Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-02-17
PLEAD CUBA'S CAUSE.
Cannon and Mason Urge the Senate
to Act.

ton of speeches to be delivered on the
| relations of the United States and
Spain concerning the Cuban war-a
subject of intense interest to major
ity of Americans-the galleries of the
senate were crowded at an early hour
Wednesday.
The resolution offered by Senator
Cannon (Utah) Tuesday, urging the
president to notify Spain that if it fails
to recognize the independence of Cuba
before March next this government
would then recognize the belligerent
rights of the Cubans and 90 days there
after assert the independence of the
Cuban republic, was then laid before
| the senate and Senator Cannon was
recognized to speak upon the resolu-
| ton.
Senator Cannon, in opening his speech,
read from a New York newspaper state
ment in effect that the speeches to be de-
livered Wednesday would be mere talk,
| and that nothing more harmless than
talk would result from the present agi-
tation Of the Cuban question in the SEN
ate. Senator Cannon said that it was
not his purpose-not the purpose Of those
who believed with him-to disturb In any
way the peace and welfare Of the people
of the United States. He did not, he said,
desire to reflect unnecessarily upon the
policy of the president; but there was
q phase Of the question, in the opinion OF
Senator Cannon, raised by the newspa-
per article to which he had referred, which
ought to be considered. BY what au-
thority, he asked, did any public jour
nal assert that nothing more than talk
would result from the discussion OF the
Cuban question In congress!
HAS some concerted plan been ar
ranged" he asked, "by the carrying into
effect Of which the will OF the people OF
this country is to be outdone?
1T want to say" said Senator Cannon,
that something more harmful than talk
will result from the discussion or the Gu
ban question by congress-"
In conclusion Senator Cannon main
tanned that the present policy OF the adj
ministration was to hold the Cubans while
Spain outraged and pillaged the island.
"I believe that one strong, brave word
spoken in time will absolutely free Cuba,
and I am firmly of the belief that the
result of such word would not be war
between Spain and the United States"
Senator Hale, following Senator Cannon,
declared that the various Cuban resolu-
lions were all for the purpose Of driving
the administration into position different
from it's policy and involving the country
in serious difficulties.
Senator Hale said that the administra-
ton had already done much, and had Sc
cured the release of every American cit
izen from prison in Cuba The president
had also taken steps which had secured
relief to the starving people Of Cuba and
had also secured the removal Of Weyler
and his replacement by more humane
commander. The autonomy Of Cuba had
also been secured under a charter, he
said, broader and more beneficial than
was given any colonial government to-
day.
Senator Hale denied that the people
wanted war. 1t would have manifested
itself In some way different than inflam-
matory speeches on the floor Of the sem
ate. There were 100000 of unemployed in
the United States. but they were not go
ing to Cuba. The senator from Utah had
no relatives or friends there. No Amer
lean citizen with an English name was
fighting in the ranks Of the insurgents.
No member Of the junta in this country
had ever set foot in Cuba.
Senator Mason Qll) was then recog-
nized, and the expectancy of the great
crowd which swelled the galleries was at
the keenest pitch.
He denied the assertion of Senator Hale
that this was an attempt to put the ad-
ministration in leading strings. Senator
Mason declared that many people had
gone from this country to Cuba, but add
ed that the message of the administration
had shown that millions and millions had
been spent by the government to prevent
| men and munitions going to the patriots,
while not dollar had been spent to pre-
vent the shipment of unlimited arms to
the Spaniards to murder innocent women
and children. This was greeted with
cheers in the galleries.
Senator Mason insisted that the United
States had right to Interfere, and went
into an argument into the international
Ia in the The N erinap
| property rights was sufficient, he said, to
invoke the Monroe doctrine in this case.
Senator Mason declared that if the
United States should say to Spain to stop
the murder and starvation in Cuba, there
would be no war. When Grover Cleveland
| told England, the strongest nation in
the world, to arbitrate the Venezuelan
question, she did so, and yet it was said
that Spain would not obey a similar in
| junction. 1t was absurd, and if the United
States said there should be peace. peace
| would follow.
Senator Mason read some letters show
| ing the condition of the starving women
and children in Cuba, and said that while
| he was talking the bucket shops and stock
brokers were sending him insulting tele-
| grams, telling him to consider the effect
! of his course upon the price of pork and
| other products of his own state. while
| women and children are starving he
| cried, II will not be governed by the
| price of pork in Illinois," Continuing his
| description of Cuban conditions Senator
| Mason said: This is war, Spanish war;
| the war which the republican party prom
| Used to stop, and l deny that any man is
| better republican than /, whether he sits
| in the white house or not"
BY the resolution which he had offered
| Senator Mason said that this country in
| effect declared to Spain that she must
| go from the island of Cuba, and any diff
| ferences between the United States and
| the Madrid government arising out of the
| declaration would be settled before the
| courts Of the world. when we have fed
| the starving women and children" said
| he, 1--WE will settle with Spain on land or
sea. In the closing hours of this nine
| teenth century we shall demonstrate that
| there is one great nation-the greatest in
| the world-that is not seeking additional
| land or more territory by conquest.
Il have no. disposition to put the slight
est aspersion upon the administration.
am part of the administration, made SO
| by the people of my state. 1 beg you to
| understand, Mr.. President, and my friends
| In the senate, that l have no other cause
| pending here but this. l have little interest
| in anything but this great question. Let me
he foi m ha oh itab m.