The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-30

The crowdsd Galleries OF RI, ssns,s
Were En- Rapport, and Ssrdsd Ill,
Esliicoss Utterancss With Liberai 1Ap.
pisuse--Many Rssoiutions OF = wsrilke
Nature offered In ths Senate.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. March :e,-1n.
terest In the Cuban situation. the In.
,erest might almost be termed excite
mcnt. SO intense was it-reached q cll-
max in the proceedings of the senate
to-day.
AS on previous days OF discussion OF
the Cuban question. thousands OF peo-
pie flockcd to the capitol, only a few of
whom. comparatively, could gain ad-
mission to the galleries.
Within flve minutes after the senate
convened. Mr.. Allen. OF Nebraska, In
troduced a resolution recognizing the
independence OF tho Cuban republic.
This was followed by a resolution pro-
posed by Mr.. Rawlins, OF Utah, declar-
Ing war against the kingdom OF Spain.
Mr.. Foraker. OF Ohio. then introduced
q resolution, declaring for such inter-
vention In Cuba as would bring about
the independence of the Cubans. Fol-
lowing this came resolution by Mr..
Frye, OF Maine. demanding that Cuba
be made free.
The resolutions followed one another
so rapidly as almost to stun the audi
tors, both senators and spectators
The galleries were In q commotion and
the people were prepared for anything.
This was the condition when the vice
president recognized Mr.. Mason, OF I'LL
nols, for his announced speech on the
Presidents message transmitting. to
Congress the findings of the Maine
court OF inquiry. Mr.. Mason read his
speech from manuscript, but It was de-
llvered with all the vigor and fire OF
which he Is capable. The Intensity OF
the feeling of those In the galleries was
evidenced by the storm OF applause
which was ELECTED by his declaration
that he was for war. Vice President Ho-
bart had real difficulty in suppressins
the demonstration.
Mr.. Mason said while he would not
apologize for discussing the Cuban
question at this time. he did not IN
tend by SO doing any disrespect either
to the administration or the committee
on foreign relations, when he said that
he was tired ot.;he dilatory tactics tha:
had been employed for three years to
prevent any assistance from the United
States to the starving Cubans. He con-
tlnued: ,s.ss,5s
More than two years ago the plan
OF the Spanish government to starve the
women and children and uon-combat-
ants was begun. Every intelligent
man, woman and child was informed OF
It through the ordinary channels OF in
formation. the newspapers, and by the
statements Of disiuterested witnesses
day after day, week after week. month
after month, and year after year, and
received practically no attention from
this government,until some OF the men,
bers OF this body visited the scene Of
death and distress, and brought back
10 US their words OF honor thnt no pic
ture had been drawn by the press that
fully stated the horrors OF the situation.
Then the gentlemen and newspapers.
who had pretended. ut least, to d!scredit
those statements IL this body. began to
talk about It as though It was a new
discovery. when within ninety miles Of
our shore for two years they had con-
t!nued to murder women and children.
When nearly year ago called at
tention TO the situation, as given at that
tIme and since corroborated by four of
our colleagues upon this floor, from their
personal observation, the statement was
received with sneers by many OF my
colleaS Sues, and I had the pleasure of
being iusulted over the wire By stock
brokers and scalpers In the markets.
For two years the process OF imprIson-
ment OF the reconcentrados and their
starvation has proceeded, yet any one
who dared to call attention to the fact
has had to Withstand the assaults >of
those controlling the press. who denied
In their editorial columns the news they
printed in their news columns. Thou
sands had been starved, millions Of dol
lars OF our legitimate commerce has
been swept from the high seas and the
hitih "Ao Noi5Alppcu luS Sd6le Oll lIlS
dollar does not see the one on his flag
says, be silent, think OF the horrors Of
war and the dangers OF business.
When the order OF concentration
came they cooped at least eight hun
dred American citizens with the recon-
centrados and refused to allow them to
go out and earn legitimate and hon
est living. It amounted to imprison-
ment. we claimed so at the time, yet SO
many professed not to believe II until
the honorable senator from Vermont
described the dead line and the gun OF
the Spanish soldier that kept the con-
centrados together. Any other self-re-
spectlug nation in thesworld would have
ordered their release and better treat
ment or they would have opened the
gates Of hell on Moro Castle, This gov
ernment. however, upon the suggestion
OF the President, took s50,0OO OF the
peoples money out OF the treasury of
the United States and begged permls-
sion OF Spain, the poor privilege Of feed
Ing our citizens American bread on
Spanish soil. am not complaining. I
am not crltlcis!ng: there Is no other
such record In the history Of the world,
only repeat this humlllating state
ment to call attention to the fact that
every effort that has been made by the
President has been construed By Spain
to be an oct OF cowardlce and absolute
and conclusive evidence that we are
afraid OF that mighty power and every
such act OF careful consideration on our
part, has made Spain more cruel to her
own people and more insulting to lis.
Mr.. Mason then turned his attention
to tho destruction OF the Maine, "tho