Arizona republican., 1898-04-16
JOHN J. M'COOK.
He Does Not Hold Any Bonds Nor
 Represent Those Who Do.

J. ! He Does Not Hold Any Bonds Nor Represent Those Who Do. 
 Col. John McCook of New York, who was referred to on the floor of the house Friday afternoon last by Gen. GrOsvenOr of Ohio, made the fol- | lowing statement:
 i My attention has been called to i the remarks of Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio in the house in which he described me as the legal representative of the Gu ban junta of New York, behind whsch stands $400, ,000, ,0EO, more or less, o1 the bonds that can be validated by the recognition of Cuban independence by the United States, and they will be ! destroyed by a policy which drives Spain out of Cuba in the interest ot ] the American people, He also refer red to me as representing an interest running up into the hundreds Of mil lions of dollars, which would be bene- fited by the recognition of the inde- pendence of Cuba.
 T at once called on Gen. Grosvenor, who said that his remarks were based upon the statements which he has seen in the public prints. and after a full and free discussion with him he frankly disavowed any purpose to do me injustice by making any statements whEeh were not entirely substantiated by the facts Tn the case
 He voluntarily offered to make the matter right in the official record of the house upon it's assembling Monday morning.
 My interest in the affairs of Cuba grows cut of the fact that nearly a year ago my professional business required me to make a study of the affairs of the island. This revealed to me the awful oppression and inhuman1ty of the Spanish government and filled me with admiration for the magnificent struggle the Cubans were making for their liberty. I then determined to do everything in my power to aid the in surgents to gain their independence. Since that date I have been on all oc- caSions willing to make known the fact which had come to my knowl- edge, and I have tried to the best of my ability to secure the cooperation of all influential people with whom came in contact in behalf of the in- surgents and to aid their cause
 '1 nave urged that in my judgment it was the duty of this government to recognize the independence of the struggling Cubans. This, of course I hoped to see accomplished without involving the government of the Unit ed States in war. With that object in view, several months ago I suggest ed that at some stage of the proceed ings the controversy between Spain and Cuba might be adjusted by Cuba paying an indemnity in the bonds of the Cuban republic to Spain for the surrender of her sovereignty. So far as I know this suggestion has never taken any official form or been acted upon in any way.
 This suggestion is the only relation 1 I have ever had to the bonds of the Cuban republic
 "I do not now, nor have I ever held, owned, controlled, represented profes- sionally or otherwise 00000, 900 of l Cuban bonds or any part of such bonds whatever. I have never even seen a ! bond of the Cuban republic, let alone owning or holding such bonds.
 With reference to the statement that I am the legal representative of the Cuban junta of New York, I will say that I have never been retained by nor acted for the Cuban junta nor i for the republic of Cuba, although I should not have hestated to accept a retainer and act professionally for either of them, had they requested i me SO to do.
 Whatever I have said or done with reference to Cuban affairs has been on my own individual responsibility and not by authorization of the Cuban junta or Cuban republic. My. interest came simply because of an immense desire to see the success of people whom I believed to be patriots fighting for their liberty.
 Until the time our gallant soldiers were blown up in the Maine I had hoped that the United States would not be in any way involved in the con- l test between Spain and Cuba. But that incident aroused my indignation and I will not be satisfied until ade- quate reparation has been made by Spain for that great crime.
 "1 earnestly hope that some peaceful solution of the trouble between Spain and the United States may be worked out with honor to our flag, and I should be glad to do anything in my power to accomplish that result. But I do not see how it can be done until that great crime has been atoned for. '