The herald., 1898-03-30

ENfT1UOIHSm iN InE OHkICI
tions. and Mason was recognized for his
speech on the presidents message to con-
gress yesterday.
| MASON'S WAR SPEECH
At the conclusion of the presentation OF
the resolutions, Mr.. Mason of Illinois was
recognized for speech on the president
message of yesterday. Mr.. Mason said he
believed it was due to the country now 10
know the general expression Of the men,
bers of the senate.
While he would not apologize for discuss
ing the Cuban question at this time, he did
not intend by so doing any disrespect either
to the administration or to the committee
on foreign relations, when he said that he
was tired OF the dilatory tactics that had
been employed for three years, to prevent
assistance from the Cnitod States to the
| Cubans. He continued:
| More than two years ago the plan of the
| Spanish government to starve the women
and children and non .combatants, was be-
gun. Every intelligent man, woman and
child was informed of it through the ordi-
nary channels of information, the news
papers, and by the statements of oisin-
terested witnesses, day after day, week
after week. month after month, and year
after year, and it had received practically
no attention from this government until
some of the members of this body visited
| the island of Cuba, aud witnessed the
scenes of death and distress, and brought
back to the United STATES their words of
honor that no picture had been drawn by
| the press that fully stated the horrors OF
| the situation.
"Then the gentlemen and newspapers,
who had pretended, AT least, to discredit
those statements in this body, began to
talk about it as though it was new dis
covery, when, within ninety miles of our
shore, for two years, they had continued to
murder women and children. When nearly
| a year ago 1 called attention to the situa-
ton, as given at that time, and since cor
roborated by four of our colleagues upon
this floor, from personal observation, the
statement was received with sneers by
many of my colleagues, and l had the
| pleasure of being insulted over the wire by
| stock brokers and scalpers in the markets
| For two years the process of imprisonment
of the reconcentradoes and their starva-
| ton has proceeded, yet anyone who dared
| to call attention to the fact had to stand
| the assaults of those newspapers who de-
MED in their editorial columns the news
they printed in their news columns. Thou
sands have been starved, millions of dol
lars of our legitimate commerce has been
swept from the high seas, and the man
who worships the eagle on the dollar and
does not see the one on his flag says: Be
SILENT think of the horrors of war and the
dangers to business
when the order of concentration came,
they cooped at least 500 American citizens
up with the reconcentradoes, and refused
to let them go out and earn legitimate
and honest living. 1t amounted to inn
lprisonment. We claimed so at the time,
though many professed not to believe it
until the honorable senator from Vermont
described the dead line, and the guns of
the Spanish soldiers that kept the recon-
| centradoes together. Any other self-re-
specting nation in the world would have
ordered their release and better treatment,
or they would have opened the gates of hell
on Moro Castle.
This government, however, upon the
Suggestion of the president, took $4,000 900
of the peoples money out of the treasury
Of the United States, and begged permis-
sion of Spain for the privilege of relieving
our citizens, American-bred, on Spanish
soil.
II am not complaining; I am not CRITICS
ing. There is no such other rcord in all the
history of the world. I only rbpeat this
humiliatinS statement to call attention tc
the fact that every effort that has been
made by the president has been construed
by Spain into an act of coWardce and ar
| absolute and conclusive evidence that We
are afraid of that mighty power and every
such act of careful consideration on oul
part has made Spain more cruel to her oWr
people and more insulting to u.s.
Mr.. Mason then turned his attention t.
the destruction of the Maine.
1.-THE battleship Maine, our gallant ship
went down and 26S of our gallant citizen
sailors went down with her. At the time
every citizen of the United States familia
with the Spanish character, felt confiden
it was Spanish treachery. Our ship was
there by right of custom, and rendered
hospitality, and also by treaty contrac
she had an absolute right to be there.
1.-THE day closed and she rode in the har
Dor, a messenger of peace. Our only offel
I'D to that time had been to restore peace
Definite plans were not even suggested b.
the president fearing to injure our rela
tions with Spain. Spain could not conque
her own insurgents. Had We been grasp
ing nation we would, at any time within
two years past have been able to maxi
aggressive and forcible annexation, taking
advantage of the crimes of Spain and thu
misfortune Of Cuba.
"The night came on, a dark, gloom.
night, natural and proper time for Spanish
bravery. Our men were asleep in friendl.
harbor; they were never challenged to dis
play their courage. They were not whipped
in honorable battle, but choked, burned
strangled and drowned without chanc
to die fighting for life, without momen
to say a prayer In the twinklins of al
eye they stood in the presence of thei
Maker.
Suppose ninety Of them had been Unitet
States senator's; suppose the balance ha'
been members Of congress. or mdde up o
;! judges and leading professional men