The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-14

COQhIIy iIilO Weil. IL Oue year ago ltlSL January we had recognized the inde- pendence of the Cubans, they would have established their independence themselves. Both those propositions passed by the senate were smothered elsewhere, a wisdom which I shall not question. I have also for many years advocated a powerful navy and strong coast defenses. I have advocated them because I believed that in them was the guarantee of peace. If we had to-day, as we ought to have, twenty battleships and a hundred torpedo boats, there never would have been a Cuban question. We are not in this crisis by an accident. We have not been brought here by choice and by clamorous politicians or by yellow journals.
 eve are face to face with Spain to- day in the fulfillment of a great move ment which has run through the cen turies. Out of the war which Spain wages and the manner in which she wages it has come starvation and the destruction of the Maine.
 Spain on Her Death Bed.
 "Spa's is on her death bed, buried in NCDl, piSSulllS dL every NGIIl lIOIIl lIlG revolution in her colonies and her off, cers and officials rob her, dying as she is in the eyes of the world. We asked General Lee when he was before us if the $600,000 said to have been appro- priated by Spain for the relief of the reconcentrados would reach them or would be spent on the Spanish soldiers, for they are starving, too. and his re- reply was: Tt will never reach either of them; the officials will take all on the way. That is going on in Spain just as it was when Gil Bias had his adven- lures. That is why Cuba has rebelled. The sentiment of the American people, in my judgment, is for peace. We are essentially a peace-loving, peace char- ishing people, bua there is sentiment in the American people that is above and beyond their love of peace. I mean among the great mass of our people whose eyes are not blinded by the glit- ter of too much wealth. Among those people there is a strong sentiment for peace always, but 1t can only be peace with honor. They cherish very deeply the pride of being Americans and they do not want to see that name tarnish- ed or brought to ignominy or dishonor. The sentiment of my own state and my people have known and know now is for peace. They do not wish to see this country plunged into an unnecessary war, but neither would they see the country degraded. If they cannot have peace with honor then they will meet a war in a brave and noble spirit, as Massachusetts always has met her trials, from Concord to Baltimore If war must come--I hope and pray that it may be avoided-no nation ever went to war on higher grounds or from nob- Ter or from more disinterested motives War is here, if it is here, by the acts of Spain.
 What of tho Maine?
 And now, in conclusion, what of the Maine? I am so merely human that that ship is nearer my heart than any, thing else. Suppose she had gone down to her death in an English harbor, blown up as she was, carrying her men with her, and what do you think would
 have been the voice of England 1.-the land of Nelson. I believe if it had
 happened in an English port England would have said: We regard this with horror; we believe that it must have been accident, but it happened in | our harbor under our flag. If you think otherwise, name the reparation that you want Such MT. President, I believe would have been the reply of | England, such I believe would have | been the reply of any of the | great powers. Look now at Spain | She has done nothing but islander the dead officers and the living officers of l the Maine. Her ambassador to Rome said but a week ago to all Europe in a
 published interview that that ship
 went down because her captain neg l lected her and was not on board. We have the evidence of Captain
 Sigsbee before our committee as to the
 character of examination which the | Spaniards made, trivial, slight, care 1 less, done for form to back up a story which they had already made up | their minds to stand by and put forth. | That has been the attitude of Spain to- ward an awful disaster happening in
 her own harbor.
 | Only One Reparation.
 | MT. Frye-"Will the senator from
 Massachusetts please state right here that the death of our sailors and the destruction of our ship, according to
 General Lees testimony, was celebrat-
 ed with banquets and champagne by l the Spanish officers in Cuba?"
 MT. Lodge-"Mr. President, I thank
 the senator from Maine for recalling
 to me the testimony of General Lee on
 that point yesterday. They rejoiced in
 Havana and they explained the explo-
 sion by throwing it upon our officers,
 slandering their character and denying ! their words. We cannot take money
 for the dead men of the Maine. There | is only one reparation. There is only
 one monument to raise over that grave
 and that is free Cuba and peace in that island That is a monument worthy of
 men who died under the flag they loved
 -died, in the cold language of the law,
 in the line of duty
 we are told that we must not go to war on the narrow ground of revenge
 No, not revenge, but we must have
 reparation for the Maine. We cannot | as a nation belittle that case or refuse
 to demand great and shining repara-
 tion for our dead sailors. If we allow
 that to drop aside, to pass away into
 an endless tangle of negotiation and l law and discussion, we are lost to all sense of brotherhood; we are lost to all