Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-03-12

the people and the resolutions to con-
gress, Cuba would have been iDdepend-
ent and there would have been no
war. The Maine incident may lead to
war. If so, who can doubt that the
incident was brought about to incite
war for political purposes in Spain?
The debate in the senate on the 23d
of February last on Senator Aliens
proposed amendment to the diplomatic
bill throws much light On the situa-
tion. 1t was conceded by ali the SEN
ators who participated in that debate,
and they were among the ablest law
yers of the senate, that the granting
Of belligerent rights to Cuba was no
cause of war with Spain; that it was
purely matter of discretion on the
part of the United States to which
Spain had no right to take eXcep-
tion. 1t was, however, suggested
that bellIgerent rights would be Of no
benefit to Cuba. In reply to this ar
gument, Senator Stewart said:
/ think the senator from Massa-
chusetts Mr.. Hoarl very much UNDER
rates the advantages TO Cuba of the
acknowledgment of belligerent rights.
In the first place, she would be en-
titled to carry flag at sea, which
would protect those under it from
the charge of piracy. She would not
need our flag; but she would have a
a flag of her own. In the next place,
she would have another aud very
important right. She would have a
right to buy all sorts of supplies in
the United States, including muni-
tions of war of every description,
and the only risk that would be taken
would be the interecepting of them
by Spain.
If Senators have read the report of
the secretary of the treasury, show
ing how lax Spain has been in that
matter and what 1t has cost us to
police the seas to prevent munitions
of war and supplies of every descrip-
tion going to Cuba, they will see how
little expense Spain has been, in ac-
we have expended, and how clearly
the Cubans would be strengthened by
having ships carrying their flag and
securing munitions of war brought 10
this country. They would then not
be liable to be hunted down by our
revenue cutters as they haye been.
Had it not been for that, there would
have been no difficulty In the Cubans
getting all the munitions of war sup
plies they needed
1t is said that Cubans have no
ports. They are hundred of places
where they can land munitions of war
and supplies Of any kind. Notwith-
standing the vigilance of the United
States and the millions spent by this
government upon the seas to aid Spain
in blockading and keeping out sup
plies from the patriots, they have car
ried on this war for years and OBJ
tained supplies from abroad. If there
had been no revenue cutters OF the
United States pursuring ships that
carried supplies, there would have
been practically no difficulty.
Mr. Foraker. Their ships could
come to our ports.
Mr.. Saewart. Their ships could
come to our ports. Any ships could
come to our ports aud buy munitions
of war. The Cubans could buy muni-
tions of war and load them on the
ships, and the only risk would be that
of having the ships captured
Mr.. Foraker. On the high seas.
Mr.. Stewart. On the high seas by
Spain.
Mr.. Gray. That is the only risk
they run IN law now.
Mr., Stewart. No; they run the risk
of being captured in our ports. We
are capturing them every day. The
cooperation Of the United States TO
put down the rebellion has been the
effective power which has maintained
the Spanish army at all in Cuba. II
the Cubans ran no risk but that of be-
ing captured by Spanish cruisers, it
would be slight. There would be no
obstruction to munitions of war and
supplies OF every kind going to the is
land; that is the point. The Cubans
would have the right to come into
our ports and buy anything they
pleased, and the only risk woul1 be
that Of capture upon the high seas by
Spain, and the want of vigilance on
the part of Spain, as shown by our
secretary OF the treasury, is such that
there would have been practically, no
obstruction. They would have bad
all the arms and Munitions of war
they pleased, and they could have
saved hundreds of thousands OF lives
from starvation. Under the present
regime it is the revenue cutters of the
United States that are prosecuting