The times., 1898-01-20

beyond pefadVentuFe yesterday AFTER
! noon IN the House.
| While the Democrats pleaded for the
! cause of Cuba, the majority of the Re-
4 publicans in their seats turned and
| gave to the speakers the closest atten-
/ tion. 1t was with apparent difficulty
that they refrained from appIauding
! the sentiments expressed on several oc-
casions. 1t was also noticeable that
several Republicans of the deepest dye
went over on the Democratic side and
took seats near the speakers
MIR. Reed endeavored during the ear
~ part of the days session to Illustrate
all attempts to debate the question Of
granting the Cubans the rights of bel
ugerency. He applied every tactic at
his command, but he might as well
have attempted TO stop the flow of the
| Potomac. The Democrats fought hard
for the consideration of the timely
question. Gag rule againi" was an
expression frequently. Mr.. Reed was
in very arbitrary mood. He wanted
the body to listen to the monotonous
reading of the diplomatic appropriation
bill.
Up to the time that the House re-
solved itself into a Committee of the
Whole there were frequent Interrupt
tions when some champion of the cause
of Cuba made telling arguments why
this Government should take hand IL
the struggle on the islands.
One of the speakers was Mr.. Sulzer,
of New York. He pictured the dis
tressing situation on the island at this
time, argued that the time was ripe for
the intervention of the United States,
and concluded by demanding of the Re
publicans their reason for their present
unfriendly attitude against Cuba.
Mr.. Sulzer did not mince words in his
attack on the position now taken by
the Republicans. He asked If coward
ice was not responsible for 1t.
When the House went into Com
mittee of the Whole Speaker Reed
turned the gavel over to Mr.. Hender-
son, of Iowa.
MIR. Hit, of Illinois, the chairman of
the Committee on Foreign Relations.
led off the debate. He first went into
the history of the present struggle in
Cuba. He maintained that when the
Mckinley Administration came into
power that the situation was vastly
different from what it was at the pres
ent time. He said that then Americans
were imprisoned in the Spanish for
treSses. 1t was demanded that they be
released. and this demand was COM
piled with. He said that the plaint of
this Government was responsible for
the removal of the butcher Weyler and
the substitution of a more humane gen
eral. He argued that Blanco was a
man with reputation for conducting
war as il should be done in modern
times. Mr.. Hit also argued that Spain
had offered Cuba autonomy to further
please the United States. and that it
was much fdireT than that accorded by
the British to Canada. He held that
there was a genuine desire on the part
Of Spain to give the Cuban colony self
government, and claimed that the re-
cent riots in Havana were caused by
the party opposed TO any concessions
being given the colonistS by the home
Government. Mr. Hit painted a pict-
ure of the results of a war. He said
that it meant that all the American
merchant marine would be at the mer-
cy of Spanish cruisers.
Mr. Dinsmore, of Arkansas. a men,
Der of the committee, followed Mr.. Hit.
He made splendid argument in behalf
of the patriots. He said that it was
not his purpose to argue for hasty ac-
ton. but he thought that it was time
for a liberty loving country like this
to help the seekers of liberty in so close
a place as Cuba.
While l believe in proceeding eau
tiousIy in this matter" said Mr.. Dins-
more Il must say that my heart bleeds
for the Cubans, who are engaged in
the holy cause of fighting to gain free
dom.
L can say as much for all the Demo-
Gratis here, and do not think that 1 am
doing you Republicans an injustice
when | say that some of you are in the
same position. You could help the Gu
hans but you do not dare do it. Why
don't you put an end to this brutal
cruel and oppressive war. Now is the
time for action"
MI Dinsmore wildly portrayed the
distressing conditions on the island.
Then he raked the Republicans for
their Inconsistencies. He referred TO
their position on the Cuban question at
the last session and said that he could
not reconcile it with their present con-
duct
There is but one thing that the Re
publican party is constantly true to,
and that is trusts said Mr.. Dinsmore.
They never go back on them.
at was not so long ago that we found
them ready, apparently, to recognize
Cuba's belligerency. Now they are OPP
posed to it. What has brought about
the change? Has the war ended? No.
1t is still in progress and the same har-
rowing informa ton comes from the
island that came year ago. If we
should have recognized these people in
their fight for freedom once why not
now?"
Mr.. Dinsmore made many good points
fer Cuba in his speech. and ii was so
interesting to several Republicans thai
they went over to the Democratic side
to be nearer the speaker.
Mr.. Dinsmore also wanted to know
why the Republican committeeman did
not allow the matter to come before
the House He said that he suspected
that it was because of the pronounced
position that the Democrats had taken
in favor of it. and if it came up and was
passed the Democratic minority would
be credited for its noble act, to the
disadvantage of the Republicans. He
said that there was no doubt that the
Democrats would change places with
the Republicans after the next con-
gressional election, and would be in q
position TO pass righteous measures Ike
this.
In chiding the Republicans for their
inconsistency on the Cuban question
and the impossibility to discover their
position on all measures except those
relating to trusts. Mr.. Dinsmore
brought hearty laugh from the Demo-
Gratis.
You have certainly demonstrated
that you are not flesh nor fowl nor pure
air." said he. Now, what in heavens
name are you, anyhow
Mr. Dinsmore concluded with de |
mand for immediate action in refer |
ence to Cuba.
Mr. Dinsmore was interrupted only |
once, and that was when he alluded to |
the Republicans failure to keep their |
promises This was charge |
= tIa4 tod and AIr