Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-06-09
HOT PHILIPPIC ON SPAIN
An American in Sydney Replies to Car
dinal Moran.
Rebutting Statement that There's Not a Parti
Gle Of Truth in The Story Of
Cuban Wrongs.

0yuney paper IL repuDllsneu Dy
request. Mr.. Bell, who signs the
letter, is United States Consul at
Sydney:
Sir,-Under the above caption,
in your issue of the End instant,
Cardinal Moran is reported to
have said:-"They heard a good
many stories about the persecu
ton which it was said the Spanish
army was inficting upon the resi-
derts IF Cuba, bur there WIS not
particle of truth in them. These
statements were made by the sin
goes" who we're trying to push on
the war between Spain and Amer
lea, and who would just as readily
try to push on an invasion by the
United States of Canada, or even
of England. They should be on
their guard in accepting the state
ments which appeared in the
English newspapers with regard to
matters of this sort, because they
came from prejudiced sources"
Coming from man of common
clay such statement, with the
present evidence, might excite a
smile, but from the Cardinal Arch
bishop of Sydney it is
worthy of notice. The assertions
clustered into single idea are a
condemnation of my country in
its present attitude as the most
s'upendous criminal of modern
times, an accusation against which
l firmly protest. 'Tis said Gel
leuce is gol'en," hut there are oc-
casions when silence is base, and
L prefer the dangers of indiscre-
tion to the pain Of ignominy.
To one million people in Aus
tralia Cardinal Moran speaks with
oracular authority, and to the
other three millions his words
carry the prestige Of digbity and
candor. He is learned prelate.
None question his devotion to
Rome; few question his patriot.
ism, and his opinions on general
affairs are usually recognized as
generous and just.
Personally, L admire him very
greatly. Of course to me he is
only a gentleman, but gentleman
of exceptional intelligence, grace,
and amiability. A casual acquain.
tance would incline one to regard
him as modest; but he has a habit,
not of expressing opinions on
great questions, but of asserting
great propositions.
To many, reply to his Emf
nence by so inconsequential a
person as myself will seem pre-
sumptious; but as in the republic
of justice there is no rank or
creed or nationality or race, l
venture a mild review of his sur
prising assertions.
The Cardinal is very plainly
grieved over the almost unani-
nous sympathy of the British for
America in her contests with
Spain, and if there is mot parti.
Gle of truth" in the reports as to
Spanish misrule in Cuba, Ameri-
ca is indeed the champion crimi,
nal of the age, and bis Eminence
is justified in his indignation.
Evidently, the Cardinal did not
mean persecution" by the
Spanish army" for all Cubans
are Christians. In fact, the En-
cyclopaedia Britannica says
"No man in Cuba can own pro-
perty unless he declares in writ
ing that he is an Apostolic Roman
Catholic" Now, If a gentleman
in the audience may be permitted
to inquire, how does the Cardinal
know that in these reports OF
misrule, oppression, bar rbarism,
and starvation, which drove
Cuba to revolt and America
to war, "there is not the least par
ticle of truth?" Credible wit
nesses by hundreds declare that
the atrocities in Cuba are "un-
psralleled in history" Spain
says the stories are exaggerated,
but the Cardinal, at the safe dis
tsnce of 1900 miles, asserts thai
there is not "particle of truth
in them. Creditable persons like
Mr.. Tye and others, with large
Cuban experience, and who ars
not Americans, declare that hall
the "truth" has not been told. A
large number of United States