davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12

Democrats and those who favor the cause
of poor, bleeding Cuba, have feared that
when the report of the Foreign
Affairs Committee was submitted
TO the House they would have
no opportunity to say anything but that
the resolution would be put Though I'M
der the gag rule that would limit debate
10. something, like a few hours, or, at
best, one afternoon.
Speaker Reed does not intend anything
of the kind. Re is in favor of unlimited
debate. He sees that the best way to
kill the resolution is by permitting
freedom of discussion that will arouse
animosities and extreme latitude in de-
bate that Will protract and prolong the
discussion until Spain. with her diplo-
matte experts. has had another chance to
get in her fine work and nullify any
thing that Congress may undertake to
do.
long debate in the House can. there
fore, be expected. and If the flood gates
of oratory are once raised. with a con-
gressional election coming on, no man
can tell when Congress will take Ii into
its head to stop the discussion and pro-
coed with voting.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
POLO CRITICISEs AMERICA.
Spanish Minister states Spain's Side
I'm ~ Personal Letter

The Spanish minister, Senior Polo, has
written letter to Henry Z. Burton. of
Middletown. Conn, which, although per-
sonal in character. presents the Spanish
situation from his standpoint. 1t was in
response to a letter from Mr.. Burton.
commencing the recent interview of the
minister asking for fair play and a con-
sideration of both sides of the case. Sc
nor Polo's letter is as folloYs:
Dear Sir-I enclose herewith, in reply
to your letter of yesterdays date, copies
of the new constitution for Cuba and
Porto Rico. The Cuban parliament (the
house Of representatives elected by uni
yersal suffrage) will meet May A. The
interview of which you send me copy
is a correct statement of what l said to
the representative of the Associated
Press.
Ignorance of certain facts and exag-
geration of others has created fictitious
state of opinion that certainly could not
exist If the exact truth was known. 1t is
next to impossible now to convince the
average American that autonomy Is a
reality. that the Cubans themselves have
the power in Cuba and that the govern
ment of Spain cannot appoint a single
civil officer in the island other than the
personal stafr of the governor general
All the governors and officials including
the judiciary. are appointed by the Gu
ban cabinet and all of them are Cubans.
1.-The governor general. like the King of
Italy and the Queens of Spain and Eng
land. does not govern, he only reigns, as
the Queens representative. In this mo-
ment of trouble he has more power as
commander-in-chief. but in ordinary
times he will have in reality less control
of affairs than the governor general OF
Canada. IL has been impossible to have
the Spanish and true Cuban sides of the
question made known. The newspapers
nave, with very few exceptions. refused
to publish anything on our side of the
question. or have done so in such a way
that ii has not attracted the public no
tice- People have made up their minds
already on the Cuban question. and any
thing that is contrary to their belief is
supposed TO be a Spanish lie. etc. etc.
''It is next to impossible to make most
Americans understand that if the insur-
rectiOn in Cuba exists the United States
have a great deal to do with il. and this
present situation here. certainly not Gre
ated by Spain, instead of helping TO end
the said state of affairs in Cuba. only
favors a rebellion that has no means Of
assuming success and has detained the
very strong movement for autonomy
among the insurgents that the not ad-
venturers or soldiers OF fortune.
There is talk Of war all the time, and
while the probability of u conflict hangs
on, that strong movement. of course is |
held back waiting events. | regret to say 1
1t seems to me too late to change now /
American public opinion misled to such /
an extent in the Cuban question that it /
has actually arrived on the verge of in
sanity"
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
Combinations to "a "ZOo."


ttrOm the cincinnati Eitlu-IcfsI
Events are chasing one another swift
" at the Zoo. Three new birthdays were
crowded into one out there yesterday.
Two We're the result of the birth of a
pair of something almost as rare as
chicken teeth-a pair of snowy white
albino coons. They don't look like white
kittens nor white puppies. They're moth
ing but little coons, white and very wig
gly. That perambulating encyclopedia of
animal lore. Supt. Stephan declares they
are the first albinO coons ever born in
Ohio. or anywhere else in America. so
far as he knows. They are said to be
luckier than basket of black cats, and
twice as smart The superintendent says
that albino cOOnS came from albinO. but
he does not know whether albinO is the
name of an alley in COvingtOn, or a su-
urb of South Africa. There is about
enough of the little things born yester-
day to wad a doubled-barreled shotgun,
good and comfortably.
The third thing born was a sacred ze-
bus. Its parents came from East India
two or three years ago, where they used
to be wOrshiped by the HindOos- Little
Miss Zebu is fourteen inches high, eight
cen inches long and is attired in a de-
collette toilet of duh red and pure white.
Like her mother and her dad she has a
hump on the top of her neck, a wrinkle
that's considered very swell among the
Hindoos. All in all she's a beautiful little
trick of a daughter. and along with the
albino coons forms trio that any zoo
might we'll feel jealous Of
The six-foot tall emu bird started in
yesterday to do Easter" duty by laying a
two-and-a-half pound egg. The shell is
rough as rust-eaten cannon ball, which
1t might resemble were it's she'll not col
ored a rich sea green.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12

fectual in order to be valid and bind
ing; that is to say, in order to endow
the blOckading power with the right to
capture and sink neutral vessels guilty
of infringing its provisions. the block
aiding power must have a Sufficient
naval force" along the blockaded coast
to entail danger upon any neutral ship
attempting to pass the line.
. Now. there has always remained
doubt as to what constituted a "suf-
ncient force. The Spaniards will GER
tainly insist that even the presence of
mere torpedo boat or destroyer. with
an armed liner as escort to keep ner
properly supplied with coal. ammuni-
ton and provisions, would be sufficient
to blockade the port of New York. even
III the two boats were merely to mover
around the entrance within twenty or
thirty miles of Sandy Hook, and will
mold that the torpedo boat in question
will have a perfect right to fire upon
any one of the great transatlantic lin
ers Tying neutral flag that may leave
or enter New York on her way to or
from Europe.
The English. however, whose COM
merce would be more seriously affected
thereby than that of any other nation
would hardly be likely to tolerate such
views or to be willing to permit the
Spaniards to put them into execution
and that is why it is believed
that the impending conflict between
the United States and Spain is likely
to develop into dispute between the
latter and Great Britain.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
CUBANS WILL FIGHT FOR US.
Ready to support an American In
yading Army.

New York, April 12.-"When an Ameri-
can army reaches Cuba the people will
flock TO it's ranks" This statement was
made by Chief Officer Frank Crosslin, of
the British steamer Aloedene which ar
rived from Matanzas, Cuba, yesterday
with cargo of sugar and tied up in Will
liamsburg.
All Cubans want Is a surety of help"
he continued, land they will rise in a
body. They were won by the magnificent
gifts of clothing and food, and are long
ing for American interference, and many
of them want to become part of the
States.
THE Spanish soldiers are among the
weakest specimens of humanity that
could be found anywhere and the most
dissatisfied lot. Most of them are boys
who are poorly clothed, poorly fed, never
paid and homesick all the time. Deser-
tons are frequent.
The Cubans are pinning their faith on
the United States and are waiting for "A
signal to rise in thousands. They could
under no circumstances be brought to
fight against the United States, Junta or
no Junta. To this country they look for
their liberty"
From the deck Of the vessel, he said
every night CONGREGATIONS could be seen
in every direction outside of Havana and
Matanzas. caused by the burning of crops
and plantation buildings.
Two other steamships from Cuban ports
arrived at Brooklyn piers yesterday. The
Saratoga. of the Ward line which brought
sugar from the Southern coats is at the
Anglo-American pier, Erie Basin.
One OF the engineers. of the vessel said
Around ManZanillo the skies were aglowe
at night with the fires of the blazing plan+
tations. The misery in the towns is dread
full. No sooner does a ship tie up than
there is a crowd of poor creatures around
her begging for food. The feeling against
Americans is very bitter among the Span
ish part of the population
IF something is not done now" inter
jected a younger engineer, THE life of an
American sailor in any of the South
American countries will be unbearable.
They all say. with a grin: 'AmeTicanos all
bluff; big mouth; all talk; no fight.
In Cuba the average Spaniard believes
there will be no trouble in whipping the
United States. They think the Maine was
the finest ship the United States had, and
they say they will serve the rest as the
Maine was served"
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
Movements of spanish warshIp..

Cruisers EiZcaya and Almirante Oquen-
do have not moved from Porto Rico but
ii is expected they will go to Martinique.
Cruisers Alfonso XII and Nueva Es-
pana are at Havana.
Torpedo boats and torpedo boat de-
stroyers Furor. Terror. Pluto, ArieIa.
RayOr. Azor and convoy Ciudad de Ca
dir are at Cape Verde Islands waiting or
ders.
Cruisers CristObal Colon and Infanta
Maria Teresa passed the Canary Islands
bound for Cape Verde Islands
Torpedo gunbOat Audaz is being repair
ed at Queenstown
Cruiser Alfonso XIII torpedo boats and
torpedo boat destroyers DOna Maria Mo
lima. Habana. BarcelO. Orion. Proserpina
and DestrUctOr have not moved from Ca
diz.
Battleships Vitoria. Numancia. Carl
baldi and PelayO and cruisers Empera-
dor Carlos V and Cardinal CisnerOs are
en- route to Cadiz. repairing at sea.
Cruisers Reina Cristina. Castillo. Velas-
co. Don Juan de Austria, gunbOatS Para
qua Ullo. FL CanO. Gen. Leo and
Marques del DuergO. transports Gen. Al
ava. Manila and Cebu are at Manila
Gunboats Samar. MariveIes. MindOro.
Manileno, Pampagna and Arayet are at
the southern extremity of the Philippine
Islands.
Gunboats Albay and Callao are at
Paraqua Islands.
GunbOat Calamianes is at Balabac.
GunbOats Balusan and Leyte are at
Taal Lagoon
GunbOat Otalora is at Bay Lagoon.
Cruisers IsIa de Cuba. Isla de LuZOn.
gunbOats Ouiros and BUY LopO de W.
Iaoboa are at the Caroline Islands.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
Movements of American warship-.

Battleships Iowa and Indiana, cruisers
New York. Detroit and Cincinnati gun
boats Nashville. Castine. Wilmington.
Newport. and Helena. monitors Terror,
Puritan. and Amphitrite. torpedo boats
Dupont. Gushing. Ericsson. Foote. Wins
low, and Porter. forming the fighting
feet. under command of Capt Sampson.
are still at Key West.
Cruisers San Francisco and New Or
leans put into Halifax. y. s. for coal
Battleships Massachusetts and Texas.
cruisers Brooklyn. Minneapolis, and Co
,umbia forming the flying squadron I'M
der Commodore Schley. remain at Hamp-
ton Roads. waiting orders.
Ram Katahdin is at Hampton Roads
awaiting orders. She is not attached to
the flying squadron.
Dynamite gunbOat Vesuvius and cruis-
ers Newark and Montgomery are being
repaired at Norfolk CVaJ navy yard.
Cruisers Olympia. Concord. Raleigh.
Boston. MOncacy. gunboat Petrol. form
ing the Asiatic squadron, are at Hong
Kong waiting orders.
Cruiser Baltimore has arrived at YOkO-
hama. Japan
Auxiliary cruiser Merrimac has arrived
at Norfolk CVaJ navy yard to be con-
verted into a warshiD.
Torpedo boat Rogers left Norfolk CVa)
navy yard for a test Of machinery and
engines.
Gunboat vicksburg is at Norfolk (Va.)
navy yard waiting orders.
Cruisers Chicago and Atlanta are at the
Brooklyn navy yard being remOdeled.
Monitor MiantOnOmOh is at League ISL
and navy yard for repairs.
Gunboat Annapolis is at the Brooklyn
navy yard for repairs.
Gunboat Bancroft Is being repaired at
Charleston navy yard
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
DELAY BENEFITS SPAIN.
While America Wastes Time The
Dons Get Ready

Every day of inactiOn In the Cuban
matter by the United States Is so much
gain to Spain in increasing the strength
and efficiency of her squadron So clearly
is this fact apparent to department Of
ficials that they are earnestly hoping that
IL war between the two countries Is to
come ii will come at once.
Instead of the battleship PelayO sail
ing for the Canaries several days ago, as
the authorities were led 10 believe by
cablegram from Minister WoodfOrd, II
was learned today that she had merely
gone to sea for her final rial. A mes
sage announcing the return of the PelayO
from her trial states that she made an
extreme speed of Is knots an hour Her
machienry stood the strain well and she
Is now ready for sea. The armored
cruiser Carlos v. the officials have been
informed, will be ready to join the force
which sailed for the CanarIes in three or
Tour days. She will be accompanied by
the remainder of the torpedo boats now
at CadiZ.
Although this Information has come
from apparently authoritative sources
Navy officers who have been keeping
posted do not believe IL possible that
these vessels are so near completion.
The troops sent by Spain to the Ca
naries are to be employed in manning the
fortificatiOns, in order TO prevent the ISL
ands from falling into the hands Of the
United States in case Of war, for they
are most important base of supplies for
the Spanish vessels and Spain.
That Spain will be benefited by delay
In acting is a matter Of common talk in
naval circles. The iron battIeship human
~ will hs.r
and three torpedo gun vessels will short
ly be ready for service. Within three
weeks Spain will be in her best possible
condition. not only in the way Of getting
her ships ready. but in getting them 10
points where it will be easy for them 10
be quickly combined.
Work is being rushed with the utmost
dispatch on the armOred cruisers Cardi-
nal CisnerOs. Catalina and Princesa de
Asturias. and the GaribaIdi. which was
purchased from Italy. and the officials
say that their completion is only mat
ter Of few months and they will con-
stitute a powerful reserve for Spain 20
draw upon.
The only reinforcement that the
American Navy can expect is the bat
tleship Oregon and the gUnbOat Marion
which are now on their way to Key
West and some auxiliary cruisers which
are, after all. mere makeshifts. The Ore
gOn cannot reach the North Atlantic IN
til five weeks. By that time the rainy
season will have set in in Cuba, which
will seriously impede army operations in
the island and which may cause the
spread Of yellow fever On board naval
vessels operating in Cuban waters.
The officials say that the time for this
Government 20 have acted was last No
vember. at the beginning Of the dry sea
son. when Spain only had four arnorad
irOnclads-4he CristObaI Colon Infanta
Maria Teresa. Vizcaya and Oquendo--
against seven on the North Atlantic Coast
Tying the American flag.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
The Old Lawyers Plea.
(From the Detroit Free Press.)


He was a rash and impetuous young
lawyer, who had just had a decision given
against him by the circuit judges. He
had made a hard fight and the result was
a crushing blow to his youthful ambition.
II cannot reconcile this finding with the
demands of justice" he shouted as he
looked defiantly at the judges.
1t was an outbreak as startling as de-
faint While the court had it's several
heads together with a view to determin-
ing what penalty should be melted out for
this glaring offense, one of the oldest
practitioners at the bar arose and adj
dressed the judges.
Your honors." he said, 81 am satisfied
that it Is only because this young man is
a novice that he has thus erred. | crave
your mercy because he knew no better.
Had he pracdced before your hOnors as
long as | have, it would have been impos-
sible for you to have surprised him by
ANYTHING you might do. Give the young
man time to learn and after the court
had Joined in a general laugh it could not
consistently impose fine for contempt.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12

1t is said that Mr.. Mckinley was
genuinely surprised last night to learn
that his appeal to Congress to surren-
der its war power into his hands, with
full discretion to use it in any way OF
not at all, had been received with some
thing very like Indignation and con-
tempt Held incomUnieado in the
White House by his master, it is posi-
BILE that the wrath of the nation at his
weak and humiliating course has been
kept from his knowledge until now.
The awakening is unpleasant. Of course,
hut upon a person like him it is not
likely to have any effect other than to
make him sulk in wounded vanity. a
different sort Of man might be jolted
into reform, but that would only be
possible to one who had both strength
and character.
1t is very lamentable thing that,
at such a juncture as the present, the
chair of state should be untenanted
leadership. Its nominal occupant is lost
in the comparative vastness Of its pro-
portions; but, for the time being, per-
haps it cannot be helped.
All the more is it the duty of Con-
gress to stand by the colors, and bear
them aloft in front of the people. since
the paralytic hands of the executive de-
partment are unable to.
Under the conditions which exist il
is frightful presumption in Mr. Nc
Kinley to ask for the delegation to
himself Of irresponsible power and for
the blind confidence of Congress and the
people. The suppression of material
evidence regarding the Maine massa-
ere; the proof in yesterdays message
that unqualified untruth has gone out
from the White House and the State
Department regarding an alleged but
never existent "ultimatum" to Spain,
and other matters relating to the dip |
lomatic correspondence with Madrid |
these are not good foundation upon |
which to claim vote of confidence!
More than in the case Of any conceiv-
able other male citizen, Congress should
be careful to watch Mr.. Mckinley, and
to see that he executes its mandates in
spirit as well as letter. AS to all
things which relate to the public bust
ness and to the national honor he can
not be trusted. Not a pennyworth Of
the Congressional war power should or
must ever be conferred upon him. The
American people at length are fully !
alive to what the authority he asks
would mean. They do not intend to
convey. make over and quit claim to
Mark Hanna and ]. ]. McCook the
power and opportunity to make war or
peace, as they may please or to use
the Army and Navy for the purpose
of imposing Spanish sovereignty and
the worthless Spanish debt upon the
Island of Cuba.
No, Congress must stand to its gunsi
Only to it do the people look today.
They have turned their backs upon the
White House.
Remember the Maine!
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
The Awakening of America.

Superstitious people are much af-
fected by omens, but The Times is not
superstitious. The fact that a bald
headed American eagle from Virginia
a week ago was seen lowering over the
White House might perhaps mean war.
or it might mean that the noble bird
was looking for mouse, or that he de-
sired TO impress upon the tenant Of the
mansion that there would be the devil
to pay in case anything should happen
to Nirginia's favorite son, Fitz Lee
But the eagle over the White House
does not necessarily presage war. any
more than a buZzard Tapping lazily
over the Glover Building would prom
Use a dishonorable peace, with the he
roes of the Maine forgotten.
War, and war on account of the mas
sacre in Havana harbor. wifi come if
the American people can have anything
to say in the premises. Mortified and
enraged as they have been by the hell
ish atrocities Of Spain in Cuba, that
consideration was properly and neces-
sarily relegated to the rear when Spain
treacherously blew up our battleship.
and murdered two hundred and sixty
six Of its officers, sailors, and marines.
That was at once a cause of and an act
of war. If II lacked anything of the
extreme of outrage. that has been sup
piled by Spanish refusal to seek out and
punish the persons who directly were
the active agents in the crime, or to
even express the least regret for the &C.
currenee. Hence a clear casus belli is
established, and upon that, and moth J
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
Miss BurneII Alleges Triekery.

New York. April 12-William F. Coles,
we'll known in this city and Boston, who is
being sued by Miss Blanche A. Burnell
for s5O0 damages on a charge of breach
of promise of marriage, recently obtained
an order for a commission TO Boston to
take evidence of witnesses there as to
the woman's character. She has appeal
ed from this order, because of information
that Mr.. Coles desires to examine 2l7 wit
nesses. and to go on what may be legally
termed fishing expedition for evidence
to impeach her character. He is wealthy,
and Miss BurnelI says his object is to
prolong the litigation in the hope that she
may abandon the case.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
WAR FERVOR IN SPAIN.
Crowds Marching the streets Cheer
ing for the Army.

Madrid April 12.-When the demOnstra-
ton in Central Square Sunday night was
at its height, the conduct of the mob was
most violent and the cheering and sing
ing of patriotic songs the loudest. the
mounted gendarmerie were ordered to
attention" by a bugle note.
Immediately there was a change in the
attitude of the crowd. The vast con-
course of people that had been surging in
the square. fearful of a charge by the
gendarmerie became panic-stricken and
broke into a stampede. The cafes and
shops were hastily closed and in a short
time the neighbOrhood was almost de-
serted. Some of the ringleaders and 9TH
ers participating in the disorder were ar
rested.
Gen Bourbon. formerly member of the
Chamber of Deputies for Holguin. who
was one of those arrested has written a
letter to Senior Moret. minister for the
colonies. accusing him of uttering insults
to the army and demanding the minis
ter's public withdrawal of his remarks.
He also demands that certain newspa-
pers withdraw their recent statements Of
fensive TO the army.
kilograms received from the provinces
this morning indicate that the populace
are seized with patriotic feTvOr. demon
strations of which the authorities find
great difficulty in restraining. An i'm
mense crowd of people marched through
the streets of Barcelona yesterday. shout
ing. Long live Spain and the army,
'long live Spanish Cuba" etc. The gen
darmerie dispersed the crowd. but the
people fiocked to the cafes. singing patri-
otto songs and hymns.
Captain General Blanco has telegraph
ed that the Queen Regents decree of ar
mistice has been promulgated in Cuba
Demonstrations have taken place in
most of the provincial towns in Spain
against the calling of an armistice.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12

The President. having handed over the
whole Spanish question to Congress,
and piously promised to accept and exc
cute its mandates. the Administration is
now engaged in a characteristic effort
to keep it from doing anything. All OF
Mr.. McKinley's friends and proprietors
are running around pleading with sena-
tors and members not to ''humiliate the
ance with the suggestions of his peace
with-dishonor message. Remember the
Maine,