The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-11

DESTROYS of peace at any price, those
humanitarian associations, which so
far deprecate the idea of bloodshed that
they would be willing that this govern
ment should ignore any affront or out
rage that may be committed upon us,
appeal to the president and say TO him,
Wait; wait little while. Spain may
after all be willing to do justice and
voluntarily withdraw her forces from
Cuba. Wait a little while. The insur-
gents themselves may succeed in ex-
pelling the Spanish soldiers from the
island of Cuba. Wait a little while;
six months or a year; wait, and if by
that time it appears that it will be i'm
possible fos- the Cubans to attain their
Independence without the use of the
army of the United States. then will be
time enough for the president to en-
ploy force
They will also further say, take it,
to the president that congress, having
undertaken to load the responsibility
upon the president of committing an
act of war, which is equivalent TO a
declaration of war, that power being
vested in congress alone, the president
ought to ignore il. I am not sure but
that that argument would be justly
taken. The president ought to hest
tate to commit an act which amounts
to a declaration of war when this duty
and this authority have not been COM
mitted to him by the constitution of
our country
SHOULD BE SETTLED.
Now, I have no greater desire for
war than the most peaceful man in the
senate. If congress shall decide that the
resolution declaring war against Spain
or recognizing the independence OF
Cuba should not pass, it would be
equivalent TO an expression of purpose
no longer to interfere in behalf of the
people of Cuba If we should decide
upon that finally. and let il go, while
1t viii be the shame and disgrace OF our
country. it would be far better, in my
judgment, to so conclude, and drop this
question and let it alone, than to con-
tinue in the hopeless state of eXasper-
alton and uncertainty with which the
country has been inflicted for the
months and the years that have gone
by If we shall decide for war, let us
do it openly and absolutely and une-
quivocally; let the president of the
United States, as it would be his duty,
and no doubt his pleasure, proceed to
employ the army and the navy, waging
that war Immediately and decisiVely TO
a conclusion. Probably four weeks
would decide the contest: and. in my
judgment, it would decide it without
the loss of life. That may be regarded
as d very nOpeIul OUTLOOK Tor the Sltua-
ton.
Mr.. President. $4,000 Cubans, I'M
armed. without recognition as an in
dependent government, without any
ships, or without any instrumentalities
relatively speaking, for the purpose of
carrying on war, dared to take up arms
against the kingdom of Spain, and in
the course of a three years struggle
have fought her almost to a standstill.
and they have not only encountered all
the forces that Spain could bring to
bear in order to bring them into sub
lection, but they have encountered the
opposition of the United States, whose
resources in a measure have been en-
ployed in order to intercept any sup
plies that might be carried to the Gu
bans. Thirty-tive thousand poor, strug-
Cling Cubans are now upon the point
so it is claimed by the men who desire
peace at any preferably and compe-
tent to bring about their own independ-
ence. and yet we speak through chat
tering teeth about the dangers of a
conflict with the kingdom of Spain.
Decisive action would prevent any Sc
rious trouble in my judgment, and we
ought to take it."