The evening times., 1898-03-24
lie Says America Must Break
the FetterS Of Cuba.
INTERVENTION MEANS WAR
The Pledges of the Republican
Party VIII BE kept-MusLets for
the Insurgents-Not one Dollar Tor
Holders of Spanish BOnds-HOr-
rorE of the Island.


Ii was Mrs. Thurston's request that her
husband should tell the country what he
saw and it was i'm obedience TO the MEM
ory of his beloved wife that the Senator
came from her grave to the Senate cham
Der to lecite the horrors he had witness
ed and 70 add his voice in an appeal 10
the President to act at once.
No man ever received a grander recep-
ton than did the senator from Nebras-
ka today. At 9 o'clock the crowds be-
gan 10 pour into the Capitol and an
hour later the halls and corridors were
SO eongested that the officials were com
PEELED to open the galleries long before
the accustomed hour With the eXcep-
ton of those in the private gallery, ev-
cry seat was occupied.
Representatives of the Brazilian.
French and Mexican legations were pres
ent. II was amid profound silence that
Mr.. Thurston, after a little routine busi-
ness, arose to begin his speech.
1t was manifest that he was laborng
under an intense nervous strain and spoke
from the heart. There was no attempt
at sensationalism. The truth, unvarnish-
ed and unadorned, was sensational
enough and as the senator portrayed 1t
thrills Of horror swept over the audience
At other times the eloquent speaker
caused waves Of applause to spread
through the galleries, which the Vice
President endeavored vainly to repress-
The peroration was one of the most
magnificent to which the Senate has re
Gently listened.
AS Mr. Thurston sat down a round Of
applause rolled through the chamber.
and met a hearty and responsive chord
in the galleries.
Senator Thurston said:
Mr.. President / am here by command
OF silent liDs to speak once and for all
upon the Cuban situation. l trust that no
one has expected anything sensational
from me. God forbid that the bitterness
of a personal loss should induce me to
color in the slightest degree the state
ment that l feel il my duty to make.
shall endeavor TO be honest, conservative
and Just. ] have no purpose to stir the
public passion to any action not necessary
and imperative TO meet the duties and ne
CeSSitieS of American responsibility,
Christian humanity and national honor
] would shirk this task if / could, but 1
care not tdllIAal SdAiHlN lllN NR4is-NAeiADN
except by speaking. and speaking now.
Tells OF Has Trip TO Cuba.
Some three weeks since, three senators
and two representatives in Congress ac-
cepted the invitation of a great metro
pOlitan newspaper TO make a trip TO Gu
ba and personally investigate and report
upon the situation there. Our invitation
was from a newspaper whose po-
IiticaI teachings 1 have never fail
ed to antoganize and denounce.
and whose Journalism have con-
sidered decidedly sensational But let
me say. for the credit Of the proprietor
OF the paper in question, that l believe
the invitation extended to US was inspir-
ed by his patriotic desire to have the ac-
tual condition Of affairs in cuba brought
TO the attention of the American people
in such "A way that the facts would no
longer remain in controversy or dispute
We We're not asked in any way TO be-
come the Representatives of the paper:
no conditions or restrictions were impOs-
ed upon US. We were left free TO con-
duct the investigation in our own way.
make our own plans. pursue our own
methods, take our own time, and decide
for ourselves upon the best manner o'
laying the result Of our labors before
the American people. For myself I
went to Cuba firmly believing that the
condition of affairs there had been
greatly exaggerated by the press, and
my own efforts were directed in the
first instance to the attempted exposure
Of these supposed exaggerations
Conditions Not Exaggerated.
Mr.. President, there has undoubtedly
been much sensationalism in the Jour
nalism of the time. but as TO the condi-
tion OF affairs in Cuba there has been
no exaggeration, because exaggeration
has been impossible. ] have read the
careful statement Of the junior senator
from Vermont CAIr. Proctor). and / find
that he has anticipated me in almost
every detail From my own personal
knowledge of the situation, / adopt ev-
cry word Of his concise, conservative
specific presentation as my own; nay
more, ] am convinced that he has, in a
measure, understated the facts. I alb.
soIutely agree with him in the follow
inE conclusions:
After three years Of warfare and the
use Of 225 900 Spanish troops, Spain has
lost control of every foot Of Cuba not
surrounded by an actual intrenchment
ard protected by a fortified picket line
She holds possession with her armies OF
of the fortified eaboard towns, not be-
cause the insurgents could not capture
many of them. but because they are un-
der the virtual protection Of Spanish war
ships with which the revolutionists can
not cope.
The Insurgents ina Control.
The revolutionists are in absolute and
almost peaceful possession Of nearly one
half of the island, including the eastern
provinces Of Santiago de Cuba and Puer-
to Principe. In those provinces they have
an established form of government. levy
and collect taxes. maintain armies. and
generally levy a tax or tribute upon the
principal plantations in the other PROV
inces. and, as is commonly believed. up
on the entire railway system of the
island.
In the four so-called Spanish provinces
there is neither cultivation nor railway op-
Grafton except under strong Spanish mil
itary protection or by consent Of the rev.
olutionists i'm consideration Of tribute
paid.
Under the inhuman policy of Weyler
not less than 100000 self-supporting. SIM
pie, peaceable. defenseless country people
Were driven from their homes in the agri-
cultural portions Of the Spanish provinces
20 the cities and imprisoned upon the bar
ren waste outside the residence portions
of these cities and within the lines of in.
trenchment established a little way be-
yond. Their humble homes We're burned
their fields laid waste, their implements
of hushandry destroyed. their live stock
and food supplies for the most part con-
fiscated. Most of these people were old
men women and chfldran Tbav uara