The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-30

from the United States 10 the starving
and struggling Cubans.
More than two years ago the plan of
the Spanish government to starve the
women and children and non-combatants
was begun.
Every intelligent man, woman and
child was informed of it through the or
binary channels of information, the
newspapers and by the statements of dis
interested witnesses day after day, week
after week, month after month, and
! year after year at our very door. and
received practically no attention from
/ this Government, until some of the mem
| bers Of this body visited the scene of
death and distress. and brought back TO
US their words Of honor that picture
l 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 il as though il was a new discov-
cry when within ninety miles of our
| shore for two years they had continued
to murder women and children.
! When nearly year ago called atten-
ton 10 the situation, as given at that
| time, and since corroborated by four of
our colleagues, upon this floor from
personal observation, the statement was
received with sneers by many of my col
leagues. and l had the pleasure Of being
! itSlllen over the WIRE by stock brokers
and scalpers in the markets.
The Plan of Starvation.
For two years the process of impris-
onment Of the reconcentrados and their
starvation has proceeded, yet anyone
| who dared TO cali attention to the fact
has had to withstand the assaults of
/ those controlling the press. who denied
in their editorial columns the news
- al tn, -l.rs,-
| Thousands had been starved, millions of
| dollars of our legitimate commerce has
| been swept from the high seas, and the
man who worships the eagle on the dol
lar and does not see the one on his flag
says be silent, think Of the horrors of war
and the dangers to business.
Imprisonment of Americans.
When the order of concentration came
they cooped up at least eight hundred
American citizens with the concentrates.
and refused TO allow them to go ont and
earn legitimate and honest living 1t
amounted to Imprisonment we claimed
at the time, yet many professed not TO
| believe II until the honorable senator
from Vermont described the dead line and
the gun of the Spanish soldier that kept
the concentrates together ANY other
self-respecting nation in the world would
have ordered their release and better
treatment, or they would have opened the
gates Of hell on Moro Castle
This Government however. upon the
suggestion Of the President took $4,000
Of the peoples money out of the treas
ury Of the United States and begged per
mission of Spain the poor privilege of
feeding our citizens American bread on
Spanish soil
Mckinley Accused of GOwardice.
am not complaining, I am not criti-
clsing, there is no other such record in
all the history Of the world: ! only re-
peat this humiiiating statement to call at
tention TO the fact that every effort that
has been made by the President has been
construed by Spain TO be an act Of cow
ardice and absolute and conclusive evil
dence that We are afraid of that mighty
power, and every such act Of careful con-
sideration, on our part, has made Spain
more cruel TO her own people and more
insulting to us.
The Murder of Our Sailors
The battleship Maine, our gallant ship,
went down, and 26S of our gallant citizen
sailors with her. At the time, every citi-
} zen Of the United States familiar with
the Spanish character felt confident il
was Spanish treachery. Our ship was
| there by right Of custom, of rendered hos
| pitality. and also by treaty compact; she
J had an absolute right 10 be there The
day closed. and she rode the harbor q
messenger Of peace. No message had beer
Q sent by our Executive inconsistent with
the national honor Of Spain. Our only
offer was TO try to restore peace alika
: honorable TO all. our Treasury had beer
( offered TO feed our people. Definite plan.
were not even suggested by the President
/ fearing 10 injure our relations with Spain
Spain could not conquer her own insur
gents Had we been a grasping nation
{ we could any time within two years have
made aggressive and forcible annexation
7 taking advantage OF the crimes of SPAR
: and the misfortunes OF Cuba.
Assassinated AT Night.
= The night came on-a dark, gloom,
night-a natural and proper time 70
|, Spanish bravery. The remarkable part o
a Spanish history has been made in tn
night. Our men were asleep in a friendl,
+ harbor. They were never challenged L
: try their courage. They were not whip
: | ped in honorable battle, but choked
burned, strangled and drowned without
Il chance to die fighting for life, without
2. | moment 10 say a prayer; in the twink
Of an eye they stood in the presence Q