The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-10-31
DEMOCRACY'S NEW :.tE|
Battle For Cuban Independence
Wdgcd In Free Trade Lines For
Swallowed bu Leading
Democrats.

to Washington in the past two
days by a prominent democratic
senator The decision to urge
such an insular policy at the
next session has been reached
by an understanding between a
number of democratic senators
within the last two weeks. They
have taken upon themselves the
task of making the policy known
20 members of their party in the
house, and urging agitation and
a fight along that line.
The movement in this direction
is independent of Senator Jones,
and indicates a determination to
throw off his leadership in the
senate, just as was done repeat
eddy during the last session of
congress. Although not definite
ly decided upon by democratic
caucus. the suggestion that this
decision as to party line of action
without consultation or the adj
vice of Senator Jones was revOl-
utionary, and was made by a
democratic senator now In Wash
ington with a shrug of his
shoulder and the laughing re-
joinder, 1--WE democrats are all
leaders.
The democrats will declare in
their speeches on the floor of the
senate and house that they are
simply making the old free trade
fight their party has been en-
gagged in ever since there was
such an issue to hang on to-
They hope to have a sentimental
side to add to their arguments.
They will picture condition of
dire distress on the part of the
Cubans. They will declare TO
the galleries that the United
States has taken from the Gu
bans the support which they had
in their relations with Spain, and
disregard their former cry of
Spanish oppression. They will
urge that absolute free trade
with the island is a duty to the
Cubans which the United States
should meet. They hope to pre-
sent united front in favor of
such policy, and there are indi-
cations that they will be as near
united as they have ever been
recently on any proposition.
In urging immediate annexa-
tion they hope to have popular
cry for the next congressional
elections and one which will ap-
peal directly to all classes, bar
ring those perhaps of the At
lantic coast. where the high pro-
tectiOniStS fear the annexation
of Cuba will be a break in the
protective tariff system, which
has done so much for the country.
The democrats will declare
that they are not urging new
issue. They will declare that
democrats from the southern
states fathered a movement for
the annexation of Cuba many
years ago. They hope to place
the republicans in congress in
an awkward position by referring
to their pledge to give Cuba an
independent and free govern
ment, although it is we'll known
the Teller resolution was passed
as a concession to the democrats
in congress who howled against
any settlement which did not |
provide an independent govern
ment for the islands.
There are but few republican
leaders in Washington at this
time. Those who are here say
the party will not fear to meet
the opposition on the issue if
raised. There are strong indica
lions that as the time for the es-
adjustment of an independent
in Cuba draws near
the better class of Cubans are
fearful of the experiment. This
has caused notable and definite
growth of the annexation senti-
ment IN the island This has
been recognized in the changed
of the radical leaders
who fought the Platt amendment
in the constitutional convention,
and who proposed to doubt the
sincerity of the motives of the
United States toward the Cubans.
It has been noticed in the change
of tone of the leading and more