Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-04-21
CONGRESS WILL FREE CUBA.
Intervention Demanded by Both
Houses.
THE HOUSE TAKES THE LEAD,
Senator FORAKER, of Ohio. Makes n Very
brilliant Speech Favoring the Recog-
milton of the Cuban Republic-Dis-
graceful Scenes I'm the House.

Kinley's Cuban message had been re-
referred to the foreign relations com
mittees OF the Senate and House both
committees reported resolutions de-
manding Intervention in Cuba by the
United States. Two reports were pre-
sented by the Senate committee. The
majority report was submitted by
Chairman Davis and was as follows:
Whereas, the abhorrent conditions
which have existed for more than three
years in the island of Cuba, so near our
own borders, have shocked the moral
sense of the people of the United
States; have been a disgrace to Chris
tian civilization, eliminating, as they
have, in the destruction of United
States battleship with 266 of its officers
and crew, while on a friendly visit in
the harbor of Havana, and cannot
longer be endured, as has been set
forth by the President of the United
States, in his message to congress of
April IL, 1898, upon which the action
of congress was invited: Therefore,
Resolved, That the people of the is
land of Cuba are and of right ought to
be free and independent. That 1t is
the duty of the United States to de-
mand, and the government of the
United States does hereby demand, that
the government of Spain at once relin-
quish its authority and government in
the island of Cuba and withdraw its land
and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban
waters. That the President of the
United States be and is hereby empow-
cred and directed to use the entire 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 extent as may be nee
essary TO carry these resolutions into
effect.
The resolutions were accompanied
by lengthy report which was thor
ough review of the Cuban situation and
gave the grounds for offering the reso-
buttons. The Maine disaster receives
particular attention and after speaking
of the patience with which the people
awaited an official investigation into
that terrible affair the report says:
THAT investigation has been made.
1t was conducted with judicial thor
oughnesS and elaboration. The diff
Guilty of demonstrating by conclusive
proof the efficient personal cause of
that sinister event was the usual one
OF exposing plots and mysterious
crimes. No such difficulty, however,
obscures its official and responsible
cause" The report says the explosion
was strongly linked with a series of
precedent transactions which show
clearly the Spanish animus against the
United States"
Concluding its reference to the de-
struction of the Maine the report says:
1.-THE duplicity, perfidy, and cruelty of
the Spanish character, as they always
have been, are demonstrated still to
continue by their manifestations dur
ing the present war in Cuba. All these
circumstances considered cumulatively,
warrant the conclusion that the de-
struction of the Maine was compassed
either by the official act of the Spanish
authorities land the entertainment of
the particular person is not materially
or was made possible by negligence
on their part SO willing and gross as to
be equivalent in culpability to positive
criminal action"
The report then concluded with a
review of the uncivilized and atrocious
methods of warfare pursued by Spain,
not only against the fighting patriots
of Cuba, but also against the peaceful
men, the old men and the women and
children. The report also speaks of
the endeavors of the U. $. government
to prevent aid being sent the insur-
gents and shows that So, 900, 900 has
been spent by this government in that
work, and all in the interests of Spain.
Senator Turpie presented the report
of the minority of the committee as
follows:
The undersigned members of the
committee on foreign relations cor
daily concur in the report made upon
the Cuban resolutions, but we favor
the immediate recognition of the re-
public of Cuba as organized in that is
land, as free, independent and sover-
eign power among the nations of the
world.
1t was signed by Senators Turpie,
Mills, Daniel and Foraker.
Following the presentation of the re-
ports and after Mr.. Hoar had insisted
1 that consideration of the resolution go
go over for the day on a point of order,
came two of the most remarkable
speeches yet delivered on the Cuban
question. Mr.. Foraker, of Ohio, and
Mr. Lodge, of Massachusetts,, both
brilliant and impassioned orators, pre-
sented different phases of the situation.
Mr.. Foraker advocated the direct rec
ignition of independence of the Cuban
| republic and with an eloquence and
vehemence seldom heard in the Senate,
splendidly maintained his position. He
both praised and criticised the Presi-
dents message and showed that the
majority resolutions differed materially
from the Presidents position. He said
that IL was matter of grave doubt
rs to the right of congress to empower
The President or for the congress itself
TO create and establish stable govern
ment in the island of Cuba for the ben
eft of the Cuban people. However
that may be, after the committee had
declared that the people of the island
are and of right ought to be free and
Independent, the proposition that the