exists in
| Cuba. He was severely critical of
| Spain's method against American pris
oners, and went over in detail their
circumstances in the competitor case
Morgan said he would close his speech
at the next meeting of the Senate,
when he would present a letter from
one of the Cuban officials of the eastern
province of the island, showing the
| complete civil system of government
now maintained by the Cubans
Nelson of Minnesota, spoke for two
/ hours on the bankruptcy bill, opposing
the pending Torrey bill as an excessive
| y harsh and designed as a collection
agency for large creditors. and urging
| his substitute as a measure drafted in
| the interest of thousands Of poor
debtors struggling to get on their feet.
The Senate galleries were filed again.
today, in expectation Of a continuance
of the Cuban debate. Chandler offered
an resolution which was agreed to as
| follows:
Resolved, that the committee on
| Interstate commerce be directed to in
vestigate the payments made or agreed
| to be made by the Interstate commerce
commission for attorneys fees and also
to inquire whether in any cases the at
torneys Of the commission have also
been employed by railroad companies
in similar cases; and. further whether
any additional authority from Congress
is required for the employment OF
counsel in any pending proceedings
which have been instituted by or On
motion of the commission
The Morgan resolution declaring that a
state of war existed in Cuba was then
taken up without objection. and Morgan
resumed his speech in support of il. The
senator reverted to the statement of Hale
yesterday. of American prisoners in Span
ish prisons. We're reduced to u. In sar
castle tones. Morgan said that such re-
leases as had occurred We're the result Of
supplication by our government ana per-
haps it would be appropriate TO adopt a
vote of thanks to Spain for not staying
these prisoners outright.
Morgan said the resolution of protecting
the Americans imprisoned in Spanish
prisons could not turn on numbers
whether a or II We're in prison. Supposa
instead of "a it had been only one. Who
could say that the United States govern
ment would maintain its dignity by
standing by while this one American citi
zen was held by Spain in violation of the
treaty provisions and contrary to every
principal of civilization and justice.
Morgan spoke of the Competitor eSpe-
dition. He reviewed the circumstances
of the case; the departure of the schoone;
probably with the purpose of carrying nj
to the insurgents in particular. The sena
tor took up the case of young Ona Mel
ton, one of the Competitor prisoners and
followed the progress of his trial and his
Imprisonment in communication in the
Spanish dungeon. Morgan declared that
it was long course of violation of the
treaty and the ordinary methods of judi
cial procedure.
Morgan then reviewed the case of the |
Rev. Dr. Diaz, while preaching at
Havana. bombshells had been thrown in
to his church: he and his brother were |
arrested and held for seven days incom- !
municant.
Morgan read portions of the advice
given by Messrs. Lawrence and Diaz |
and heretofore published as 4 Senate |
document. Morgan said he had tried for |
year to get from the state department
the facts in the case of Ona Melton and |
that not until the closing days of the |
last administration was he able to get |
even particle OF statement. The Sen |
ate would be in the dark, today, as to |
the Melton ease. IL the committee had not |
secured evidence of the facts.
There was rot more innocent man |
on the face of the earth than 0na Mel |
ton, and yet this young American was |
held by Spain in fragrant and contempt |
uous defiance of the treaty rights. Nor
gan read from the laws and treaties to |
show the uniustifyabie character of Mel |
tons imprisonment.
Mprsan gave way az ciock TO tng
oaaidt ast,'IS paai, Ss"1i,'+ o'"o ne Woelu
of ~, Sorsto WI "' ''ie ''e>' ''i'''''''
Nelson Ren Mimi said tbere ,vos M
public demand for the drastic collection
machinery as provided by the Torrev
bankruptcy hill Nelson criticized the |
Torrey hill in detail, saying it was vicious
and complicated, providing Is distinct
causes iof bankfuptcy. Inc PM aiso
,tSettu - ] 1ra';ri.,fi ,oilelISeS, Wi,n severe
j. id ;,1 :, ~ ol tnor
for Two veare ana fi,ey nm ~ ,n Sarao
NaIsnn argued that tho riIIe for nrcf@r
ences as laid down in abe Nelson biI was
more ui,itahlc than th1t of the Torrev
hill The purpose of fba s,thstitute u,ne
to make the prine,iplas simple and inax-
,,cneivc limitinp bankrnntcv to a fcyv