The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-10
RANG WITH ELOQUEACE.
Continued From First Page.
ton of the Cuban question in the Sen


MIR. Cannon said that it was not his
purpose-not the purpose of those who
believe with him-to disturb in any way
the peace and welfare of the people of
the United States. He did not, he said,
desire to reflect unnecessarily upon the
policy of the President, but there was a
phase, in the opinion Of Mr.. Cannon
raised by the newspaper articles to which
he had referred, which ought to be con-
sidered.
BY what authority, he asked, did any
more substantial and effective than talk
would result from the discussion of the
Cuban question in Congressi
s'Has some concerted plan been ar
rangedP'' he asked, ''by the carrying into
effect of which the will of the people Of
this country is to be outdone?
81 want to say said Mr.. Cannon,
"that something more harmful than talk
will result from the discussion OF the
Cuban question by Congress.
"These results viii strike men in Con-
g1ess and men in high place in the ad-
ministration. We have been told that
a policy in the treatment of this Cuban
question was to be inaugurated that
would startle the country, but that poll
CIV has not yet developed. War, con-
tinued Mr. Cannon, lis ended in Cuba
The war that existed has developed into
a brutal contest of hunger
| Spain, he thought, had not the courage
to pursue its operations against the pa
| triots in the field. The government of
Madrid was bankrupt, her greatest states
man had passed away and insthe conduct
of the Cuban war she had adopted a poll
CIV to subdue her enemies by bribery and
| starvation.
Should the efforts of Spain succeed
| the result would be to saddle upon the
nf a n
| $500 900, 600, d debt that has to great
| extent been incurred in the vain effort to
subdue the spirit OF liberty manifested
| by the Cuban patriots
| After some discussion Of the general
features of the Cuban question, Mr. Can
non said: Il charge now that the pur-
pose OF the administration is in agree
ment with the wishes of the Spanish
| bondholders and before peace is secured
| in Cuba security for the payment of that
tremendous debt must be given by the
hloodstained island. That say appears
1 to be the wish of the administration
and I may say of Spain.
| Referring TO the situation as it was pre-
sented when Mr. Mckinley assumed the
Presidency, Mr.. Cannon said that it was
| almost an earthly omnipotenee which
| the President possessed and possesses now.
| The recognition of the belIlgerent rights
| Of the insurgents would have been of i'm
|
the present war, but now such recognit-,
ion would absolutely terminate the ter
rible struggle Mr.. Cannon thought it
peculiarly significant that every Span
lard thought peculiarly significant that
every Spahiard and every Spanish sym
pathizer wasiopposed to the recognition
of the belligereney of the Cuban patri-
OTIS, while every Cuban had maintained
/ from the first that such recognition
would be of such advantage as to enable
him to wrest victory from whatsotherwise
might possibly be death.
If the chief executive of this country
had dreamed when he entered upon his
duties of the power that was to be con-
ferred by his oath upon him it would
scarcely have been possible for him TO
conceive of greater opportunity to set
people free than was then presented to
him His signature to a document
would now set that people free. What is
it that stays the hand of Mckinley? We
have waited long, but our waiting has
been in vain and our cup of waiting in
now full.
Mr.. Cannon maintained that it was no
answer satisfactory to the Cuban patriots
or to the sympathizers with them that
the battleship Maine should be sent to
Cuban waters. Above all 1t was no salts
faction to see the Stars and Stripes
dipped to the Spanish ensign. 1t is no
answer to those in waiting for some
thing effective and fraught with results
that the administration should have I'M
der consideration at this time treaty
with Spain looking to reciprocal relations
with the Spanish government to Cuba.
| Mr.. Cannon said that every rifle in the
| hands of the Cuban patriots had cost
them $500. Here some one audibly dis
puted Mr.. Cannon's statement, and amid
considerable excitement Mr.. Hale adj
dressed the President, expressing
| fhn nj ha att
would be strictly observed After quiet
had been restored, Mr.. Cannon, whose
face was pale, and who was evidently
painfully affected by his emotion, said ::
II do not ordinarily object to remarks
of denial concerning statements which I
make on this floor. However, to a state
ment which just made the audible COM
ment was added that it was lie. l care
| less, Mr.. President. for the remark than
for the spirit which actuated it. l reas-
sert it is solemn truth that the Cuban
patriots have paid $500 for every rifle they
| have in use in their army. These arms
have come from the United States. Every
railroad and every express company and
every filibustering expedition which
| has landed munitions Of war on the isl.
and of Cuba, has taken its deadly toll. :"
The remark which Mr.. Cannon referred
to came from member Of the House who
was talking to another member just be-
| hind the Senate chairs.
In conclusion Mr.. Cannon maintained
that the present policy of the adlninistra.
ton was to hold. the Cubans while Spain
outraged and pillaged the island.
81 believe that one strong brave word,
spoken in time, will absolutely free
Cuba and I am firmly of the belief that
the result of such word would not be
war between Spain and the United
States.
Mr.. Hale followed Mr.. Cannon with a
motion to refer the Cannon resolution
to the committee on foreign relations and
with speech deprecatory Of the policy of
congressional declaration on the Cuban
question, and in support of the course
of the administration on that question.
He said he would not debate either the
Cannon or the Mason resolution at
length, as they would necessarily go to
committee, where he had no doubt they
would be wisely dealt with. They were,
he said, intended to put the administra-
ton in leading strings in it's policy as to
Cuba. They assumed that the committee
could not wait upon the executive and
were intended to drive the administra