The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-02

No other Gpeecn o. feS1ssS $500
during the memorable srenes e. the pres
sut week. has created sseh rfofound
amprxsxon a. ss,as delivered IN the senate
March u by Senator Tharsson. ct Nenras-
IA. The melancholy and pathetic safcum-
stances atsendsag lis delivery. and the
rnasterfuI srrafsnment Of Spain. have
gym g permanent direction to the events
Of the aay. The speech In fun Is as fol-
Iows:
FULFILLING a SACRED Trust.
.nr. Pr~sgaeuts as here ~ eo0-
unana 81 sfiess Hips % speak once
a.A for ~ upon the Csban Situation.
I txuss shst no one has expected amp
thang sensational fsOn ne. GsA
fssbiA thst she bitterness 81 . per-
ssnai Bsss sssesia fsasce n- - color
N the slightest decree the sfase-
naent thaf Z feel II nay daty Tn make.
Il seau eadeaser to be honest. conserya-
tive ard Just. have no purpose 20 stir
the pubic passion 20 any acton not neeez-
cary and imperative 70 meet the duties
and necessities Of American responsible
tfy, Christian humanity and national
honor. would shirk this task II 1 could.
but dare not. 1 cannot satisfy my con-
science except b speaking. and speaking
now.
FOR myself I went 10 cuba sirmiy be-
lisv!ng that she condition OF affairs there
had been greatly exaggerated by the
preas. and ms own efforts were directed
IN the hrst instance TO the attempted ex-
posture Of shoss exaggeratsons.
Mr. President. there has undoubtedly
been muea seBsationaiism in the journal
Ism Of the time. but az 10 The condition OF
affairs In Cuba there has been no exag-
exyaticn. because exaggeraslon Is impossi-
bic. have read the careful statement o.
the Junior senator from Vermont tMr.
Proctor). and find that he has antic.-
pa.ed me In almost every detail. Frsm
my own personal knowledge OF the stu
alton I adopt every word Of his concise.
conservative and specific presentation as
my own; nay. more. I am convinced that
he has In a measure underssated the facts.
] absolutely agree with him in the fol-
lowing conclusions:
After three years Of warfare and the
uee Of ~ 90 Spanish troops. Spain has
lon conssel OF every foot OF Cuba not sur
rounded ky an actual insrenchmens and
protected ny a fortified picket line. She
holds possession with her armies OF the
fortified esaboard towns. not because the
Insurgents could not capture snany OF them.
lection of Spanish warsaips. with which
4ht revE:usionists cannot cope.
AYAyS's POWER ~ BROKEN.
1.-THE reyolatsonls,s are In absolute and
almost peaceful possession OF nearly one
half OF Tie island including the eastern
provinces or Santiago de Cuba and Puerto
Principe. In those provinces they have an
esta olishsd form OF government, levy and
collect taxes. maintain armies. and gener-
ally levy a tax or tribute upon the principal |
plantations in tho other provinces. and. as
= COMMONLY believed upon the entire rail-
way system OF the island.
..Indsr the ini.aman policy OF
W~yi~r no. less shaa 4OO.OOO self
sappertinE. simple. pcaceable, DE-
fcnse1ess ~euntry people were
afivcn from their homes In the ag-
siruitnral portions az the Spanish
province. to the citi~s md imprison-
81 upon the bnrren ssastes outside
the reside nee portions III these elites
and Within the itnes az intrench-
ns~nsx established little WY be-
yond. Their Aumhle homes were
burned. their fields taid vvaste. their
Supplement. sf husbandry destroyed.
th~lr live stock and food supplies
for the most part consiscated. Most
men. and cisiidrem. They were thu.
placed in hopeless imprisonment.
without shelter ar food. There was
mo- work for tis~m tn the cities to
which they were driven. They were
LEFT there With nothing 60 acpcad
npnn except ths scaaty charity OF
the Inhabitants at the cities and
with .io~ starvation their newt
able fate.
III h conceded upon the hest ms
cersatuahte authority, aud these
who have HAD arcess Ia the public
records do nos hesitate to state. that
upward ~ 2IO.Oep OF these people
have already pertahed. all from
starvation ar from diseases incident
to staryatias.
The government of Spaim has never con-
frlhutsi 81 to hoas. shelter, feed or pro-
vide medical attention for these. It's own
citizens Suen spectacle exceeds the
scenes of the inferno az painted ny Dante.
DEATH RATE rNDIMlNtsHEu.
''rhsre has beea no snelioratioE 81 the
situation except through the charity OF the
perple CT The United States. There has been
no dsfa.nution In the death rate among
these rseoncentra8oxs except "a tho death
supasy Ia constantly diminished There Ia
80 relief and no hope except through the
continued charity IF the American people
until fesacs has hsen fully restored in the
Island and until = humane government has
restored These people 80 their homes and
han proyl,isd FOR taem anew the means
with whtce 70 begin again the cultivation
Of the sosl
aSpsia enaaet put an end to the
extsstag condition. She cannot con-
auer the Insurgents She caunot re-
establish her sovereignty over any
considerable portion of the fnt~rtar
of the island. The oiutiontsts.
white able tn maintain themselves,
cannot drive the Spanish army frem
the fortified aeaceast towns.