The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-04-04
Belligerent Resolutions Follow Each
Other Rapidly.
CUBAN INDEPENDENCE POPULAR
Senate Makes It Apparent That Moth
ing but Cuban independence
Will Satisfy


galleries.
Within five minutes after the senate CON
yened Mr.. Allen, of Nebraska, introduced
a. resolution recognizing the independence
OF the Cuban republic. This was foiio"eu
by a resolution proposed by Mr. RaWllns
of Utah. declaring war against IHe hiH5
dom of Spain. Mr.. Foraker. of OHIO, then
introduced u resolution declaring Tor suc!
Intervention in the Cuban war as would
bring about the independence of the Gu
bans Following this came resolution
by Mr. Frye OF Maine. demanding that
Cuba be made free.
The resolutions followed one another so
rapidly as almost 10 stun both senators
ana spectators. The galleries were in
cCmmotion and the people We're prepared
for anything.
This was the condition VIXEN the wee
president recognized Mr.. Mason, Of Illinois,
for his annCruced speech on the pres
dents message transmitting to congress
tic findings OF the Maine court of inquiry
Mr.. Mason delivered his speech with all
the vigOr and fire of which he IS capable.
The intensity of the feeling of those Ill
the galleries was evidenced by the storm
of applause which was elected by his dec
larution that he was for war,
Mason Pleads for Cubans.
Mr. Mason began by declaring that he
did not mean any disrcspect either to the
administration or the committee on forel%A
relations, when he said he was tred OF
the dilatory tactics that had been employ
ed for three years to prevent any assist
ance from the United States to the starry
ing Cubans. lie continued:
"Mcrc than two years ago the plan Of
the Spanish government to StarVe the Wo-
men and children and non-COmbatants
was begun. Every intelligent man. Wo-
man and child WAS informed of it through
the ordinary channels of information, the
papers. and by the statements OF thoS'
Interested, day after day, week after
week. month after month and year utter
year ana received practically no attention
from this government until some members
Of this body visited the scene of death and
distress and sent back their words of
honor that no picture had been drawn by
the press that fully stated the horrors of
the situation.
"Then the gentlemen and newspapers,
who had pretended. at least to discredit
those statements in this body. began to
talk about it as though it was a new dis
coVyry,
Within ninety miles of our shore
for two years they have continued to
murder women and children.
"When. nearly year ago, | called attcn-
ton To the situation as given at the time
ami since corroboratcd by four of our col
leagues upon this floor from personal OBJ
servations the statement was received with
cheers by many of my colleagues and !
had the pleasure of being msuited over
the Wire by stock brokers and scalpers III
the markets. For Two years the process
of Imprisonment Of the recommendations and
their starvation had proceeded. yet any
one who dared to call attention to the
fact has had to withstand the assaults of
those controlling the press, who denied i'll
their editorial columns the news they
printed in their news columns,
thousands have been starved, mil
lions of dollars of our legitimate COM
merce have been swept from the high
seas, and the man who worships the
eagle on the dollar but does not see
the one on his flag, says:
Re silent. think of the horrors of war
and dangers to business
'\yhcn the order Of concentration came
they scooned at least 500 American citizens
with the rccOnCCntfadOCS and refused to
allow them to go ont and earn a legit-
mate ana honest living. IT amounted Ia
Imprisonment; we claimed so at the time,
vet many profc&scd not to believe until
the honorable senator from Vermont de
scrlbod the dead line and gun OF the Span
iah soldier that kept the recommendations
together. ANY other Sclf-rcspecting nation
in the world would have ordered their re-
lease and better treatment, or they would
have opened the gates of he'll on Moro cas-
tie.
This government, however, upon
the succession OF the president, took
$4,000 of the peoples money out of
the treasury of the United States and
obtained of Spain the poor privilege
of feeding our citizens American
bread on Spanish soil.
II am not complaining: | am not critics.
ing. there is no other such in all the ms
tory of the world. / only repeat this hui
roiIiafIng statement to call attention to
the fart that every effort that has been
made by the president has been construed
by Spain as an act Of coWardiac ana abSo-
lutte ana conclusive evidence that we are
afraid Of that mighty power. and every
such act of careful consideration on our
part has made Spain more cruel to her own
people and more insulting to us.
Mr. Mason then turned his attention to
the destruction of the Maine.
THE battcship Maine, our gallant ship,
went down and 2GS of our gallant citizen
sailors with her. At the time every citi-
zen of the United States, familiar with
Spanish treachery.
'Our ship was there by right of
custom, Of rendered hospitality, and
also by treaty contract she had an alb
solute right to be there.
THE day c,osed and she rode the harhor,
n messenger of peace. No message ha'
been sent by our executive Inconsistent
with the national honor of Spain. our
nIfI "A try an rnSin
alike honorable to all. our treasury has
been opened 10 feed our people. Definite
plans were not even suggested by the Dresi-
dent. fearing to njure our relations with
Spain.
''The night came on, dark, gloomy
night, natural and proper time for
Spanish bravery. Our men were asleep
in a friendly harbor. They were never
challenged to try their courage.
''They were not whipped in honora-
BILE battle, but choked, burned, stran-
eIed and drowned without chance to