Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1898-04-20
IN THE SENATE.
scathing Resolution More Far Reaching,
Than That In the House.

Scathing Resolution More Reaching. |
Than That In the House.
Washington, April 14.-Not since |
the stirring scenes which preceded the |
civil war have such scenes been wit |
messed as were witnessed yesterday. |
Excitement, though suppressed, was
intense, such brilliant oratory and |
repartee have seldom been equaled, |
and such a scathing arraignment of a
foreign government as the senate res
olution gives to Spanish barbarity has
probably never been equalled by any
other like document.
The chamber filled rapidly and when
the vice presidents gavel fell nearly
every senator was at his desk. Scarce
ly five minutes had elapsed after the
session convened before the vice presi-
dent recognized Mr.. Davis. An instant
hush fell over the chamber. Mr.. Davis
presented to the senate the resolutions
and report from his committee and re-
quested that they be read. The report
was a terrific arraignment of Spain
and her policies, yet SO eager were all
to hear every word that not the slight
est demonstration occurred through
out the reading.
Mr.. Foraker of Ohio and Mr.. Lodge
of Massachusetts, both impassioned
and brilliant orators, presented differ
ent phases of the Cuban situation. Mr..
Foraker advocated the direct recogni-
tion of the independence of the Cuban
republic, and with an eloquence and
vehemence seldom heard in the senate,
splendidly maintained his position.
Following is the resolutions;
THE SENATE RESOLUTION.
Resolved, First that the people of
the island of Cuba are and of right
ought to be free and independent.
Second, that it is the duty of the
government of the United States to de-
mand, and the government of the
United States does hereby demand that
the government of Spain at once re-
! linquish its authority and government
| in the island of Cuba and withdraw it's
| land and naval forces from Cuba and
| Cuban waters.
Third. that the President of the
/ United States be and he hereby is di-
rected and empowered to use the en-
tire land and naval forces of the United
States and to call into actual service of
the United States the militia of the
several states to such an extend as
may be necessary to carry these reso-
lutions into effect.
1.-The destruction of the United
States battleship Maine and two of her
officers and of 264 of her crew in the
harbor of Havana on the night of Feb
ruary l5, 1898, excited to an unprece-
dented degree the compassion and re-
SEN tment of the American people"
Manifestations of that resentment
were suspended although the feeling
was not allayed by the self-restrain of
our people who determined to hold
their judgment in suspension concern
ing their ultimate action until an Off
cial court should disclose the cause of
that great disaster and enable them by
direct or circumstantial testimony to
impute the responsibility therefor,
THAT investigation has been made.
1t was conducted with judicial thor
oughness and deliberation. The diff
Guilty of demonstrating by conclusive
proof the efficient personal cause oi
that sinister event was the usual one
of exposing plotter and mysteriou:
: crimes.
mo such difficulty, however, oh
seures its official and responsible,
:, cause
The committee says that the explo
d sion itself was linked with serious o
;. preced dent transactions which canno
!. in reason be disconnected from 1t.
with animus by Spain, so plainl,
$ apparent that no one can even plaus
Il i. - sz4A 10 lgr nn
reason for the conclusion to which tn
: investigating mind must come in con
. siderinp the entire subject of the relr
2 tions of the United States with tina
< government. 1t is the opinion OF you
Is committee that the destruction of tn
Maine was compassed either by th
: official act of the Spanish authoritie
u or made possible by negligence o
ID their part so willing and gross as
be equivalent in culpability to positiy
4 criminal action.
:, .When property and life are de-
"a troyed by an act which the exercise {
lie diligence by the person whose duty
S. is to use it could have prevented IN
as happening of such an EVENTS suticlen
= proof that diligence was not employ
* ed
e. .The time of the explosion itself,
eulated for the moment when th
e Maine should swing within the dei
OF truetive radius of the mine. !"
It. Concluding this portion OF Its pre-
,r- sentation the committee says:
"a THE duplicity, perfidy and erueit
81 of the Spanish character as they a
"a, ways have been are demonstrated sti
Mt to continue by their manifestation
II during the present war in Cuba. A
these circumstances considered cuml
'h iatiyely warrant the conclusion ths
ne the des truction of the Maine was con
H. passed either by the official act of tt
he Spanish authorities, tand the ascertain
ment of the particular persons is NJ
materiaN or was made possible by
H. negligence on their part, so willir
e. and gross as to be equivalent in culp
bility to positive criminal action,