The Irish standard., 1902-03-15
A WORD FOR CUBA.
Bourks Cochran Wants Fair Play for
the Island.


the Island.
In q recent speech in New York in
behalf Of Cuba, Bourke Cochran said:
''This meeting, called to demand that
Justice be done to Cuba, reminds me
OF an assemblage in Chickering Hall
some six years ago to urge the inter-
vention Of the United States in Cuba's
behalf. It is with some humiliation
that feel it necessary at this meet
Ing that once again on behalf of the
Cubans I am forced to appeal for inter.
vention in Cuba. This time, however.
ruin is not apprehended from Spain.
but from ourselves. Although tempt
alton to turn victory into conquest
must always be great, yet as a people
we said that we would refrain from
accepting anything as our own reward
out would be satisfied to extend the
dominion Of justice and now this, our
pledge, seems to have been forgotten
by some.
"Shal we not be strong enough TO
remind these men Of our promise and
TO enforce its fulfllment? The fact
that this meeting has been held. its
size, Its spirit, convince me that it's
object will be accomplished. This is
not a question Of politics, but of NOR
ais. The American people are never
divided on questions of simple justice.
1.-The question before us is, Shall
Cuba be allowed to live? Since the
overthrow Of the Spanish Government
her products have been excluded from
Spain. Spain gave her a partial mar
ket. We give her none. Spanish rule
permitted her to live under onerous
conditions. We may not permit her to
live at all.
ITO admit her products into our
country is not matter of favor. but
Of duty. Yet no measure of relief has
been introduced in Congress, no pros
pect Of relief is in sight. Against this
condition we are called to protest.
Why have the demands Of the Presi-
dent, of the Secretary of War, of the
Governor of Cuba, and of the Ameri-
can people been disregarded? But.
promise you that they shall be COM
piled with when the American people
bring to bear all the majesty of their
unanimity.
perhaps the reason why this has
not been done before, is because we
did not know who the men We're who
were opposing these demands. They
have gone in the darkness of night,
with the methods of the train wreck
er who secretly rips up the track, not
with the holiness of the highwayman
who holds up his victims on the pub
lie road. They have worked under
cover and no one dared stand up to
state the objection to the method of
relief we demanded. But two nights
ago, gentlemen in the Republican Club
in this city introduced a resolution
which throws some light on the mat
ter"
Mr.. Cochran then read a resolution
to the effect that it would be better to
pay a bounty to Cubans out of the
United States funds than to permit the
introduction at reduced tariff rates OF
Cuban products, and thus injure the
Industries of the South and West
The resolution also spoke Of the risks
incurred by the United States in free.
ing Cuba.
IF this means anything" he said
ut means that the government was
justified to risk the lives Of our sons
and the money in our treasury to free
Cuba, but that it is not justified tc
risk the profits of protected industries
to free that island from graver dis
aster. That liberal gentleman surely
does not mean that bounty should be
paid to Cuba for the raising of sugar
to be introduced into the United
States. He meant that it should be
paid certain Cubans to refrain from
producing sugar at all. He says some
thing Of patriotic duties. If it is 9
patriotic duty not to raise sugar, those
who never attempted to do SO have 8
superior claim on our bounty. Why
the whole population of Cuba should
become pensioners, but I am afraid
that this is a proposition that ever
the pension agent would not dare t.
advocate. This part Of the resolu
ton may be dismissed merely as al
oratorical adornment. AS to the risl
we incurred, we risked more than thu
lives of our sons and the money in oul
treasury"
Mr.. Cochran then drew: an eloquent
picture of the tremendous losses W,
might have incurred but for the quicl
action Of our feet in destroying thu
Spanish ships.
"When protectionists appeal to save
protection, in the face Of this Infamous
outrage on helpless people, their ap
peal shall be condemned by even thu
protectionists themselves. Protection
or free trade involves merely 'ques
ton of judgment. Cuba involves
question Of morals.
as Cuba free? (Cries Of NO, no.
She is not as free as one Of our owl
States. We have annexed her and w