Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-27
CHANDLER EXPLAINS
F-sls T. ysvYsx san
New Hampshire's Vote on the
Cuban Resolutions.
Had Waited As Years for Chance tn
Vote for Free Cuba.
The Chance Came and He Simply Voted Ac.
cording 10 Convictions. 7ra

Chandler viii say in today's Monitor.
Some criticism having been made at
nome Of the votes in connection with
the Cuban war resolutions given nv tha
New Hampshire senator's and Repra-
sentative SulloWay, a few words NAV
he wise before the guns Of war over
come all other sounds.
| For more than a. years / have hean
hoping for an accession when I could
help to make Cuba and Porto Rico free
and independent and to end the dornin-
ION Of Spain in the western hernisphere
The Republican platform Of 1886 com
manded me to do what | could in This
| direction. The opportunity came, on
account Of Spain's cruel, barbarous
government and war methods and her
destruction of our battleship Maine
with 260 sailors. SO l voted steadily:
For free and independent Cuba
and the removal of the Spanish flag
from from the island.
For the recognition OF the present
government of the Cuban republic or
ganized by Maxine Gomez and his
/ alive and dead, and made living real
| ity by their bravery.
| Il sincerely regretted to differ with
| the President on these propositions
| neither of which he favored but tn.
question belonged to Congress for deci
| sion Che said to us: The issue is now
| with the CongressD and it was the duty
Of it's members to act in accordance
with their own convictions
IF the President had distinctly asked
| fGT al .f
order that he might avoid war while
securing and proposing to Congress for
its approval a settlement such as h..
might frankly have avowed was his
object, ! think | would have voted for
delay. But he did not directly ask for
delay; nor state his views. wishes or
purposes as to Cuban freedom
Il do not understand that he has ever
said anywhere one word to show that
he was determined to secure complete
Independence for Cuba. | understand
him to have been all the time only in
tending to obtain better government
for Cuba under the Spanish flag. | 10
not learn that Cen Woodford ever told
the Spanish government that the Pres
ident or Congress or the American peo-
pie would insist upon the absolute free
dom of Cuba, but | believe that Gen.
WoodfOrd has been in favor of auton-
omy under Spanish sovereignty
IT is easy to see. therefore, why I
voted for free Cuba ana chose to differ
from the Executive.
The counter programme for con-
gressiOnal action, desired by the Presl-
dent and engineered in his behalf main
~ by senators and representatives who
had never committed themselves to the
freedom of Cuba. involved further ne
gotiations for autonomy under Span
ish rule and was contrary to the wishes
of the vast majority of the American
people. and to the st. Louis platform.
Delay for that purpose was inadvsa-
bic. ana a vote Tor the inevitable war
clearly seemed to me to be the wisest
course.
Whatever may happen, l do not
think | shall regret the vote 1t is
true that perhaps war might have been
avoided and the freedom of Cuba also
secured of Gen. WoOdford had with
equal prudence and firmness informed
Spain that the President and people
of the United States were resoluteiy
determined to saccept nothing less than
independence, But with the people and
a majority of their Congress lin both
branches) so determined while the
President and General Woodford were
willing to accept autonomy under
Spanish rule and therefore did not COM
municate to Spain the real American
ultimatun. the unfortunate difference
arose which has resulted in war with
out such uitimatum having been ten
dered to Spain: and now the subject
would not need discussion if the oppo-
nents of Cuban freedom We're willing
to let it alone.
THE failure to recognize the present
Cuban republic was an unkind blow ut
the Cuban patriots and none the less nm
kind because inflicted by President Me-
Kinley. | voted as long as | thought to
secure that recognition and then gave up
the cffort 4 certainly could not vote as
he requested to give him authority for
imposing a rational compromise between
the contesants' or TO direct him to put
hostile constraint upon both the parties
to the contest in order. if he so chose,
Ia force by American armies Spanish SOW
| ercignty upon the people of the island
I'll is said that the 10 Republican sena-
! tors ami MIR. Sulloway and his comrades
in the House, in giving the votes they
| did. therefore acted with the Democrats
! ana Mr.. bryan. 1t seemed to me all the
| time that the Democrats and Mr.. Bryan
| were coming over to us to help n gooo
ana noble cause.
| surely | shall never run away from
! any proposition | have 50 longed for AZ
! | have for Cuban Independence ana inc
| expulsion of the Spanish from this cohtl-
| neut and recognition of the Cuban repup-
| lie all demanded by the St. Louis pat
| form on which Mr. Mckinley was elected
/ merely because Democrats decide TO Vote
/ with me: AMI attacks by eleventh-iloui
| converts upon the radical Republican ao-
| vocates of Cuban freedom made because
| the Democrats have pcrsistently sirius
| glcd to help obtain such Freedom WIN
| make no serious impression anywhere
! The present duty of men of all parties
| is to sustain the army and navy III
| right eous war which the President WIN
| carry forward with unremtting Zeai anu
earnestness until the destiny of the Ahe'
lean nation has been accomplished by '"o
complete withdrawal of the Spanish has
| u, will