The times., 1898-02-10
THE TIMES WASHINGTON THURSDAY. FEBRUARY TO- 1898

| demand is made there will be no more
| war with Spain than there was with
| England when we asserted the Monroe
| doctrine in the case af, Venezuela
| Mr.. Mason then read letter from an
American girl who had become Moth
er Superior in Cuba, in which she de-
scribed the pitiful condition of the
women and children,fs driven as they
had been by the orders ofsWeyler into
| towns and left therento Btalye. This
| letter was written since Gen. Bianco
had taken charge. and the condition
had not been improved.
why Not Defend Weyler, Too?
Let me ask the gentlemen who are
ing the course of Blanco, why they
did not defend the course of Weyler?'
Mr.. President" he continued, i do
not care what your religious faith may
be- there is no atonement for such
crimes. No suffering on the Cross OF
Calvary will alleviate the law of COM
pens ion in this case.
The big shopkeepers and money
lenders are sending me letters and teie
grams today to have me consider the
possible price of work in my own mar
ket, but while women and children are
starving / have no heart TO consider
the price of pork.
I'VE could fill books with the horrors
of this war
Referring again to the letter, MIR.
Mason noticed that Senator Hale had
stepped into the lobby, and he said,
Il am so glad that the Senator from
Maine is not here, as his delicate con-
stitution might be shocked-there are
in Las Focas 100 little children without
fathers or mothers. One woman who
had seven children has lost them all
in three months.
Those who fear war, those who
watch the markets and the junk shops
and fear that the prices viii be ruined,
tell us that war is hefi-all right, III
cuba it is worse than hell" he said
The Party Promised to Stop 1t.
This is the war that the Republican
party promised to stop and | deny the
right of any man to claim to be bet
ter Republican than | am, whether he
sits in the White House or in this
Senate"
Mr. Mason was again interrupted by
applause both from the floor and gal
leries. Mr. Chandler arose and invoked
the rules of the Senate, and the Vice
President warned the people in the gal
lertes that if they were not quiet they
would have to go.
Mr.. Mason continued: we are first
charged as being for war, and next
as being soft-hearted sentimentalists.
I'VE can make history and we can
make precedents, and the precedents
that are made along the line of civillza-
ton will live and the ones established
against civilization will die.
"Sentimentalists, they say; all right,
he continued. II am ysentimentalist;
! don't deny it. The Boston tea party
was a sentimental party. Z This Govern
ment was established, an sentiment.
Sentiment laid the foundation of this
building. Sentiment,swEites laws, and
/ am not ashamed of being a senti-
menta1iSt q fHt
The Autonomy Trick.
Mr.. Mason then took up the system
of autonomy in detail and showed that
the Spaniards had lost none of their
cunning in preparing it. He quoted
from Minister Sagasta, showing that in
its adoption Spain would lose none of
her power over Cuba.
In conclusion. said he. II want to
say that / have no disposition to put
any strings on thes Administration. |
am a part of that Administration. and
sibility The. Constitution gives this
body the right to declare war, and L
think this is proper matter for our
consideration, but if l have committed
an offense. take it out of me. | will
say very frankly that I have no other
cause pending before this body but
this one. | have not been long enough
among you to have learned anything
of the art of state craft. In every pic
ture of my country l see struggling
Cuba, and wish for their success"
Mr. Mason said that he had no heart
TO turn his eyes 1000 miles to the west
to occupy a peaceful island, because to
see Hawaii he had to turn his back
upon Cuba.
Remember" said he. Il do not fear
war, but if there is to be war let it
come. but let il not be a war with
women and children: let it not be war
with our soldiers armed with torches.
TO destroy the country; but if it must
be war, let il be glorious war. in de-
fense of the weak against the strong.
which is more precious than jewels and
more glorious than life