Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-06-14
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS
NUMBER As

that matter. by any sort of a member.
The man who can manage TO make
an interesting speech and win the ap-
plause Of seasoned veterans on a sub
ject dry as powder house is q rara
avis. That's precisely what William
Ella did to the surprise and delight Of
his audience. sThe Alaskan code and
territorial government" bill was up,
and William Eliza got the floor.
Pledges Unredeemed.
For about ten minutes In a modest
sort OF way he spoke on the bill. The
bill was bore, the house was drowsy
and lazy sort of attention was given
to that part Of his speech. ALI Of a
sudden he hoped on to the Republic
ans about their eapers In Cuba, and
everybody prieked up his ears and lis
tened. Reading the Republican plat
form pledge as to Cuba, he turned to
the Republicans and said:
What have you done to redeem that
pledge? Goaded on by the Democratic
minority in this house, you were fore
ed to declare war against Spain, as the
people supposed when they gave it
their support, for the freedom of the
people of the island of Cuba. A glo-
rious victory was won, decisive battles
We're fought and treaty Of peace
signed Have you redeemed your
pledge and promise? Tell me why It
is that Cuba is fostering under the cor
ruption lately developed In the officials
appointed by this government, equal
ing the looting conducted by the off,
cials sent over from Spain to govern
them prior to the treaty of peace?p
Mr.. Clark Of Missouri Under a car
petbag government.
Yes. carpetbag government, and
that is what the Democratic party op-
poses. We oppose sending these men
to govern Alaska, to govern the people
Of Cuba You say, my friends, in your
platform declaration, that these people
are entitled to their independence. and
yet you refuse and deny 1t to them.
You send earpetbaggers there. You
send postal officials there. For what
purpose? To govern these people
against their consent and against their
will You have sent army officials there
and given them double salaries. In ad-
dition to the regular salaries provided
by the laws Of this country and with
out authority Of congress, they have
put into their pockets an equal amount
received from the revenues Of Cuba.
paid by the people Of that island.
Pertinent Questions.
"Your officials go there to conduct
the postofice department, and today
not less than half dozen of them are
under arrest. charged with spoliation,
with lootlns, with stealing. with theft
as bad as was ever perpetrated by the
officials sent there by Spain to govern
these people. Answer me, gentlemen.
why is it that you have not redeemed
your platform pledges? The promise
you gave to those people was that they
should be free; that they were entitled
to their Independence. Why do you
hold them down as a subject people?
Why enforce military occupation! Why
maintain a carpetbag government
there? Why do you send men to rob
and prey upon them and deny them
the independence which you proclaim
ed in your platform Of 1862
William Elza's pertinent and far
reaching questions have not been an
swered to this day by any Republican.
He then read an account of the enor-
nous thefts of Neely. Rathbone s Co.;
also an editorial from the London
Times praising Mckinley about his
friendliness for the English in the At
rican war. With these texts he pro-
ceeded to fay the Republicans alive or,
as Governor David A. Ball of Missouri
would say. ito limb. skin and jayhawk
them" 1t was fetching speech for
Democracy, and his remarks were re-
eeived by his Democratic brethren with
cordial and uproarious applause.