Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-30
DEMANDS RADICAL ACTION
CRITICIsEs PRESIDENT M'KINLEY's
PACIFIC POLICY.
Denounees the "Peace at Any Price'
Plea and Cries Aloud for War at
Any Costa Remarkable
Eulogy by Senator
Tillman.

reached climax in the proceedings of tn
| senate to-day. AS on previous days o
discussion of the Cuban question. thou
sands Of people flocked to the capitol. only
a few of whom. comparatively. could gair
admission to the galleries.
| Within five minutes after the senate con
| vened, Mr.. Allen, of Nebraska. introduced
a resolution recognizing the independence
| Of the Cuban republic. This was followed
by resolution proposed by Mr.. Rawlins
| Of Utah, declaring war against the king.
dom of Spain.
Mr.. Foraker, Of Ohio. then introduced a
| resolution declaring for such intervention
in the Cuban war as would bring about the
came a resolution by Mr.. Frye, of Maine
demanding that Cuba be made free.
The resolutions followed one another sc
rapidly as almost to stun the auditors
both senators and spectators. The galleries
were in commotion. and the people were
prepared for anything.
Senator Mason's Speech.
This was the condition when the vice
president recognized Mr.. Mason, of Illinois
for his announced speech on the presidents
message transmitting to congress the find
tngs Of the Maine court Of inquiry. Mr..
Mason read his speech from manuscript,
but it was delivered with all the vigor and
fire Of which he is capable. The intensity
Of the feeling Of those in the galleries was
evidenced by the storm of applause which
was ELECTED by his declaration that he was
for war. Vice President Hobart had real
difficulty in suppressing the demonstration.
Mr.. Mason said he believed 1t was due
to the country to know the general ex-
preston and intention Of the members
of the senate. While he would not apollo
gize for discussing the Cuban question at
this time, he did not intend, by so doing,
any disrespect either to the administration
of 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 any assistance
from, the United States to the starving
Cubans. He continued: More than two
years ago the plan Of the Spanish gov
ernment to starve the women and children
and non-combatants was begun. Every
intelligent man. woman and child was in
formed Of It through the ordinary chan
nels Of Information, the newspapers, and
by statements Of disinterested Witnesses
day after day. week after week. month
after month. year after year-and re-
ceived practically no attention from this
government until some Of the members Of
this body visited the scene of death and
distress, and brought back to the United
States their words of honor that no pic
ture had been drawn by the press that
fully stated tie horrors Of the situation.
Two Years of Murder.
''Then the gentlemen and newspapers,
who had pretended. at least. to discredit
these statements IN this body began to
talk about it as though 1t was a new dis
coyery, when within ninety miles Of our
shore for two years they had continued
to murder women and children. When
nearly a year ago I called attention to
the situation, as given at that time, and
since corroborated by four Of our COL
leagues upon this floor, from personal OBJ
scrvation. the statement was received with
sneers by many of my colleagues and
had the pleasure Of being insulted over
the wire by the stock brokers and scalp
ers in the markets.
For two years the process Of impris-
onment Of the reconcentrados and their
starvation has proceeded, yet any one
who dared call attention to the fact has
had to Withstand the assaults of those
controlling the press. who denied in their
editorial columns the news they printed
in their news columns. Thousands have
been starved, millions of dollars of our
legitimate commerce has been swept from
the high seas, and the man who worships
the eagle on the dollar and does not SEQ
the one on his flag says, BE silent, think
Of the horrors Of war and the dangers to
business
American Recommendation.
when the order of concentration came
they coOped at least 800 American citizens
With the reconcentrados. and refused to
allow them to go out and earn a legiti-
mate and honest living. 1t amounted to
We claimed SO at the time,
Yet many professed not to believe 1t un-
til the honorable senator from Vermont
described the deadline and the gun Of
the Spanish soldier that kept the recon-
centrados together. Any other sef-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 presi- |
cent, took $4,000 Of the peoples money |
out OF the treasury Of the United States |
and begged permission of Spain the Door |
privi)ge of feeding our citizens American |
bread on Spanish soil.
am not complaining, am not criti- |
cisiEg: there is no other such record in |
all the history of the world I only re-
peat this humiliating statement to call
attention to the fact that every effort
that has been made by the president has
been construed by Spain to be an act of
ccwardice and absolute and conclusive
ev!Gence that we are afraid of that
mighty power, and every such act of
careful consideration on cur part has
MADE Spain more cruel to her own peopis.
Ind more insulting to U.S."
Destruction of the Maine.
Mr.. Mason then turned his attention to |
he destruction Of the Maine
THE battleship Maine, our gallant shin |
vent down and 268 of our gallant citizen |
ailors with her. At the time, every citi-
en- of the United States familiar with the |
panish character felt confident it was
panish treachery. Our ship was there
y right OF custom, of rendered hospital
", and also by treaty contract She had an
bsolute right to be there The day closed
nd she rode the harbor a messenger Of
eace. No message had been sent BY our
xecutive inconsistent with the national
onor OF Spain. Our only offer was to trv
nd restore peace, alike honorably to ali.
'ur treasury had been opened to feed our
eople. Definite plans were not even sup-
ested by the president, fearing to iuture
ur relations with Spain. Spain could not
onquer her own insurgents. Had we been
srasping nation We could at any time ,
ithin two years have made aggressive and
'rcibie annexation. taking advantage OF
10 crimes OF Spain and the misfortune of ,
uba.