Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-01-26

that there were 500 Americans In
Habana wnom ne wished to send back
to this country before that message
was announced and asking him TO
postpone its delivery. .....
Mr.. Mckinley stated that the coun-
try expected this message upon that
day and that Congress expected 1t;
that he could not announce to the
country the cause of postponement,
for IL the telegram were published 1t
might produce in Habana the same
effect that might be produced by the
Presidential message. He said that
he had, therefore, called us as mem.
bers of the minority and adversary
party t oask our judgment regarding
the situation. We told him that we
thought the message ought to be post
poned. He replied that he thought so,
too; that he would rather lose his
right arm, as he expressed 1t, than
run the risk of losing a single Ameri-
can life, but that he was unable 10
make any public statement regarding
the matter, and he requested us to
pass around, without publicity, among
our associates on the floor OF the
House and state that the President
of the United States had taken us into
his confidence and had presented to
us good reasons for the postponement
of the message. We assured him that
we would do so, and we thought the
undertaking an easy one, but when we
arrived at the House we found the
turbulence of that body increased. not
diminished. Word had been passed
around that we had been sent for and
the purpose was suspected. The re-
suit was a flood of denunciation, par
ticularly from the so-called "insurgent
members" of the Republican party,
some of whom in my hearing, upon
our return to that body, when we were
passing around in rather ineffective
way stating the result Of Our coin
munication with Mr.. Mckinley, de-
nounced him as man without
backbone or with n rubber backbone.
have often since then thought OF
that contrast between the quiet and
the calm of the President and the ex-
element of a so-called deliberative
and representative body.
Mr.. President, Mr.. Mckinley was
driven into that war both by the ad-
versary party and by the insurgents
in his own party. He was always con-
fident that he could have secured the
freedom of Cuba without war, but the
war sentiment of the country was so
aroused that he found 1t impossible
to resist 1t. What was the result?
Results of the Spanish War.
A war which cost the American peo-
pie thousands of lives and 5000, 100000
in treasure, which put into our pos
session as the result of the spirit of
conquest aroused by that war 5000
isles 1000 miles away from our base,
involving an annual military expense
since that time for their defense OF at
least $35,O00,000, nearly $500, 100000
more up to the present time, and We
are now seeking methods of withdraw
ing from those islands, to whose aban-
Comment we have become reconciled,
not SO much as a matter of altruism as
because the retention of the islands
does not pay.
During the period of that war we
neglected our domestic affairs, and
whilst we were conquering other
countries the trusts conquered our
own, and we have been 10 years in
freeing ourselves from the subsection
which they imposed upon the Ameri-
can people whilst our attention was
diverted in other directions.
It will be easy for this country to
get into war with Mexico; 1t will be
easy for this country to get into the
European war II the war spirit Of the
country Is aroused; and the war spirit
of the country will be aroused II the
leading men Of the Nation constantly
add fuel to the flames. So appeal
to members of the adversary party not
to push these conditions Of war into
this political campaign. You may In
search of partisan advantage push
the country too far. II you do, and
we get into war. the country will stand
by the existing administration and
you will imperll your chances Of party
success at the next election, and be-
yond that you will open Pandora's
box OF trouble for the United States
for the next twenty years.
Mr.. President, have no very harsh
Judgment regarding these matters. Il
Is very natural instinct to prod the
adversary party; II Is an instinct that
exists in both parties: It Is an instinct
which has dominated both parties in
the past and will I'm the future, but
do beg Of the Members of this body,
the highest deliberative body In the
world, body that ought to move with
elaboration, caution and judgment,
not to lend itself TO the kindiing OF q
flame that may mean universal con.
Migration; and I appeal to them to
let these matters rest with the execu-
tive department of the government,
charged with responsibility under the
Cnn afiitftiou xuiihnuf und,n ,,Jttot.,,