The record-union., 1898-04-05

the calm, dignified and conservative
manner in which he had handed the
grave problem presented for his soil-
ton Those who We're in power fully
realized the necessity for the preserva-
tion if possible, Of peace. President
Mckinley, General Woodford, our Min
lister to Madrid, and Consul General
Lee had won distinction in battle, AID
nc believed that their judgment and dis
erection could be depended upon to guide
the country safely and truly.
Perkins referred briefly to the scheme
instituted by Weyler to starve mere than
a million of Spanish subjects into SUP
lection, and declared that nothing in all
history compared with the atrocity ana
brutality that Weyler had exercised
against the Cubans. The time for action
had. in his opinion arrived.
THE LIMIT REACHED
"a little more delay" said he. "a lit
tie more waiting and the United states
would become an accessory to the great
est. the most appalling crime in history.
The patience of a great nation has it's
limits, so in this case the limit has been
reached The time for the horrCrs in
Cuba to cease has come, and cease they
must"
Right, justice and humanity demands
that this Government should intervene
to stop the cruel warfare being Wa8ed
by Spain against the Cuban insurgents,
people who were struggling fox their
freedom within ninety miles OF our own
shores.
Perkins, who had had a lie time eA
perience in the handling of great yes
seis, discussed the destruction of the
Maine from the view point Of an expert.
lie declared that our sailors and officers
had been beguiled by the DECEPTION OF
the SDaniards to a place in a friendly
harbor and there, without moments
warning, been blown into eternity. Cap
tain Si-Sbee. in communication with
this Government, regarding the awful
disaster had made himself famous in
the eyes of the civilized world by the di-
plomacy and calmness of his language.
There was no proof of the treacherY of
the SDaniards: but while the people Of
the nation believed and still believe that
the catastrophe was due to Spanish de-
vices, Captain Sigsbee besought all to
suspend judgment until the facts could
be known.
DISASTER.
Tor forty days and nights the people
had suspended Judgment, but now, that
The facts have been laid before them. the
verdict, he said. is unanimous that the
great battleship was blown up, no. only
from the outside. but with the cogni-
zance of Spanish officials, for whose acts
the Spanish Government was fully re-
sponsible. The explosives. whether
they We're in mine or tor2edo, We're
placed under the Maine by officials IF
the Spanish Government. The people
believe that they We're exploded by de-
sign, and he was one who held to that
belief.
1t would have been impossible, Per-
kins said, for any man or set of men to
place in the harbor of Havana mines or
torpedoes without the knowledge II the
Government authorities. Ne impartial
judge would fail, after considering all
the facts presented, to place the respOn-
sibility for the crime upon the Spanish
Government through it's authorized OF
ficialS.
AN ACT OF WAR.
This most hideous crime of the nine
teenth century," declared Perkins. We
hemently, was an act of war. and l
believe that it is so regarded By the
nations of the world
No often of PREPARATION could wipe out
the feeling of the people of this country
upon the matter, and intensity had
been added to that feeling by the al
most frivolous manner by which the
disaster had been treated by Spain.
Mr. Perkins said that while he fa-
vored arbitration. individuals never at
tempted to arbitrate questions of honor,
and nations could not afford to sub
nit such questions to arbitration. Gold
could not atone for the loss of those
precious lives. The only honorable ac-
ton for this country now to take was
to intervene and free Cuba from the
yoke of Spain which she had so long
borne
MANTLE FOR INTERVENTION.
Mantle CT Montana followed with an
extended speech upon the absorbing
topic of Cuba, in which he declared
that he favored the independence of
the Cuban people, who for years had
been struggling for their freedom II
would said he give my unqualified
Endorsement and vote in favor of di-
recting the President to use armed
forces, both land and naval, to sup
press the savagery that is now ram
pant upon that fair island" He had
the highest regard for the present oc-
cupant of the White House, but it
was perfectly evident to all that the
time for diplomatic negotiations on
the Cuban question had passed.
The time for action had arrived and
the sooner it was taken the better it
would be for all concerned. Spain had
violated every principle of civilized
warfare and had thrown humanity to
the winds. Mantle said it was now
time that the cry Of humanity and the
cry for stern justice should be heard
It was time to be done with subter-
fuge. We should not go to war with
out full justification, but must be as
sured before striking that we strike for
God and humanity. He thought this
time had come He not only believed
that the time had come for recog-
nizing Cuban independence, but that
declaration of war would be fully JUS
tilted by the wiilful destruction of the
Maine.
While holding these sentiments. MAN
tie was willing to wait upon the ac-
ton of the Committee on Foreign Re
lations, whose recommendations ne
had no doubt would be wise and just
and cover the whole case.
RAWLINS OPPOSES DELAY.
Rawlins of Utah said the case be-
tween Spain and the United States
was made up. 1T was no longer for
the Executive TO decide what course to
pursue. With Congress rested the re-
sponsibility of declaring war, and this
was the pressing duty. The President