River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-03-31
ANOTHER SAD STORY.
Misery in Cuba as Seen by Senator
Thurston, of Observation-Disclosures
Immediate Action.

Immediate Action.
Washington March ga scene dramatic
In the intensity of its interest was pre-
scented ia the senate Thursday during the
delivery by Senator Thurston (Neb) of
speech on the Cuban situation Not since
the Inauguration of President Mckinley
have so many people been on the senate
side of the capitol as were there Thursday
Within a few minutes after the senate
convened every member who could be pres
ent was In his seat. and by the time Sen
atoT Thurston had begun his speech dozens
of members Of the house were either stand
ing or occupying chairs in the area without
the semicircle of seats. His first sentence,
in which ne said he spoke by command Of
silent lips-a delicate and touching refer
ence TO the loss of his wife on his memoir
able trip to Cuba-commanded instant at
tention A hush fell over the great audi
ence which hung with almost GREATNESS
attention and interest upon every word
Senator Thurston said that he had gone
to Cuba firmly believing that the condi-
ton of affairs en- the island had been great
ly exaggera ted, and that he had directed
his efforts in the first instance 10 the ex-
posture Of the supposed eXaggerations. lie
had concluded, however. that an over
statement of the horrors of the situation
was impossible. lie was prepared. he
stated, not only to adopt every word of the
careful, concise and SPECIFIC statement of
the senator from Vermont tSenator Proc
tori, but he was even convinced that ne
had understated the facts.
Senator Thurston then tersely summar
lied his observations and conclusions as
follows:
AFTER three years of warfare and the
use oil 225, 900 Spanish troops, Spain has lost
control of every foot of Cuba not surround
ed by an actual intrenchment and protect
ed by a fortified picket line.
she holds possession with her armies of
the fortified seaboard towns, because they
are under the virtual protection of Spanish
warships, with which the reVolutlonists
The revouronists are in absolute and
almost peaceful possession of nearly one
half of the island, Including the eastern
provinces of Santiago DE Cuba ana Puerto
Principe.
Under the inhuman policy of Weyler not
less than 100000 sclf-Supporting, simple,
peaceful, defenseless country people were
driven from their homes in the agricultural
portions OF the Spanish provinces to the
waste outside the residence portions of
these cities and within the lines Of in
trenchment established little way beyond.
Their humble homes We're burned, their
fields laid waste, their implements of hus-
bandry destroyed. their live stock and food
supplies for the most part contIscated.
Most of these people were old men, women
and children. Slow starvation was their
Inevitable fate. A conservative estimate
already persisted from starvation
The pictures in the American newspa-
pers of the starving reconcentrados are
true. They can all be duplicated by the
thousands. / never saw. and please God
may never again see, so deplorable sight
the reconcentrados in the suburbs of
Matanzas. ! can never forget to my dying
day the hopeless anguish in their despair
ing eyes fIuddled about their little bark
huts, they raised voice of appeal to us
for aims as we went among them.
Men, women and children stand silent,
furnishing. Their only appeal comes from
their sad eyes, through which one looks as
through an open window into their agoniz-
Il shall refer to these horrible things no
further They are there. God pity me; ]
have seen them; they will remain in
mind for overland this is almost the TWEEN
tieth century Christ died 1900 years ago
and Spain is a Christian nation; she has
set up more crosses in more lands beneath
more skies, and under them has butchered
more people than all the nations OF the
earth combined.
Europe may tolerate her existence as
long the people of the Old World wish.
God grant that before another Christmas
morning the last Visage of Spanish tyran-
ny and oppression will have VANISHED from
the western hemisphere"
Discussing the remedy which should be
applied to the evils he found, Senator
II counseled silence and moderation from
this floor when the passion of this nation
seemed at white heat over the destruction
of the Maine, but 1t seems to me the time
for action has now come. Not action in
the Maine case hope and trust that this
government will take action on the Cuban
siaution entirely outside Of the Maine case
When the Maine report Is received, If 1t
be found that our ship and sailors were
will have ample reparation without qubble
or delay and if the explosion can be traced
to Spanish official sources, there VIII be
such swift and terrible punishment admin
istered as will remain a warning to the
world forever.
what shall the United States DO, Mr..
President?'
For answer Senator Thurston, as re-
publican, turned TO the last national plat
form of his party, which declared that
1.-THE United States should actively use its
influence and good offices to restore peace
and give Independence to the island"
In accepting the nomination rendered
him by the convention, which had adopted
the Cuban plank with mighty shout,
William Mckinley had said: The plat
form adopted by the republican convention
has received my careful consideration and
has my unqualified approval
Senator Thurston even recounted the
steps which the president has taken upon
the Cuban question during the past year
and pronounced his course wise, states
manlike and in accordance with the diplo-
matte uses of the world ,,
1T was the plain duty of the president OF
the United States 10 give to the liberal MIN
istry of Spain a reasonable time in which
TO test its proposed autonomy That TINE
has been given. Autonomy is conceded the
wide world over to be a conspicuous fail
ure. The situation in Cuba has only
changed for the worse. Sagasta IS power
less, BlanCo is pOWerlcSS, to put an end TO
the conflict, to rehabiltate the island or to
relieve the suffering, starvation and ais
"The time for action has then come. No
greater reason for il can be expected TO-
morrow than to-day. Every hours Qeiay
only adds another chapter to the awful
story of misery and death. only one power
can intervene-the United States of Amer
lea.
''What shall our action be?"
Senator Thurston briefly referred to the
PROPOSITIONS Of recognizing the helligeren-
CIV or the independence of the Cubans only
to say that it was too late for either AS TO
annexation he said:
God forbid. l would oppose annexation
Mr.. President. there is only one action
possible if any is taken; that is, interview
tioD for the independence of the island;
Intervention that means the landing OF an
American army on Cuban soil, the deploy-
ing of an. American feet off the harbor OF
Havana: Intervention which says to Spain;
Leave the island, withdraw your soldiers.
leave the Cubans, these brothers OF ours
in the New World, to form and carry on
government for themselves Such inter
Vention on our part would not of itself be
war 1t would undoubtedly lead to war:
But II war came it would come by act OF
Spain in resistance of the liberty ana the
indeDendence of the Cuban people
"Mr President, in the cable that moored
me to life and hope the strongest STRANDS
are broken. | have but little left to offer
at the altar of freedoms sacrifice, but all
7 have | am glad to give. / am ready TO
serve my country as best can in the senate
or in the field. My dearest hope. my most
earnest PRAYER to God is this: That when
death comes to end all | may meet 1t
calmly and fearlessy as did my beloved, in
the cause of humanity, under the Amer
lean flag. "