The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-05-21


signed his Office as statistician Of the de-
| TArtment of agriculture. There Is no
| politics In the Office, but there is consid-
cradle politics under Hank" Robinson's
hat. He Is Democrat, a rantankerous
under a Republican administration. He
gave up a place which pays $4,000
per annum. That took a good deal
of political nerve. May be Hank" will
run for congress again.
Senator Burrows is now a full-fedged
member of the committee on finance, and
is constantly engaged i'm studying the
Dingley bill. He will be expected to
make the principal speech for the Re-
publicans in the senate when the bill
Is under final discussion. We Michigan
men all know Burrows will acquit him.
self with credit to the state for there
Is no better orator in either party now
in public life than Senator Burrows.
The War I'm Cuba.
President Mckinley is determined to
know the truth regarding the Cuban
war. The reports from Consul General
Lee and other American consuls in
Cuba. which were laid before the sub
committee of the senate foreign rela-
tions committee, while withheld from
the public, are admitted to present such
shocking picture of Spanish cruelty
and suffering among the native and res
.dent Americans that the president has
been urged to take some decided action
al once. But the president wants to
know the whole truth and there have
been messages sent to the consul gen.
eral at Havana and to Consul Brice at
Matanzas and other consuls, to at once
forward by cable additional reports,
which will lay before the president and
the senate committee such information
as will enable them to take definite ac-
ton. The consuls will send their sup
Elemental reports, answering definitely
certain inquiries wired to them In cipher,
and the state department expects to
have this additional information very
soon, that 1t may be presented to the
foreign relations committee to govern
its actions on the Morgan resolution in
favor of granting belligerent rights to
the Cubans.
Reports Were Startling.
1t was, no doubt. the presidents in
tention to have the Cuban question rest
until Mr. Calhoun should return and re-
port to him on the state of affairs in
Cuba. But the recent reports from the
official representatives of the govern
ment were so startling that when they
were laid before the subcommittee of
the senate they created a sensation
which threatened to put the Morgan
resolution through the senate without
serious opposition. The president might
have followed the policy of the Cleve-
land administration and held back
these reports until ready to use them.
but the condition of hundreds of Amer
loan citizens in Cuba, who have been
forced by General Weyler to leave their
plantations and gather in the towns
where they have absolutely no means
of support and are without food and
starving in the streets presented the
situation in new light, calling for i'm
mediate action. 1t is this condition
which has impelled the president to call
for supplemental reports by cable, that
the United States government may care
for it's own citizens In a foreign land,
and whatever the situation as between
the Spanish and Cuban forces, the
president will first look after the starv-
ing Americans.
Engaged on n Message.
1t is reported on good authority that
the president is already engaged on a
message, calling the attention of con-
gress to this condition and urging some
plan of relief Such a message will, in
all probability, be sent to congress, and
there is little question about immediate
action.
Senator Gallinger has introduced a
resolution for an appropriation of $780,
900 to relieve the Americans in distress
in Cuba. and the senate will pass such
a resolution when the facts are laid be-
fore it, as will also the house. The ques-
ton as to how food shall be sent to
these Americans has been discussed.
One of the prominent members of the |
foreign relations committee said that, IL |
necessary, the government would send
q wal vessel to Havana 20 enforce its |
right to relieve the A. orleans who |
have been ceoped up in the towns to |
starve by order of General Weyler. lie |
further added that il the, Spanish au- |
thorities interposea any objections to |
such plan OF relief there would be war |
between Spain and this country, but he |
did not believe there would be any diff |
Guilty about relieving these Americans.
Have American Names. |
There is said to be no doubt about |
the identity of these Americans. They |
have American names, and the reports |
give their former residence place in |
this country. One family Of seven, by |
the name of Payne. were formerly resi- |
dents of Illinois. The reports go into |
details in these particulars, so that the |
senator's who read them have no ques- |
ton about the fact that there are sew
eral hundred Americans suffering for |
the necessaries of life and actually |
starving, because they have been driven |
from their farms ard plantations, and |
compelled to take up their residence in |
towns, where they are under the sur
veillance OF the Spanish troops. but are |
not granted any support.
While the president will only call at
tention to this suffering, and the neces-
sity for relieving it, 1t is the general |
opinion that the presentation of these |
facts will add momentum to the Nor |
gan resolution, and that before many |
days the senate will pass that resolution |
in favor Of recognizing the Cubans as |
belligerents. The situation is regarded |
as very serious. and pushing to crisis |
in the Cuban affairs.