The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-14
AN APPEAL TO AMERICA
a Large Audience Listens to the
Rev. Sherman Hill.
A SCATHING INDICTMENT
Cuba's Appeal VS.. American Politics" /"
Thousands of Starving Men, Women
and Innocent Children Look
ing to Us for Aid.

Rev Sherman Hill, pastor OF th'
Christian church. delivered an interest
ing and timely address last evening
before a large and attentive audience
on the subject Of "Cuba's Appeal VS.
American Politics." He spoke in sub
stance as follows:
To the diligent student OF humanity
there are varied and perplexing prob
lens. But none are stranger than that
certain men, or classes of men, are the
perpetual recipients of adversely while
others seem ever to revel in the lap of
luxury. OF all the piteous appeals of
men who have been abused beyond all
reasonable bounds, who have been
shamefully outraged, there comes to us
no more piteous moan, no deeper cry
of anguish than that of Cuba's raw
ished and starving people. A more
striking example of the inconsistency
of humanity and The work of policy
politics than that of our nations atti-
tude toward those worthy but abused
people could scarce be found in the rec
ords of ancient history.
A bit of history may not be amiss.
Some four centuries since there was
born to poor wool merchant of Southern
Europe boy that was not unlike other
boys. but who was destined to an event
IQl iiAc4 IldAit d1Npitd iHbe1 lllil5 lb
the nayigator's art, he somehow became
convinced that the earth was n globe
and not mere fiat surface. He there
fore determined to reach the opposite
part Of the globe by sailing in a west
erly direction. 1t was a pleasant morn
ing when he departed from the little
harbor and sailed out into the then un-
known Atlantic. For weeks they con-
tinued their course: sometimes their
prospects We're oershadowed with dark
and gloomy forebodings Finally they
were cheered by the sight of land and
the West Indies We're open to the world.
On beholdins Cuba, Columbus ex-
claimed. '''Tis the most beautiful land
eyes ever beheld."
Cuba is not mere island speck
mere patch Of land II is a beautiful
stretch of land 500 miles long by 60 miles
wide Neither is ii a place devoid of
valuable resources. Copper and iron are
found and mahogany, ebony, ironwood
and dyewood are produced In abund-
ance. 1t is rich in soil and yields an
abundance of cotton, sugar rice and
tropical fruits. The imports of
Cuba in 1889 amounted to $50, 100000,
and her exports to $S0000,0 900. Cuba is
not the home of a mere handful of ig-
norant negroes, mulattoes and creoles.
One million six hundred and eight-seven
thousand six hundred and eighty-seven
people live on the beautiful island. of
NhoIu % UGI 1Slll- dTf While. havana
alone is city of 250,000 The climate
is the most temperate of any OF the
West Indies and In the interior is quite
bealthful. Surely Cuba is the Queen
of the Antilles" Yet this queen has
ever been the subject of abuse and out
rage. Whoever desires to write a sec
ond Les Miserables can find no better
subject than this beautiful but misera-
BILE queen. The hellish brgandage of
Spain has been praetieed for all these
years on the same principle that a
Bedouin bandit seeks piuuder. The
iaWiess ana neartleFs sssit.iit asks him
sell hut one question Am | strong
enough to overcome the traveller" The
present war, that ~ not war but fiend-
ish murder, has been In progress for
some three years. The barharous war
fare has reduced The island to ignoble
want. Thousands are dying of disease
and starvation. In cities that in normal
times had a death rate Of 10 or l. per
month there are as many per day
Homes are heartlessly destroyed, moth
ers and daughters are rayished, children
and old men are murdered. sisters are
sold into infamy and the innocent killed
outright. All Christendom has been
shocked at the unholy work Some
thing must be done Immediately or 500
600 aged men, women and innocent chill I
dTen viii perish of starvation. More
TRAN 10000 mothers and 24000 children /
are starving in one province and all |
this Is happening, not in some dark and |
remote corner of the earth, but as near |
the United States as is Butte To Ana
conda.
Where is the Monroe doctrine? Where |
Is our boasted Christianity? Where is
cur fefgned civilization? Children with
skinny, bony arms, distended stom-
achs. leary eyes and piteous appeals be-
seech us not TO make mockery of Christ
ian love and justice. oh, America and
will you not espouse the
cause of humanity
Christian people, everywhere. are
and pleading for the bleeding
island. But trainloads of clothing and
food and thousands of dollars can be
Of but little avail until our nation
speaks out and aid can reach it's intend
ed destiny.
We spoke to the slave and made him
free for humanity.s sake. Can we not,
ought we not. do as much for Cuba?
Granted that Cuba ought not to have
there can be no reason for al
lowing Spain to continue her brutal
proceedings. War, when carried on in
he most civilized manner possible, is
but continued round of intrigue and
slaughter. But when so fiendish a crea-
ture in human form, though OF satanic
visage, as Weyler is permitted to plum
der, murder and piilage a fair land for
he feigned purpose of subjecting II and
1nly that more may be fiiched from 1t,
Il becomes matter no longer of calm
but Of determined and
decisive action.
With all due regard for other nations.
Spain not excepted, America could and
should call a halt, demand the rights
q humanity and see that they are
forthcoming.
Man may distinguish between the one
who commits an outrage and the one
who could but win not prevent 1t. but
he who shall in the eternal equalization
II all things give TO each his due will
demand an explanation for such GRIM
nal negligence. America, have you no
concern concerning the rights of men
n the world where men breathe Free
IONS airI We had some excuse. though
! far-fetched one, for our neutrality in
he Armenian persecution, but he who
fered no excuse for his actions but
My hoped to find one. would ransack
ven politicians brain for an excuse