The Dickinson press., 1898-04-02

NO0O = 0AVVA0 A00A Wy004& - tI8yGOTs UyO Il
remain silent now.
It 10 too late TO talk about resolutions
according belligerent rights, and mere
resolutions recognising the independ.
enoe OF the Cuban @repnhhoS would avail
but little. Our platform demands that
the United States shall actively use Ito
influence for the Independence Of the 10.
land.
(. ltswas;the plain duty Of the president
OF tn United States to give to the Lib
eral ministry q Spain . reasonable time
nMhich 90 teit its proposed autonomy.
Thatsttms hasbesngiven. Autonomy 10;
conceded the wide world over to be q
conspicuous failure.
The situation in Cuba has only
changed for the worse. Sagasta 10 pow.
erless; Blanco 10 powerless to put an
end to the conflict. to rehabilitate the
island, or to relieve the suffering, starva.
ton and distress.
What shall the United States do, Nh.
President2
"The government of Spain. having
lost control Of Cuba, and being unable
to protect the property or lives of resi-.
dent American citizens, or to comply
with its treaty obligations, we believe
that the government Of the United
States should actively use its influence
and good offices to restore peace and
give independence to the island"
am a Republican, and turn to the
last platform Of my party and I read:
"From the hour Of achieving their
'wn independence the people Of the
United States havs regarded with sym.
pathy the struggles Of other American
peoples to free themselves from Eu.
ropean domination. We watch with
deep and abiding interest the heroic
battle Of the Cuban patriots against
cruelty and oppression, and our best
hopes go out for the full success Of their
determined contest for liberty"
Cuba Must Be Freed.
Mr.. President, when that declaration
wa read before the st. Louis conven-
ton. over which I had the distinguish
ed honor to preside, twas greeted with
q mighty shout which seemed to lift the
very roof Of that great convention hall,
and It was adopted as part OF the plat
form Of the Republican party by unani-
NOUS vote. On the 29th Of June, 1895,
William Mckinley, standing upon his
vine clad porch at Canton, O., in ac.
cepting the nomination then officially
rendered him, said:
1.-THE platform adopted by the Repub.
lican national convention - received
my careful consideration ....d has nv
unqualified approval. IL is a matter Of
qualification to me, as I ams sure it must
be to You and Republicans everywhere
and to all CUR people, that the express
sions Of its declaration of principles are
90 direct, clear and emphatic. They are
too plain and positive to leave any
chance for doubt or question as to their
purport and meaning"
The platform Of the Republican par
ty, that Endorsement by it's nominee for
president, was ratified by more than
1000, 900 American voters. That plat.
form has marked my path of duty from
the hour Of it's adoption up to the pres
emit time.
It is an honored boast of the Repub-
lican party that it always keeps its
promises and that its platform declara.
tions are always carried out by its ad-
m~inistrations. I have no reason to
doubt, I have every reason to believe,
that the present chief magistrate Of the
United States still; stands upon the plat
form of the Republican party. I have
no reason to doubt, I have every reason
to believe, that he will make it's fulfill
ment a part Of the glorious history Of
the world.
Mr.. President, that platform was
adopted almost two years ago. Has
there been any such change in the Gu
ban situation as to relieve the Republic
an party from its obligations? None
whatever. There has been no change ex-
cept such as to strengthen the force Of
our platform assertion that Spain has
lost control Of the island. Twice within
the last tive years / have voted for 4
resolution according the rights of bel
ligerents to the Cuban revolutionists.
Armed Intervention Necessary.
I believed at those times, I still be.
lieve, that such a recognition on our
part would have enabled the Cuban pa.
triots to have achieved independence for
themselves; that 1t would have given
them such a standing in the money
markets Of the world, such rights on
the sea, such flag on the land, that ere
this the independence Of Cuba would
have been secured, and that without cost
or loss Of blood or treasure to the people
OF the United States. But that time has
passed.
The president further advised rs:
''The government has never in any way
abrogated its sovereign prerogative Of
reserving to itself the determination Of
its policy and course according to its
own high sense Of right and in conso-
nance with the dearest interests and con-
victions Of nj owe people should the
prolongation Of the strife so demand"
This was the proper, the statesman.
like beginning Of the performance of
the promise Of the Republican platform.
It was in accordance with the diplo.
matio usages and customs Of civilized
nations. In the meantime the whole
situation apparently changed. In Spain
the Liberal ministry Of Sagasta succeed.
ed that Of Canovas. The cruel and inhu-
nan Weyler was recalled and succeeded
by the humane Blanoo, who, under the
sagasta ministry, has unquestionab1y
made every effort to bring about peace
in the island Of Cuba under the promise
Of autonomy-undoubtedly q decided
advance beyond any proposition ever be.
fore made for the participation Of the
Cubans in their own domestic affairA
MI. President, there is only n ao.
ton possible, II any is taken-that is,
Intervention for the Independence Of the
island, intervention that means the
landing Of an American army on Cuban
soil, the d~eploying Of an American feet
Of the harbor Of Havana; intervention
which. says to Spain, Leave the island,
withdraw your soldiers, leave the Gu.
bans, these brothers Of ours in the new
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