The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-30
Mason for War.

| Mason for War.
Of resolutions Mr.. Mason of Illinois was
recognized for a speech on the presi-
| dents message of yesterday. Mr.. Ma
son said he believed II was due to the
country now to know the general ex-
preston and intention of the members
| of the senate.
While he would not apologize for dis
cussing the Cuban question at this time.
| he did not intend by so doing any dis
| respect either TO the administration or
| 20 the committee on foreign relations,
| when he said that he was tired of the
dilatory tactics that had been employed
| for three years 10 prevent assistance
from the United States to the Cubans.
| He continued:
More than two years ago the plan
4 of the Spanish government to starve
| the women and children and non-com-
batants was begun. Every intelligent
| man, woman and child was informed
OF IL through the ordinary channels of
| information, the newspapers. and by
| the statements of disinterested wit
! nesses, day after day. week after
week. month after month year after
year. and IL had received practically no
attention from this government until
some of the members of this body WIS.,
ited 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 newspa-
pers, who had pretended at least To
discredit those statements i'm this body.
began to talk about IL as though IL
was a new discovery. when. within 90
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 corrobo-
rated by four of our colleagues upon
this floor from personal observation.
the statement was received with sneers
by many of my colleagues, and I had
the pleasure of being insulted over the
wire by stock brokers and scalpers in
the markets.
For two years the process of the re-
concentrates and their starvation has
proceeded, yet any who dared to call
attention to the fact 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 had been starved. mil
lions of dollars OF our legitimate COM
merce 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
OF concentration came. they cooped at
least 500 American citizens with the re-
concentrates and refused to let them
go out and earn a legitimate and hon
est living. IL amounted to imprison-
mert: we claimed so at the time
though many professed not to believe
IL until the honorable senator from
Vermont described the dead line and
the gun of the Spanish soldier that kept
the concentrates together
ANY other self-respecting nation in
the world would have ordered their re-
lease and better treatment. or they
would have opened the gates of hell on
MORO castle. This government. how
ever, upon the suggestion of the presi-
dent. took $50 900 of the peoples
money out OF the treasury and begged
permission OF Spain the poor privilege
of feeding our American citizens bread
on Spanish shore. | am not complain
Ing, l am not criticising. but there L.
no other such record I'm all the history
Of the world! ! only repeat this humil-
iating statement to call attention To
the fact that every effort that has been
made by the president has been con-
strued by Spain TO be an act OF
cowardice. and absolute and conclusive |
evidence that we are afraid of that |
mighty power, and every such act of |
careful consideration on our part has |
made Spain more cruel to her own peo- |
The Destruction of the Maine.
Mr.. Mason then turned his attention |
to the destruction of the Maine. The |
battleship Maine, our gallant ship. |
went down, and PCS of our gallant citi- |
zen-sailors, with her At the time |
every citizen of the United States ia |
miliar with the Spanish character Il |
confident IL was Spanish treachery |
Our ship was there by right of c'Istom |
rendered hospitality. and also by treaty |
contract she had an absolute right to /
be there. The day closed and she role |
the harbor a messenger OF peace. No |
message had been sent by our execu-
tive inconsistent with the national /
honor of Spain. our only offense was |
to restore peace alike honorable 10 all !
our treasury had been opened to feed |
the people. Definite plans were not |
even suggested by the president fear |
ing To injure our relations with Spain. |
Spain could not conquer ner own insur- |
gents. Had we been a grasping nation |
we could at any time within two wears |
have made aggressive and forcible an
nexation. taking advantage of tie |
crimes OF Spain and the misfortune of |
Cuba.
The night came on. a dark a gloomy |
night, natural and proper time for !
spanish bravery. Our men were asleep |
in friendly harbor; they were never |
challenged to display their courage.
They were not whipped In honorable |
battle. but choked, burned strancled |
and drowned without a chance TO die |
fighting for life. without a moment 10 |
say prayer. In the twinkIing OF an
eye they stood In the presence of their |
Maker. Suppose 30 Of them had been
United States senator's Suppose
the balance had been members
or congress. or made up OF
judges and leading professional and
business men. would 40 days have
elapsed before war began. or suppose
each senator had son or a father
there?
do we tell our children the truth
when we say that the life Of every
American citizen Is Of equal value be-
fore the law? They were not senators
they were sailors. Their widows and
orphans cry aloud TO us, The silent