The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-14

accident. We have not been brought here
by chance and by clamorous politicians or
by yellow journals. We are face to face
with Spain to-day in the fulfllment of a
great movement which has run through the
centuries. Out of the war which Spain
wages and the manner in which she wages
1t has come starvation and the destruction
of the Maine.
Spain is on her deathbed. buried in debt.
bleeding at every vein from the revolutions
in her colonies, and her officers and Off
Gals rob her, dying. as she is, in the eyes
of the world. We asked General Lee yes
terday. when he was before us, If the $780,
000 said to have been appropriated by Spain
for the relief of the reconcentrados would
reach them or would be spent on the Span
ish soldiers, for they are starving, too, and
his reply was: 1t VIII never reach either
of them: the officials will take it all on the
just as it was when Gil Bias had his adj
ventures. That is why Cuba has rebelled
The sentiment of the American people, in
my Judgment, is for peace. We are essen
tally peace-loving, peace-cherishing peo-
pie, but there is a sentiment in the Amer
lean people that is above and beyond their
mass of our people whose eyes are not
blinded by the glitter of too much wealth.
Among those people there is a, strong senti-
ment for peace always, but it can only be
peace with honor They cherish very deep
ly the pride in being Americans, and they
do not want to see that name furnished or
brought to ignominy or dishonor. The senti-
ment of my own State and my. people
have known and now know is for peace.
They do not wish to see this country
plunged into an unnecessary war, but
neither would they see the country de-
honor, then they will meet war in brave
and noble spirit, as Massachusetts always
has met her trials from Concord to Balti-
more If war must bel hope and pray
that it may be avoided-no nation ever went
to war on higher grounds or from nobler or
from more disinterested motives. War is
here if it is here, by the acts of Spain.
And now, in conclusion, what of the
Maine? | am so merely human that that
hi
Suppose she had gone down to her death
in an English harbor, blown up as she was
carrying her men with her, what do you
land--the land of Nelson? 1 believe if it
had happened in an English port England
would have said: We regard this with
horror; we believe that it must have been
an accident, but it happened in our harbor
under our flag. If you think otherwise,
Mr.. President, l believe would have been
the reply of England; such, believe, would
have been our reply or that of any of the
great powers.
SPANS COMIC SORROW.
Look, now at Spain. She has done moth
ing but Islander the dead officers and the
living officers of the Maine. Her ambas-
sador to Rome said but a week ago to all
Europe in a published interview, that that
ship went down because her captain neg
lected her and was not on board. We have
the evidence of Captain Sigsbee before our
committee to the character of exam
ination which the Spaniards made, trivial,
slight, careless, done for form, to back up
story which they had already made up
their minds to stand by and put forth.
That has been the attitude of Spain toward
an awful disaster happening in her own
harbor."
Mr.. Frye-Will the senator from Massa-
chusetts please add right here that the
death of our sailors and the destruction
OF our ships according to General Lees tes-
timony was celebrated with banquets and
champagne by the Spanish officers in Cuba?
Mr.. President" replied Mr.. Lodge, Il
thank the senator from Maine for recalling
to me the testimony of General Lee on that
point yesterday. They reioiced in Ha-
vana, and they explained the explosion by
throwing it upon our officers. slandering
their character and denying their words.
I'VE cannot take money for the dead men
of the Maine. There is only one reparation.
There is only one monument to raise over
that grave, and that is free Cuba and peace
in that island. That is a worthy monu-
ment. worthy of the men who died under
the flag they loved died. in the cold lam
guage of the law, in the line of duty We
are told that we must not go to war on the
narrow ground of revenge. No, not re-
Venge, but we must have reparation for
the Maine. We cannot as nation belittle
that case or refuse to demand great and
shining reparation for our dead sailors. If
we allow that to drop aside, to pass away
into an endless tangle of negotiation and
law and discussion, we are lost to all sense
of brotherhood; We are lost to all love of
kith and kin; our uniform will no longer
be an honor and protection; it will be dis
grace and danger to wear. Your men on
your ships sulen to-day because they
think that the government is not behind
them. There are mutterings among the
men who wear your uniform because they
think you have not striven to redress the
awful slaughter of their comrades. You
must maintain the honor of the uniform and
the flag under which the men died. Surely
there was never a more righteous cause
than this cause for any nation to ask for
justice. That gigantic murder, the last
spasm of a corrupt and dying government,
which carried down our ship and our men,
cries aloud for justice. care but little
what form of words we adopt I'm ready
Congress. Still more ready am l to defer
to the wishes of the executive. who stands
and must stand at our head. but l want now
to arm that executive with powers which
will enable him in the good providence of
God to bring peace to Cuba and exact JUS
tice for the Name