The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-04-01
ANOTHER SAD STORY.
Misery I'm Cuba ar Seen by Senator
ThurstOn, of Nebraska-Demands
Immediate Action.

4
| Immediate Action.
/ Washington, March 25.-A scene dramatic
! in the intensity of its interest was pre-
sented in the senate Thursday during the
| delivery by Senator Thurston (Neb) of q
speech on the Cuban situa ton. Not since
| the Inauguration of President Mckinley
| 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
ater Thurston had begun his speech dozens
of members of the house were either stand
ing or occupying chairs In the area without
the sefnicircle of seats. His first sentence,
| in which he said he spoke by command OF
| silent HpS-a delicate and touching refer
| ence to the loss of his wife on his memor-
able trip to Cuba-commanded instant at
tention. A hush fell over the great aUdi-
ence which hung with almost breathless
attention and interest upon every word.
Senator Thurston said that he had gone
to Cuba firmly believing that the condi-
tion of affairs on the island had been great
| ly exaggerated, and that he had directed
his efforts in the first instance to the ex-
posure of the supposed eSaggerations. lie
had concluded, however, that an over
i sta atement Of the horrors of the situation
was impossible. He was prepared, he
stated, not only to adopt every word of the
careful, concise and specific statement of
the senator from Vermont (Senator Proc
tori. but he was even convinced that he
had understated the facts.
Senator Thurston then tersely summar-
lied his observations and conclusions as
follows:
After three years of warfare and the
use of 225,O00 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,
the fortified seaboard towns, because they
are under the virtual protection of Spanish
warships, with which the revolutionlsts
THE reyoIutionists are in absolute and
almost peaceful possession of nearly one
half of the island, including the eastern
provinces of Santiago De Cuba and Puerto
Under the inhuman policy of Wey1er not
less than 100000 self-supportlng, simple,
peaceful. defenseless country people were
driven from their homes in tho agricultural
portions of the Spanlsh provinces to the
cities and imprisoned upon the barren
waste outside the residence portions of
these cities and within the lines of in
trenchment established a little way beyond
Their humble homes were burned, their
fields laid waste, their implements of hus-
bandry destroyed, their live stock and food
supplies for the most part confiscated.
Most of these people were old men, women
and children Slow starvation was their
tneVita BILE fate A conservative estimate
indicates that 210,0c6 of these people have
already perished from starvation.
1.-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 COD
may never again see, so deplora bic sight
as the reconcentrados In the suburbs oil
Matanzas. l can never forget to my dying
day the hopeless anguish in their despair
ing eyes. Huddled about their little bark
huts, they raised no voice of appeal to US
for aims as we went among them.
Men, women and children stand silent.
famishfng. Their only appeal comes from
their sad eyes, through which one looks as
through an open window into their agoniz-
ing souls.
Il shall refer to these horrible things no
further. They are there. God pity me: ]
mind for overland this is almost the twen-
tieth century. Christ died 1900 years ago
and Spain is Christian nation; she has
set up more crosses in more lands, beneath
more skies, and under them has Dutchered
more people than all the nations of the
earth combined.
Europe may tolerate her existence as
long as 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
Thurston said:
II counseled silence and moderation from
this floor when the passion of this ration
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
siautton entirely outside CT the Maine case.
When the Maine report is received, If it
be found that our ship and saisrs were
blown up by some outside explosion, we
will have ample reparation without quibble
or delay, and if the explosion can be traced
such swift ard terrible punishment admin
isteted as will remain a warning to the
world forever.
What shall the United States Go, Mr
For answer Senator Thurston, as = re-
publican, turned to the last national plat
L. = IL r1rV a
''the United States should actively use its
influence and good offices to restore peace
and give independence to the island
In accepting the nomination tetd Ieo
him by the convention, which had aSopted
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 bs Re upo9 5ne
the Cuban question during the past year
and pronounced his course wise, states
manlike and in accordance with the olpIo-
matte uses of the world.
"It was the plain duty of the presi lent OF
the United States to give to the liberal min
to test its proposed autonomy. That time
has been given. Autonomy is conceded the
wide world over to be conspicuous 1aIl-
ure. The situation in Cuba has only
changed for the worse. Sagasta is power
less, Bianco is poWerlesS, to put an enc to
the conflict, to rehabilitAte the island or to
saThe time for action has then come. No
greater reason for it can be expected to-
morrow than to-day, every hopr deIay fi;I
only adds another chapter to the awful
story of misery and death. Only one power
can intervene the United States of Amer
lea. -
Senator Thurston briefly referred to the
propositions of recognizing the belligeren-
cy or the Independence of the Cubans only
to say that 1t was too late for either AS 10
"God forbid. ! would oppose annexation
with my latest breath.
''Mr President, there Is only one actlon
POSSIBLE if any is taken; that Is, interVen-
tion for the independence of the island;
intervention that means the LANDING OF an
American army on Cuban soil, the deploy--
ing of an American fleet off the harDor 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
Tenfion en- our part would not of itself be
war 1t would undoubtedly lead 10 war
But If war came ii would come by act OF
Spain in resistance of the liberty ana the
"Mr President, in the cable that mooreo
me to life and hope the strongest strands
are broken. / have but little left to ofreI
at the altar of freedoms sacrifice, but all
I have l 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 COD IS TINS: l haI Ia VI i" hei
calmly and fearleSSly as did my beloved, IN
the cause of humanity, under the Amer
ican flag" "
Noted Irishmnn Dead.
Dublin. March 23-The O'Grady, of
KiIballyowen, County Limerick, upon
whose estate at Herbertstown the
ss-1. e ;frr1o vvac first mt into