The leader., 1898-03-30
ANOTHER SAD STORY.
hisery In Cuba ms Seen by senator
Thurston, of Observation-Disclosures
Immediate Action.

Washington. March ga scene dramatic
IN the Intensity of its interest was pre-
scented In the senate Thursday during the
ueiVery by Senator Thurston (Nebl of n
speech on the Cuban situation. Not since
me inauguration OF President Mckinley
nave so many people been on the senate
SIDE or the capitol as were there Thursday
Whhin few minutes after the sena tie
convened every member who could be pres
eht was In his seat, and by the time SEN
dtof Ihurston had begun his speech dozens
OF members OF the house were either stand
ing or occupying chairs in the area without
the semicircle of seats. His first sentence
IN which he said he spoke by command of
silent lips-a delicate and touching refer
ence TO the loss of his wife on his memoir
able trip to Cuba-commanded instant at
tention. A hush fell over the great audi
ehee which hung with almost GREATNESS
attention and interest upon every word
Senator Thurston said that he had gone
.. 70 CuLa firmly believing that the condi-
tloh Ct bIairs on the island had been great
~ e%aSS erated. and that he had directed
ms t!fLrts In the first instance TO the ex-
PosuIe OF the supposed exaggerstions He
had concluded. however, that an over
statement OF the horrors of the situat ton
was impossible. He was prepared, he
stated, not only to adopt every word Of the
CAREFUL, concise and specific statement of
me senator from Vermont Senator Proc
tori, but he was even convinced that he
ndu unuerStated the facts.
Senator Thurston then tersely summar-
lied his observations and conclusions as
follows:
After three years of warfare and the
use OF 22oO0O Spanish troops, Spain has lost
control of every foot of Cuba not surround
ed by an actual intrenchment and protect
ed by fortified picket line.
she holds possession with her armies of
the fortified seaboard towns, because they
are under the virtual protection of Spanish
warships, with which the revolutlonlsts
The revoluronists are in absolute and
almost peaceful possession of nearly one
half of the island, including the eastern
provinces of Santiago De Cuba and Puerto
Principe.
Under the inhuman policy OF Weyler not
less than 100000 self-supporting, simple
Peacetul, defenseless country people were
driven from their homes in the agricultural
portions of the Spanish provinces to the
cities and imprisoned upon the barren
waste outside the residence portions of
these cities and within the lines of in
trenchment established little way beyond
Their humble homes were burned, their
fields laid waste, their implements of hus-
bandry destroyed, their live stock and food
supplies for the most part confiscated
Most of these people were old men, women
ana children. Slow starvation was their
indicates that 100000 of these people have
already persisted from starvation.
The. pictures In the American newspa-
pers OF the starving reconcentrados are
true. They can all be duplicated by the
thousands. / never saw, and please God
may never again see, so deplorable sight
as the reconcentrados in the suburbs of
Matanzas. can never forget to my dying
day the hopeless anguish in their DESPAIR
ing eyes. Hudded about their little bark
huts. they raised no voice of appeal to us
for aims as we went among them
Men, women and children stand silent,
furnishing. Their only appeal comes from
their sad eyes. through which one looks as
through an open window into their agoniz-
Ing souls
II shall refer to these horrible things no
farther. They are there. God pity me; ]
have seen them: they will remain in
mind for overland this Is almost the TWEEN
tieth century. Christ died 1900 years ago
and Spain is a Christian nation; she has
set up more crosses in more lands, beneath
more Skies and under them has butchered
more people than all the nations of the
earth combined
long as the people OF the Old World wish
God grant that before another Christmas
morning the last visage of Spanish tyran-
ny and oppression Will have VANISHED from
the western hemisphere"
Discussing the remedy which should be
applied to the evils he found. Senator
81 counseled silence and moderation from
this floor when the passion of this nation
seemed at white heat over the destruction
of the Maine. but IL seems to me the time
for action has now come Not action in
the Maine ease. hope and trust that this
government Will take action on the Cuban
STA utlOn entirely Ouisl1" OF the Maine case
When the Maine report is received, IL it
be found that our ship and sailors were
blown up by some outside explosion, we
will have ample reparation without bubble
or delay. and if the explosion can be traced
to Spanish official sources. there will be
such swift and terrible punishment admin
istered as will remain warning to the
world forever.
What shall the United States do. Mr.
PRESIDENT"
For answer Senator Thurston. as a re-
MI IN T.
form of his party, which declared that
the United States should actively use its
influence and good offices to restore, peace
and give independence to the island"
In accepting the nomination rendered
him by the convention, which had adopted
the Cuban plank with mighty ..yTS shout out,
form adopted by the republican convention
has received my careful consideration and
has my unqualified approval"
Senator Thurston even recounted the
steps which the president has taken upon
the Cuban question during the past year
and pronounced his course wise, states
manlike and in accordance with the diplo-
matte uses of the world.
1T was the plain duty of the president OF
the United States TO give to the liberal MIN
istry of Spain reasonable time IN whlc n
to test its proposed autonomy. That time
has been given. Autonomy is conceded the
wide world over to be conspicuous fall-
ure. The situation in Cuba has only
changed for the worse. SaGasta is power
less Blanco is powerless, to put an end to
the conflict, to rehahlitate the island or TO
relieve the suffering, starvation and DIS
treSS. -
''The time for action has then come. No
greater reason for il can be expected to-
morrow than to-day. Every hours delay
only adds another chapter to the aWfui
story of misery and death. Only one power
can intervene-the United States OF Amer
lea. a.,
Senator Thurston briefly referred to the
propositions of recognizing the belllgeren-
CIV or the independence of the Cubans only
to say that it was too late for either. AS TO
annexation he said:
God forbid. | would oppose annexation
with my latest breath.
Mr.. President. there is only one action
possible, If any is taken; that Is, interVenn-
ton for the independence of the island;
intervention that means the landing OF an
American army on Cuban soil, the deploy..
ing of an American fleet of the harDor OF
Havana; intervention which says TO SPAN
Leave the island, withdraw your soldiers,
leave the Cubans, these brothers OF ours
in the New World, to form and carry on
government for themselves Such inter
yention on our part would not OF ltsell pe
war II would undoubtedly lead 10 war
But If war came it would come by act on
Snsin In resistance of the liberty ana the
INDEPENDENCE of the Cuban people.
"Mr President, in the cable that mooreu
me to life and hope the strongest stranus
are broken / have but little left 10 oHer
at the altar of freedoms sacrifice, bus an
/ have / am glad to give. l am ready 70
serve my country as best can in the senate
or in the field. My dearest hope; my most
earnest prayer to God is this That when
death comes to end all i may meet ~
calmly and fearlessly as did my beloved. In
the cause of humanity, under the Amer
lean flag.