The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-03-04
LET THEM SEE GTP
EnR TnEMRElYEa.A 4.

LIT IhkM Sk 4 NUR esteemed contemporary, the Memphis CONNER
FOR THEMSElVESO ciaIAppeal Is very much dispcased with certain
ssnators and congressman for going to Cuba at this time. It says;
uThe dispatches inform us that a party Of senators and congressman
have left Washington for Havana. The party consists ex-senator GaLlngeF
Money aud Thurston and Congressman Amos Cummings and William Alden
Smith. they are going together but as private citizens according to their
own statements, and they purpose making a personal inspection otthe con
.ditlons on the island, 50 that they may act advisedly on their return to
Washington. This visit, while doubtless well meant must be considered
nladyfsed AZ the present time, The condition or affairs on the island is
such that public sentiment there Is easily inaamed and the visitors are sx-
posing themselves to the risk Of meeting with an unpleasant reception.
they may claim that they are going as private individuals as much as they
please, but the Spaniards viii not be easily convinced Of this fact They
are interfering With the work Of the government that is now Investigating
the cause Of the Names disaster and their very presence ia Havana Will
be a declaration Of a lack OF confidence In the court OF inquiry. Senator
Money, especially, should keep away from Havana. He visited the island
not many months ago and was cordially received by ConsulGenera Lee,
who conaded to him much that he had not given out for publication. Mr..
Money, with questionable prudence, reduced all that hehad seen or heard to
writing in the form Of letter or interview, and sold it to a sensational
yellow journal for a good, round sun. This brought about a sharp and
acrimonious controversy with Gen. Lee, and It's not probable that Senator
Money viii be very welcome visitor to the American consulate, In any
aspect Of the case there are reasons Of great weight why junketing trips by
congressman and senators should not be made to Havana at this time"
We have no patience with all this silly red tape business which the
Commercially referred to unless there is some sense in it. The first
duty q a congressman, Ike any other person who wants to act i~ntergenay
about things, is to discover the truth. To find the truth about many
things che Cuban AFFAIR being enc Of those things requires great deal of
work and trouble. til not a question Of how It will please Spain o any
body else, but a question OF fact which these congressman are looking for
Ryery American citizen is interested in this matter, and the only way for
the peoples representatives to be able to act prudently and wisely in this or
any matter, is to inform themselves. Nobody cares whether Spain likes It
lor not There is one thing certain, it has been the studied purpose and
determination Of that old She wolf" to peryert the truth and fabhcate all
sorts Of lies calculated to present SPANS side Of the case, to the detrment
and hurt Of the insurgents: and the time has come for a change. We
would not have our congressman do or say anything that would be unjust to
Spain and needlesIy provoke trouble. But il ia doing the right thing it
should serve to rub little skin of Of Spain, we are in favor Of rubbing and
let Spain take care Of herself. In other words let us hew to the line, even
though a few chips should bit Spain in the face. The reference to Senator
Money by the Commercla-AppeaI is in keeping with the spleen which
usually characterizes that Journals treatment of him in all matters Every
one who has watched the developments Of the affair and the course Of eyents
will recognize the fact that IN Senator Moneys letters about Cuba we're con
tanned the first accurate information which the Amerlcon people received
from the unfortunate island. The Spanish censor had SO cowed all the
dispatches sent out from Havana that nothing showing up thetrue situation
there was allowed to pass. Indeed Senator Moneys trip TO Cuba was areY
elation to most people. He told It. boldly and fearesay, just a he saw it.
We are very glad these gentlemen have gone to Cuba, and we hope that
when they returnthey will give to the American people a full and accurate
account OF things as they exist. AS to Mr. Moneys violating th~econddence
Of Gen. Lee, etc, every person familiar with the facts in the case know
that the CommercaLAppeas remarks are without foundation, 10 fact
BY ali means let the truth be known, and let the peoples representatives
know for themselves the truth-the whole truth and nothing but the
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