The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-11
Especial Correspondence

the first war resolution, Senator Raw
Inns, made a strong speech in favor of
the recognition Of Cuban independence,
a brief synopsis of which was given in
the Associated Press. He said, in the
course of his remarks: The facts in
our relations to Spain and Cuba are
known. The case has been made up,
and the question now is, What are we
going to do?' 1t is not question Tor
solution. in my judgment, by the execu-
tive department 1t is a question
which belongs peculiarly to congress.
It is for US, the representatives OF the
states on this side of the capitol and
the representatives of the people on
the other side of the capitol to decide
in this emergency what we are 10 DO.
It is for congress, under the constltu-
ton, to declare war. and congress
ought to be willing 10 take that fun
responsibility when the grave and criti-
cal emergency arises. The president IS
not vested with that power. The presi-
dent, after war is declared by the COM
petent constitutional authority, may,
with the consent of two-thirds of this
body terminate the war by a treaty
of peace.
> 90 not rise to make any censure
Of the president of the United States
If any censure now is to go to any
tribunal or authority, it must be to
I1at Wnlch Is ClOiheN UflQer Ile cOlSll-
tuition with this profound responsible
ity.
1.-The facts being known. the case be-
ing made up. shall we declare war or
shall we decide for peace? Mr.. Presi-
dent it is not necessary to wait upon
the president to know whether, in view
of the eXigencieS which have arisen
and the facts which are known we shall
have peace or war. We can decide to
have peace-peace with incidental
Spanish outrage and clandestine muir
der. We can decide it today and re-
lieve the president from all RESPONSE
bility and connection with it. AS
against the peace. we can, under the
constitution, by virtue of our authority,
have war. I am free to say that we
ought not to declare war except for
grave and sufficient reasons. 1t seems
to me that those reasons exist.
REQUESTS FOR DELAY.
1--WE are asked to delay. The COM
mittee on foreign relations of the SEN
ate, composed of the ablest and wisest
statesmen in our nation. has had this
subject under consideration, and I
doubt not that this body has fun con-
fidence in the judgment and wisdom of
that committee. I am informed that
that committee have decided in their
own minds what action should be TAX
en-. and that they are prepared to make
that they are asked from another de-
partment of the government, for some
reason or for no reason, not to report
to this body the conclusion to which
they have arrived 1 am informed
chow true that may be. of course, the
members of that committee will we'll
know that the executive authority
knows what the proposed action of our
committee is in relation to this grave
subject. I am informed, but 1 may be
mistaken in it, that our committee
have not been advised by the executive
as to what his purpose or his policy in
respect to this matter is to be. He
wants more time.
Every member of congress of this
coordinate and equal department of
r the government should endeavor to
maintain, so far as we can. the eoui-
poise as provided in the constitution
between the equal and coordinate de-
partments of the government. We are
DESTROYS of acting in full harmony with
the chief executive of this nation, be-
cause We know that when we declare
war we shall have discharged our duty
and responsibility in that regard. The
president, as commander in chief of the
army, has the duty of waging the war
to a successful conclusion.
SPANISH oUTRAGEs.
why are we asked to delay? How
our good ship Maine and the 266 men
lin the service Of their country by the
explosion OF q submarine Spanish mine
placed in the harbor by Spain at the
buoy, which shall hereafter be known
in history'as No. l. and anchored there,
and the decisive moment awaited when
it should by wind and tide be drifted
10 the fated spot, then an explosion and
then the clandestine murder of our sea
men? Forty-eight days have gone by.
This is one fact that is known; but it
is not all.
For three yers we are told that
many American citizens. guilty of no
offense against the Spanish authority,
have been without just cause impriSOn-
ed, and some have been assassinated
in their prison cells. American citi-
gems engaged in peaceful pursuits in
the management of their own proper
" lawfully. within the island of Cuba,
have been by Spanish officers and SOL
diers taken out into the highways and
shot to death. The consuis of the Unit
ed States were not derelict in the per-
Torrance of their duty and have I'M
doubtedly advised the executive de-
partment of the government of all
these heinous outrages against Amer
lean citizens and against the American
nation.
we appealed to the executive to
send us, months ago. those advices-
the evidence OF those OuI1dReS upon
our people. What answer has been
made TO us? That it would not be safe |
1t would not be compatible with the |
public interests-muSt be the answer. /
Because if what our consuls in Cuba |
have reported concerning the heinous, |
clandestine and treacherous outrages !
upon American citizens should be COM |
municated to the American people it |
would so inflame our people and our |
members of congress, who alone have |
the authority to declare war, that they |
could no longer be restrained, and they |
would rise in their majesty and avenge |
the outrage which has been perpetrat- |
ed upon them.
Mr.. President, we have appealed in |
vain for that official information to
which we were entitled, and its nom
presentation TO US can be excused only !
upon the ground that Spain is without |
honor. that she has no control over her |
officials, that Der officers and her sol |
diers are prepared even TO strike a clan |
destine and treacherous deathblow to |
our representatives in that island. We |
have waited month after month and |
DAY after day until the feeling has per- |
meated and imDregnated the very bones |
Of the American people that our pa (
thence has been exhausted, and that if |
we are a self-respecting nation we
ought to act
DUPLICITY AT WHITE HOUSE.
But, let us think of it a little fur
Their. Why should we longer delay? We 1
were told last week that the executive |
was DESTROYS of keeping himself in har-