The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-25

His first sentence. in which he said he
spoke by command of silent lips in a
delicate and touching reference to the
loss of his wits on his memorable trip
to Cuba, commanded instant attention.
A hush fell over the great audience
which hung with almost breathless at
tention and interest upon every word.
Without knowing the motive which ami
mated Mr.. Thurston and inspired him
to his best efforts. his auditors instinc-
lively realized and thoroughly sym
pathized with his evident emotion.
Twice within the past two years, Mr..
Thurston said. he had voted for reso-
luton recognizing the belligerency of the
Cuban insurgents, but he was satisfied
II was now too late to accord them bel
ligerent rights, or even merely to recog-
nize the Independence of the Cuban re-
public. ''The time for action has come
No greater reason for II can exist to-
morrow than exists today. Every hours
delay only adds another chapter TO the
awful story of misery and death. Only
one power can intervene-the United
States of America. Ours is the one
great nation OF the world. the mother Of
American representatives. She holds
u position OF trust and responsibility to-
ward the people and the affairs of the
whole western hemisphere. 1t was her
glorious example which inspired the
Cubans of Cuba to, raise the flag of lib
erty in her eternal hills. We cannot
refuse to accept this responsibility which
the God OF the universe has placed upon
us as the one great power in the new
world. We must act.
The couarpp,ay,t nf Cnasv, ha I, not a ,,l
will not appropriate 81 to save these
people. They are now being attended
and nursed and administered to by the
charity of the United States. Think of
the spectaclel We are feeding these
citizens OF Spain; we are nursing their
sick; we are saving such as can be saved.
and yet there are those who still say IL
Is right for us TO send food. but we must
keep hands Off say that the time has
come when muskets ought to go with
the food. 1 shall refer to these horrible
things no further. They are there. God
pity me. have seen them; they will re-
main in my mind forever-and this Is
almost the goth century. Christ died
1900 years ago, and Spain Is Christian
nation: she has set up more crosses IN
more lands, beneath more skies. and
under them has butchered more people
than all the nations OF the earth COM
bined.
Europe may tolerate her existence as
long as the people of the Old World
wish. God grant that before another
Christmas morning the last vestige Of
Spanish tyranny and oppression will
have vanished from the western hemi-
sphere.
Mr.. President, there Is only one ac-
tion possible. II any is taken; that Is
Intervention for the independence Of the
island. Intervention that means the
landing OF an American army on Cuban
soil. the deploying of an American feet
of the harbor OF Havana; Intervention
which says TO Spain. leave the island.
withdraw your soldiers. leave the Gu
bans. these brothers OF ours I'm the new
world. 20 form and carry on government
for themselves. Such Intervention on
our part would not OF itself be war. II
would undoubtedly lead to war. But
IL war came IL would come by act OF
Spain I'm resistance OF the liberty and
the Independence OF the Cuban people.
The speech was very generally re-
garded as a mastery effort and even
those who could not agree with his con-
clusions conceded the power OF his ora
tion. AZ he neared the end his voice,
which had been clear and ringing.
noticeably broke. He was almost over