The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-04-01
THURSTON ON CUBA.
A Remarkable Speech by the Nebraska
senator-Pathetic Scene


WASHINGTON, March ga scene
dramatic in the intensity of its inter-
est was presented in the Senate
during the delivery by Mr. Thurston
of Nebraska of u speech on the Cuban
situation.
Not since the Inauguration of Presi-
dent Mckinley have so many people
been on the Senate side Of the capitol
as were there yesterday. The gal
leries were packed with people.
His first sentence in which he stated
that he spoke by command of silent
lips-a delicate and touching refer
ence to the loss of his wife on his
memorable trip to Cuba-commanded
instant attention. A hush fell ovor
the great audience, which hung with
almost breathless attention and in
terest upon every word. Some sur
prise has been expressed that Senator
Thurston should appear in public
prominently SO soon after the demise
of Mrs. ThurstoD, but the first sem
tence of his speech furnished key to
his action.
Mrs Thurston's dying request to
her husband was that he should lose
no time on account of her death to dc
his utmost to save and free Cuba and
its people. In accordance with this
request, therefore, Senator Thurston
sacrificed his personal feeling and de-
livered his speech--a speech that was
his tribute to the memory of his wife.
The speech was worry generally re.
garded as mastery effort, and even
those who could not agree with his
conclusions conceded the power of his
GRAFTON. AS he neared the end of the
speech, his voice, which had been clear
and ringing, noticeably broke. He
was almost overcome with emotion,
but rallied with an effort and closed
in manner that thrilled his auditors.
AS Mr.. Thurston sank into his seat
and buried his face in his hands, the
galleries were swept by such tumult
of applause as has not in long time
been heard in the senate chamber.
AS brother might have done, Mr..
Allen, Mr.. Thurston's colleague from
Nebraska, walked to him and, plac-
ing his arm over his shoulders, quietly
led him from the chamber. The act
was one of the spontaneous and touch
ing amenities amid the turbulence of
political life.
Mr.. Thurston's speech concluded as
follows:
Mr.. President there is only one action to
be taken-that is for the Intervention for
the independence of the island interven-
ton that means the landing of an Amerl-
can army on Cuban soil, the deploying of an
American fleet off the harbor of Havana;
intervention w1ich says to SPAIN Leave the
island withdraw your soldiers, leave the
Crbans, these brothers OF ours in the new
world, to form and carry on government
for them selves Such intervention on our
part would not of itself be war 1t would
undoubtedly lead to war But if war came
it would come by act of Spain in resistance
of the liberty and independence of the
Cuban people"
He maintained that of all people upon the
island, the native Cubans were the best
qualified AMI fitted for government.
Mr.. President" he continued, against
the intervention of the United States IN
this holy cause there is but one voice of
dissent; that voice is the voice of money
changers They fear war Not b cause of
any Christian sentimen mt against war and in
favor OF peace but because hey fear that
a declaration of war or the intervention
which might result in war would have de-
pressing effect upon the stock market
Let them go; what one man Uses at the
gambling table his fellow gamblers win.
Let them take their chances as they can.
Their veal or woe is of but little impor-
tame % the libel ty-loving people of the
United States Let these men whose loyal
ty is to the dollar stand aside while the men
whose loyalty is to the nation come to the
front
1.-THE 7. 900 900 freemen who voted for the
Republ can party and for William McKn-
ley did not mortgage the honor of this ma
ton for campaign fund, and if the time
ever comes when the epublic An party hes
itates in its course of duty because of any
undue anxiety for the wei are of the accu-
mulateI wealth of the nation, then let the
Republican party be swept from the face of
the earth and be succeeded by some other
party by whl tever name 1t may be called,
which will represent the patriotism, the
honor, the loyalty and the devotion that
the Republican party exhibited uuder Abb
raham Lincol in 1861"
WAR NOTES.