Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-04-01

Inc more certain II Is tnat war anu "di
I alone will extricate you.
/ I'm trying to allow Spain to complete her
! reconquest of Cuba. you have made 1t alb
! soluteIy necessary that you shall inter-
| vene in the cause of freedom
| There may be time still to avert a war.
Within the last forty-eight hours repre-
sentative of the Cuban republic had said
to me that they did not desire US to en-
gage in war with Spain: that all they ask
is that We recognize their independence 10
give them the credit and standing to which
they are entitled among the nations OF
the earth and. with their own strong arms
and with their own brave hearts. they Will
acrieve their independence. applause on
the Democratic side.)
| Would Win Their Own Freedom.
"They prefer that course, and 1 sympa-
/ thize with the spirit which prompts them
! to prefer it. Any people worthy TO De
! freed desire to achieve their own freedom.
and # the Cuban people sought their free
dom through American arms, i shouid
doubt their ability to maintain IL when
: 1t was given to them. They hope TO have
; national history. They hope to have ni-
! tional heroes. They hope TO teach their
I children, who. in turn, will teach their
children and their childrens children. no"
I Cuban patriots wrought out the problem
! of Cuban freedom. (Applause on the DEM
| ocratic side) Where is there the man
! who does not sympathize with that lofty
sentiment? a representative Of the Gu
| ban republic said TO me with great frank
: ness and feeling: We do not seek to IN
! voIve the United States IL a war with
! Spain. 1t is unnecessary. Give US rec
| ognition of our independence, SO that We
| can obtain arms and heavy artillery, and
/ in thirty days we will put an army of
| a hundred thousand Cuban patriots in the
! field and in thirty days more the flag OF
! Spain will be trailing in the dust Of Cuba
| applause on the Democratic side)
| That is their spirit. Why do We not
! meet them in it? War? You invite it with
| all its horrors. l know the horrors as
well as the gentleman from Indiana. CMr.
| Johnson) 1 witnessed its desolatiou. We
| do not want war. We have twice offered
| you the opportunity to avoid it.
But Mr. Chairman. We might as well
| be frank II 1t takes war to free the Island
! OF Cuba. my voice and the voice of those
! with whom I have the honor to act is
! Cuba free. without a war If possible. Cuba
| free, with war IL necessary" pro
longed applause on the Democratic side)
General GrosyenOr Replies.
Mr.. Grosvenor. Republican. of Ohio.
! whose utterances are given great weight.
| owing to his close friendship with the ad-
minstration. answered Mr.. Bailey. He said
| he did not intend 10 reply to the argument
of the gentleman from Texas. but he felt
| for him a strong degree OF sympathy.
When he said, "a man has been for
| nearly a year trying to play game OF
! politics on the question OF war and has
| failed, and has finally made an exhibition.
| futile effort in that direction, unparalleled
In the history of this body, it becomes
| pathetic when he talks about a war and
a war that will never happen. l rise to
point out one or two absurd statements
constantly repeated in the newspapers and
| which found an echo in the voice of the
| gentleman from Texas. He warns this side
| that If the president attempts to force the
Cubans to buy their freedom, hell will break
loose in about fifteen seconds on the Demo-
| cratic side. daughter on the Republican
| side) Nobody proposes to force CUBA 10
| buy their independence. 1t Is like a taie
told by the idiots. full Of sound and fury
and full of nothing. There is no such prop
ositition by, to or from the administration
and the whole idle prattle Of this character
| in the newspapers has been just so much
folly and nonsense; and YET a statesman,
leader of q great division upon this hoor,
rises and solemnly warns the Republican
side of this house that IL the president
drives Cuba to buy her independence they
will go to work to prevent it. Nobody has
body and talk of the newspapers
Mr. Bailey Arraigned.
"Again, what does the gentleman know
about how far the matters have progressed
between the United States as the inter-
mediary source of diplomacy and Spain and
Cuba on the other side? The gentleman
from Texas did say yesterday that ne De
lieyed the president of the United states
was trying to force it upon the Cubans,
and to-day he said he knew it. now, 1
rise simply to say that the gentleman Is
wholly mistaken.
"If he has such information from an
authoritative source, he ought to make
II public The time has come in this coun-
try when misunderstanding Of what is go
| ing on is doing more harm than the views
| of people who do understand.
"Will the gentleman state" interposed
Mr.. Williams, Democrat, of MISSISSIPPI,
that he believes from what ne knows that
1t is not in contemplation by the presi-
dent in the negotiations now going on to
treat of a money consideration for the
freedom Of Cuba"
at is too contemplate to answer. Such
a thought never entered into the head OF
any man connected with the admini5tra-
tion."
"Is there not an intimation Of that kind
| in the negotiations at Madrid?'
What have we to do with the negotia-
tons at Madrid?" asked Mr.. Grosvenor
| II say the purchase of Cuba by the gov
ernnent, or the suggestion of its approy-
al, is a story told by an idiot. There never
was anything in it, and this is only done
4 to fan anew the fame that seeks for po-
litical advantage on this floor by sprinsinG
so-caIled questions of privilege that makes
the author of them ridiculous in the sight
of common humanity"
Were the fortyfive gentlemen who met
, a few evenings ago and agreed to vote
, for Independence seeking political advan'
tage?" asked Mr.. Lentz, democrat, OF
, | Ohio.
81 heard something Of that kind" re
piled Mr. Grosvenor. but 1 heard some,
! thing better. Yesterday when the scheme
= to promote a political advantage wal
sprung here with the awkwardness of
Fourth of July boy burning frecrackers
= | 17S gentlemen put their names down or
the right side of the organization Of &
| party and party concord. [Applause)
2 Administration for Cuba Libre.
e Now, in conclusion, the administration
G | OF this government is as anxious for th'
p; freedom and independence OF Cuba any
0 gentleman on the other side Of the house
G lApplause) There is not one man, from
the president down to the humblest mem
U ber on this floor, who will ever, without the
corsent Of the Cuban insurgents, ratity
agree to. or approve any settlement OF th'
| Cuban question that does not involve abso
| lutc independence for Cuba (applauseD