The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-08
APPLAUSE FOR EXPANSION.
UNUSUAL DEMONSTRATION At
CHURCH OF ASCENSION.

by the ChapIain-The Flag which
Now waves Over the Isles of the
Sea VIII Never BE Hauled Down,
He Said.
Governmental expansion was Endorsed by
Rev. w. c. schaeffer at the Lutheran
Church Of the Ascension last night and
was further Endorsed and expatiated upon
by Chaplain o. H. L. Mason of the Forty
ninth Iowa. The remarks were Endorsed
by applause from the audience.
1t was announced that Chaplain Mason
was to speak on what he saw in Cuba, and
this, together with the announcement that
the Forty-ninth Iowa band would also
be present, served to fill the large audi
forum Of the church to its fullest ca
pacity Whether this was accounted for
by the interest of the congregation in
Cuba or their admiration for the Forty
ninth Iowa and its band, or both is i'm
possible to state. The congregation was
so large that it was necessary to place
chairs in the aisles to accommodate all Of
those present
There was some excellent singing by the
choir and congregation and several pieces
Of sacred music very well played by the
band. The address was not sermon. but
a lecture
Dr. Schaeffer, in introducing Chaplain
Mason. said that he was believer in ex-
pans5on. 81 trust" said he, that wherever
Old Glory has been unfurled in the islands
of the sea that the flag will never be
taken down. l believe that the hand of
the Lord has been In all this. When the
war was first begun l was opposed 10 1t,
but l believe that the results show that Il
was for The best"
There were number of soldiers present,
to whom DR. Schaeffer extended a warm
welcome. In speaking of the kindly re-
ception given the soldiers by the people
of Savannah DR.. Schaeffer said: I'VE ore
glad that the soldiers have conducted
themselves in such a manly military man.
ner and that they have so deserved the
welcome which we extended to them /
trust that they will come to us again, not
in their uniforms, but as citizens, when
we will welcome them TO the hospitality
OF our homes"
Chaplain Mason, in opening his address,
said that lie was not acquainted with the
customs of the Lutheran Church in the
South, and did not wish to violate any of
clapping of hands as evidence of appre-
citation of DR.. Schaeffer's kind words to
The soldiers. There was a Lively response
TO this suggestion, and the open manner
of approval seemed TO please the audi
ence.
1--WE are glad to manifest our apprecia-
ton of the kindness which we have re-
ceived here" said Chaplain Mason 1--WE
did not all come South with the expecta-
Of nah
have met with here. We will go back to
our homes with hearts full Of gratitude for
the kind treatment extended to us
There was further demonstration OF APP
prevail later on when Chaplain Mason ex-
pressed his own IDEAS upon the subject
of expansion ia line with the remarks
of DR. Schaeffer and said that every drop
of American blood would be shed and
every dollar in the treasury spent before
the flag would be taken down from where
it now waves over the isles of the sea.
Chaplain Mason proved himself an en-
tertaining taker and although his de-
scriptions of the island and its inhabt-
ants and the customs and condill Ions there
We're practically the same as have already
been given 10 the public by other speakers
and writer's, his manner of telling his
story was interesting. He dwelt upon the
beauty of Havana harbor and its surround
ings, which cannot fail to impress the
visitor, he said, in spite of the horrible
stencil from the harbor which is the cess
pool for the city. The remarkable fertil-
ity of the island was discussed and the
opinion expressed that if the report thar
only % per cent. of the land is now under
cultivation be true that the possibili-
ties of the island are such that it can con-
fidently be expected to excel any Ameri-
can state, North or South, in productive
ness.
The revolving burial customs of the Gu
bans with their cemeteries piled high with
the bones of those whose relatives had
been unable or unwilling 70 pay rent for
their tombs were described. Capt. Mason
said that there is no danger of negro
republic in Cuba. The island has popu-
lation of about 100000. OF these 900O0)
are whites 100000 negroes about 10000
Spaniards and about 1900 Chinese Had
Antonio Maceo, the great negro general of
the Cuban army lived, he said there might
have been trouble. Maceo's ideal, he said.
was the establishment of a negro repub-
lie on the island, and this being The case
it was fortunate. perhaps, that he was
killed. Although. said Capt. Mason. the
idea had occurred to him that il might be
well to transport the 100000 whites now in
Cuba to this country and to transfer all
the dark skinned people from this country
to the island, as a possible settlement Of
a much veXed problem.
Cuba, instead of a race problem, he said.
has class or caste problem. There are
three distinct classes in the island, the
Spaniards, the Cubans and the negroes.
all having opposing Ideas and aspirations
The prevailing condition of the people now
is a sentiment of unrest. Their problems
have not been settled The Spaniards
would be glad to see something occur to
bring about a serious clash between the
Americans and the Cubans which would
tend to insure American occupancy of
the island for an indefinite number of
years to come. Were Maceo living he
said, with his ability as a general and
his determination TO achieve the complete
independence of his people and with his
impulses uucurbed by the training of A
high civilization he would be certain to
cause trouble TO the Americans. Ii was
this which caused him to say that il was
doubtless wei that Maceo died when he
did
Cuba. Capt Mason said would have
been the spot for Plato to have establish
ed his ideal republic. II is a dreamy. no.
ftiCal of eOuutrv and tha