The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-25

matte in the intensity of its interest
was presented in the senate today dur
! ing the delivery, by Mr.. Thurston Of
Nebraska, of a speech on the Cuban
situation.
Not since the inauguration of Pres
! dent Mckinley have so many people
been on the senate side of the capitol
as were there today. The galleries
were packed with people, many of
! whom had arrived at the capitol as
! early as $3.50, in order to obtain seats.
J Even the diplomatic gallery, which is
I rarely occupied, was filled, among
/ those in it being Senior Mendonca, the
Brazilian minister. and party: eX-Sec-
rotary of State John w. Foster and
Mrs. Foster, and many ladies and gen.
tlemen from the various foreign lega-
tions.
Within a few minutes after the SEN
ate convened, every senator who could
be present was in his seat, and by the
time Mr.. Thurston began his speech
dozens os members Of the house were
either standing or occupying chairs in
the arena without the semi circle of
seats.
A Jar of roses had been placed on
Mr. Thurstons desk, but he spoke from
that of Mr.. Hawley in the central part |
which he spoke by command of silent |
lips-a delicate and touching reference |
to the loss of his wife on his memoir
able trio to Cuba-commanded instant
attention. A hush fell over the great
audience, which hung with almost
breathless attention and interest upon
every word.
KEY ITO HIS ACTION.
Some surprise has been expressed +
that Senator Thurston should appear in /
public prominently so soon after the
death of Mrs. ThurSton, but the first \
sentence of his speech furnished key
to his action. 1t is true that Mr..
Thursten's speech today. viewed from /
one standpoint. was. an unusual pro-
ceeding, but it was justified by the
conditions attending it.
Mrs. Thurstons dying request to her |
husband was that he should lose no
time on account of her death to do his
utmost 70 save and free Cuba and its
people.
In accordance with this request.
therefore, Senator ThurstOn sacrificed
his personal feeling and delivered his
speech-a speech that was his best
tribute to the memory of his wife.
Without knowing the motive which
animated Mr. Thurston and inspired
him to his best efforts. his auditors in
stinctively. realized and sympathiZed
with his emotion.
MASTERLY SPEECH.
The speech was very generally re-
garded rs a mastery one. and even
those who could not agree with his
conclusions, conceded the power of his
Grafton. AS he neared the end of the
speech his voice. which had been clear
and ringing, noticeably broke. He was
almost overcome with emotion. but
rallied with an effort and closed in
manner that thrilled his auditors.
Staid and dignified senators turned
away and wept and in the galleries
tears welled to hundreds of ayes. 1t
was a remarkable scene and the still
ness until the last word had been pro-
nounced was as of death itself.
AS Mr.. Thurston sank into his seat
and buried his face in his hands, the
galleries were swept by such tumult
of applause as has not in long time
been heard in the senate chamber
AS a brother might have DONE Mr..
Allen. MIR. Thurston's colleague from
Nebraska. walked to him and placing
his arm over his shoulders quietly led
him from the chamber. The act was
one of the spontaneous and touching
amenities amid the turbulence and dis
cord of political life.
BY COMMAND OF SILENT LIPS.
Mr.. President" said Mr.. Thurston,
81 am here by command of silent lips,
to speak once and for all upon the
Cuban situation. | trust that no one
has expected anything sensational from
me- God forbid that the bitterness of
a personal loss should induce me to
color in the slightest degree the state
ment that 1 feel it my duty to make.
| have no purpose to stir the public
passion in any action not necessary and
to meet the duties and ne
cessities of American responsibility,
Christian humanity and national honor.
| would shirk this task if l could but
l dare not. / cannot satisfy my con-
science except by speaking now
Mr.. Thurston said he had gone to
Cuba firmly believing that the condi-
ton of affairs on the island had been
greatly exaggerated. He had conclud-
ed however. that an over-statement
of the horrors of the situation were
He was prepared not only
10 adopt every word of the careful,
concise and specific statement of the
senator from Vermont (Mr. Proctor).
but was even convinced that he had
the facts.
In detailing the incidents and recit-
ing the facts that came under his OBJ
Mr.. Thurston said he had
no desire to deal in horrors.
'If ! had my way" said he. Il would
shield me american pupilc even from
the Photographic reproductions of the
awful scenes that l viewed in all their
original ghastliness-
OF the 225. 900 soldiers Spain had sent
to Cuba, less than $4,000 were now
available for duty. The remainder are
dead, sick in hospitals or returned to
Spain incapac:tated.
IMPOTENT ARMY. ,
81 do not believe said he, that the :
entire Spanish army in Cuba could
stand an engagement in the open field
against q, 1000 we'll disciplined American
soldiers The Spanish soldiers, of all
people on earth, would most gladly
welcome any result which would en- ]
able them to return to their homes. |
1.-The pictures in the American news I