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THURSTON'S CUBAN SPEECH.
An Impsssiofied Appeal to Stop Desolation In
CiiSa Caff f force of Arm to
' Sveeo Spanish Turannu Awau.
1 kM never beta more impres-
It
speech delivered la the United
ate than that in which Sena
tor Thurston of Nebraska told what he
had aeen in Cuba. Senator Tbantoa
amid:
Mr. President I ain here by
Mad of silent lipe to speak once aad
for all upon tbo Cuban situation. I
; that no one has expected anything
itional from me. God forbid that
the bitterness of a personal lose should
Induce me to color in the slightest de
gree the statement that I feel it ay
aty to make.
I ahall endeavor to be honest, conserv
ative end just I have no purpose to
stir the public passion to any aotion not
necessary and imperative to meet the
duties and necessities of American re
sponsibility, Christian humanity and
national honor. I would shirk this task
if I could, but I dare not. I cannot sat
isfy my conscience except by speaking,
and speaking now.
Some three weeks since three senators
and two representatives in congress ac
cepted the invitation of a great metro
politan newspaper to make a trip to
Ouan and personally investigate and re
port upon the situation there.
Oar invitation was from a newspaper
whose political teachings I have never
failed to antagonize and denounce and
whose journalism I have considered de
cidedly sensational.
But let me say, for the credit of the
proprietor of the paper in question, that
I believe tho invitation extended to us
was inspired by his patriotic desire to
have the actual condition of affairs in
Cuba brought to the attention of the
American people in such a way that the
facts would no longer remain in contro
versy or dispute.
We were not asked in any way to be
come the representatives of the paper;
o conditions or restrictions were im
posed upon us; we were left free to
conduct the investigation in oar own
way; make our own plans, pursue oar
own methods, take our own time and
decide for ourselves upon the best man
ner of laying the result of our labors
before the American people.
For myself, I went to Cuba firmly be
lieving that the condition of affairs
there had been greatly exaggerated by
the press, and my own efforts were di
rected in the first instance to the at
tempted exposure of these supposed ex
aggerations. Jlr. President, there has undoubtedly
- been much sensationalism in the jour
nalism of the time, but as to the condi
tion of affairs in Cuba there has been
no exaggeration, because exaggeration
has been impossible. I have read the
careful statement of the junior senator
from Vermont Mr. Prootor, and I find
that he has anticipated me la almost
every detail. From my own personal
knowledge of the situation, I adopt ev
ery word of his concise, conservative,
speoifio presentation as my own nay,
more, I am convinced that he has, in a
measure, understated the facts.
Cuba Is Lost to Spain.
After three years of warfare and the
of 225,000 Spanish troops Spain
1 lost control of every foot of Cuba
not surrounded by an actual intrench
ment and protected by a fortified picket
line.
She holds possession with her armies
of the fortified seaboard towns, not be
cause the insurgents could not capture
many of them, but because they are un
der the virtual protection of Spanish
warships, with which the revolutionists
cannot oope.
In the four so called Spanish provinces
there is neither cultivation nor railway
operation except under strong Spanish
military protection or by consent of the
revolutionists in consideration of tribute
paid.
The revolutionists are in absolute and
almost peaceful possession of nearly
one-half of the island, including the
eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba
and Puerto Principe. In those provinces
they have an established form of gov
ernment, levy and collect taxes, main
tain armies, and generally levy a tax of
tribute upon the principal plantations
in the other provinces, and, as is com
monly believed, upon the entire railway
system of the island.
Under the inhuman policy of Weyler
not less than 400,000 self supporting,
simple, peaceable, defenseless country
people were driven from their homes in
the agricultural portions of the Spanish
provinces to the cities, and imprisoned
upon the barren waste outside the resi
dence portions of these cities and with
in the lines of intrenchment established
a little way beyond.
Their humble homes were burned,
their fields laid waste, their implements
of husbandry destroyed, their live stock
and food supplies for the most part con
fiscated. .Most of these people were old
men, women and children. They were
thus placed in hopeless imprisonment,
without shelter or food.
There was no work for them in the
cities to which they were driven. They
were Jett there with nothing to depend
spon except the scanty charity of the
inhabitants of the cities and with slow
starvation their inevitable fate.
KevnlatloadsU fJi
It is conceded upon the
tainable authority, and those vrho have
had access to the publio records do not
hesitate to state, that upward of 210.
000 of these people have already perish
ed, all from starvation or from disowns
incident to starvation.
Spain cannot put an end to tbe exist
ing condition. She cannot conquer the
insurgents. She cannot re-establish her
sovereignty over any considerable por
tion of the interior of the island. The
revolutionists, while able to maintain
themselves, cannot drive the Spanish
army from tbe fortified ssaooast towns.
The situation, then, is not war as we
understand it, but a chaos of devasta
tion and depopulation of undefned dura
tion whose end no man can see.
There has been no amelioration of the
situation except through the charity of
the people of the United States. There
has been no diminution in the death
sate among these reconcsntrados except
as tbe death supply is constantly dimin
ished. There is no relief aad no hope
aceept through the continued charity
of the American people until peace has
aeen fully restored in tne
until a humane governnu
these people to their besaes and has
provided for them anew the means with
which to begin again tbe cultivation of
the soil.
t. As an instance of the discipline
among Spanish I cite the fact that I
bought the machete of a Spanish soldier
a duty at the wharf in sfstssans. isi
kjsijiar.n; igSmjnhjkfitrsr. 3a
desirous ot selling me bis
only remaining arm, a revolver.
The pictures in the American news
papers of the starving reconcentrados
are true. They can all be duplicated by
the thousands. I never saw, and please
God I may never again see, so deplora
ble a sight as the recenceutrados in the
suburbs of Matanras. lean never forget
to my dying day the hopeless anguish
in their despairing eyes. Huddled about
their little bark huts, tbey raised no
voice of appeal to ns for alms as we
went among them.
Fr the Catted State to Answer.
The government of Spain has not and
will not appropriate one dollar to save
these people. They are now being at
tended and nursed and administered to
by the charity of the United States.
Think of the spectaele 1 We are feeding
these citizens of Spain ; we are nursing
their sick; we are saving such as can
be saved, and yet there are those who
till say it is right for us to send food,
bat we must keep our hands off. I say
that the time has come when muskets
to no with the food.
We asked the governor if he knew of
any relief for these people except
through the charity of the United
States. He did not We then asked
him, "Can you see any end to this con
dition of affairs?" He could not. We
asked him, "When do you think the
time will come that these people can bo
placed in a position of self support?"
He replied to us, with deep feeling,
"Only the good God or the great gov
ernment of the United States can an
swer that question." I hope and believe
that the good God by the great govern
ment of the United States will answer
that question.
I will cite but a few facts that came
under my personal observation, all tend
ing to fully substantiate the absolute
truth of the foregoing propositions. I
could detail incidents by the hour and
by the day, but the senator from Ver
mont has absolutely covered the case. I
have no desire to deal in horrors. If I
had my way, I would shield the Ameri
can publio even from the photographic
reproductions of the awful scenes that I
viewed in all their original ghastlwess.
SnalaVs Decimated Army.
Spain has sent to Cuba more than
886,000 soldiers to subdue the island,
whose entire male population capable of
bearing arms did not exceed at the be
ginning that number. These soldiers
were mostly boys, conscripts from the
Spanish hills. They are well armed, but
otherwise seem to be absolutely unpro
vided for. They have been without tents
and practically without any of the nec
essary supplies and equipment for serv
ice in the field. They have been put in
barracks, in warehouses and old build
ings in the cities where all sanitary
surroundings have been of the worst
possible character. They have seen but
little discipline, and I conld not ascer
tain that such a thing as a drill had
taken place in the island.
There are less than 60, 000 now avail
able for duty. The balance are dead or
sick in hospitals, or have been sent back
to Spain as incapacitated for further
service. It is currently stated that there
are now 87,000 sick in hospitals. I do
not believe that the entire Spanish army
in Cuba could stand an engagement in
the open field against 30,000 well dis
ciplined American soldiers.
I shall refer to these horrible things
no further. They are there. God pity
me; I have seen them; they will re
main in my mind forever and this is
almost the twentieth century. Christ
died 1,900 years ago, and Spain is a
Christian nation. She has set up more
crosses in more lands, beneath more
skies and under them has butchered
more people than all the other nations
of the earth combined.
Europe may tolerate her existence as
long' as the people ot the old world
wish. God grant that before another
Christmas morning the last vestige of
Spanish tyranny and oppression will
have vanished from tho western hemi
sphere! Starvation's Awful Wort.
There was almost no begging by tbe
reconceutrado8 themselves. The streets
of the cities are full of beggars of all
ages and all conditions, bnt they are al
most wholly of the residents of tbe cit-
lea and largely of the professional beg
gar class. The reconcentrados men,
women and children stand silent, fam
ishing with hunger. Their only appeal
conies from their sad eyes, through
which one looks as through an open
window into tbeir agonizing souls.
The present Autonomist governor of
Matantas, who speaks excellent Eng
lish, was inaugurated in November last.
Bis records disclose tbat at the city of
Matanras there were 1,200 deaths in
November, 1,200 in December, 700 in
January and 500 in February, 3,000 in
four months, and those four months un-
aertne administration or a governor
whom I believe to be a truly humane
man. He stated to me that on the day
of his inauguration, which I think was
tho lfth of last November, to his per
sonal knowledge 15 persons died in the
public square in front of the executive
mansion. Think of it, O my country
men! fifteen human beings dying from
starvation in the publio square, in the
shade of the palm trees and amid tbe
beautiful flowers, in sight of the open
windows of the executive mansion !
The governor of Matansas told ns
tbat for the most part the people of tbe
city of Matanias had done all they could
for the reconcentrados, and after study
ing the situation over I believe his state
meat is true. He said the condition of
affairs in the island had destroyed the
trade, the commerce and the business of
the city; that most of the people who
had the means assisted the reconcentra
dos with food just as long as they could,
bnt he said to us that there were thou
sands of the people living in fine houses,
with marble floors, who were in deep
need themselves and who did not know
from one day to the other where their
food supply was coming from.
TbM Fop Aectea Baa Casae.
I counseled silence and moderation
from this floor when the passion of the
nation seemed at white heat over the
destruction of the Maine, but it seems
tome the time for action has now coma.
Not action in the Maine case! I hope
and trust that this government will take
action on the Cuban situation entirely
outside of the Maine case.
When the Maine report is received, if
it be found that our ship and sailors
were blown np by some outside explo
sive we wi'l have ample reparation
without quibble or delay, and if the ex
plosion can be traced to Spanish official
sources there will be such a swift and
iJlatoJIYill
remain a warning to tne world forever.
Mr. President, tbe distinguished sen
ator from Vermont hes seen all these
things, he knows all these things, he
has described all these things, bnt after
describing them he says ha has nothing
to propose, no remedy to suggest. I
have. I am only a bumble unit in tbe
great government of the United States,
but I should feel myself a traitor did I
remain silent now.
It is too late to talk ::i.r.nt resolutions
according belligerent linbts, and mere
resolutions recognisi:': tbe independ
ence of tbe Cnbau republic would avail
but little. Our platicrm demands that
the United States shall actively use its
influence fur the independence of the is
land. It was the plain duty cf the president
of the United States tc give to the Lib
eral ministry cf Spain a reasonable tune
in which to test its picpesed autonomy.
That time has been given. Autonomy is
conceded the wide wcrld over to be a
conspicuous failure.
Tbe situation iu Cuba has only
changed for the worse. Sagasta is pow
erless; Blanco is powerless to put an
end to the conflict, to rehabilitate the
island, or to relieve tho suffering, starva
tion and distress.
What shall the United States do, Mr.
President?
"The government of Spain, having
lost control of Cuba, and being unable
to protect tbe property or lives cf resi
dent American citizens, or to comply
with its treaty obligations, we believe
that the government of the United
States should actively use its influence
and good offices to restore peace and
give independence to tbe island."
I am a Republican, and I turn to tbe
last platform of my party and I read:
"From tbe hour of achieving their
own independence tbe people of the
United States have regarded with sym
pathy tbe struggles of other American
peoples to free themselves from Eu
ropean domination. Wo watch with
deep and abiding interest the heroio
battle of tho Cnbau patriots against
cruelty and oppression, and our best
hopes go out for the fall success of their
determined contest for liberty."
Cuba Mast lie Freed.
Mr. President, when that declaration
was read before the St. Louis conven
tion, over which I bad tbe distinguish
ed honor to preside, it was greeted with
a mighty shout which seemed to lift the
very roof of tbat great convention hall,
and it was adopted as part of tbe plat
form of the Republican party by unani
mous vote. On the 29th of June, 1896,
William McEinley, standing upon his
vine chid porch at Canton, O., in ac
cepting the nomination then officially
tendered him, said:
"The platform adopted by the Repub
lican national convention has received
my careful consideration and has my
unqualified approval. It is a matter of
gratification to me, ea I am sure it must
be to you and Bepoblicans everywhere
and to all our people, that tbe expres
sions of its declaration of principles are
so direct, clear and emphatic. They are
too plein and positive to leave any
ohance for doubt or question as to tbeir
purport and meaning."
The platform of the Republican par
ty, tbat iudo-Jeruent by its nominee for
president, was ratified by more than
7,000,000 American voters. Tbat plat
form has marked my path of duty from
the hour of its adoption up to tbe pres
ent time.
It is an honored boast of tbe Repub
lican party tbat it always keeps its
promises and that its platform declara
tions are always carried out by its ad
ministrations. I have no reason to
doubt, I have every reason to believe,
that the present chief magistrate of the
United States still stands upon the plat
form of the Republican party. I. have
no'reason to doubt, I have every reason
to believe, that he will make its fulfill
ment a part of tbo glorious history of
the world.
ilr. President, that platform was
adopted almost two years ago. Has
there been any such change in the Cu
ban situation as to relieve the Republic
an party from its obligations? None
whatever. There has been no change ex
cept such as to strengthen the force of
our platform assertion tbat Spain has
lost control of tbe island. Twice within
the last two years I have voted for a
resolution according the rights of bel
ligerents to the Cuban revolutionists.
Armed Iatenroatloa Necessary.
I believed at those times, I still be
lieve, tbat such a recognition on our
part would have enabled tbe Cuban pa
triots to have achieved independence for
themselves; tbat it would have given
them such a standing in tbe money
markets of the world, such rights on
the sea, such flag on the laud, tbat ere
this the independence of Cuba would
have been secured, and that without coat
or loss cf bleed cr treasure to the people
of the United States. But that time has
passed.
The president further advised ns:
"The government has never in any way
abrogated its sovereign prerogative of
reserving to itself tbe determination of
its policy and course according to its
own high sense of right and in conso
nance with tbe dearest interests and con
victions of cur owe people should the
prolongation of the strife so demand."
This was the proper, the statesman
like beginning of the performance of
tbe promise of the Republican platform.
It was in accordance with the diplo
matic usages and customs of civilized
nations. In tbe meantime the whole
situation apparently changed. In Spain
the Lateral ministry of Sagasta succeed
ed that of Canovas. The cruel and inhu
man Weyler was recalled and succeeded
by the humane Blanco, who, under the
Sagasta ministry, has unquestionably
made every effort to bring about peace
in tbe island of Cuba under the promise
of autonomy undoubtedly a decided
advance beyond any proposition ever be
fore made for the participation of the
Cqohus iu their own domestic affairs.
Mr. President, tbero is only one ac
tion possible, if any is taken that is,
intervention for the independence of the
island; intervention that means the
landing of an American army on Cuban
soil, the deploying of an American fleet
off the harbor of Havana; intervention
which says to Spain, Leave tbe island,
withdraw your soldiers, leave the Cu
bans, these brothers of ours in the new
world, to form and carry on government
for themselves!
Fatteaeo Xo BVsagwa Tlxtaa,
Such intervention on our part would
not of itself be war. It would undoubt
edly lead to war. Bnt if war came it
would come by act of Spain in resist
ance of the liberty and independence cf
the Cuban people.
Mr. President, there was a tunc when
"jingoism" was abroad in tbe land,
when sensationalism prevailed and
when there was a distinct effort to in
flame tbe passions and prejudices of the
American people and precipitate a war'
with Spain. Tbat time has passed away.
"Jingoism" is long since dead.
The American people have waited and
waited and waited in patience yea, in
patience and conidence, confidence in
the belief that decisive action would be
in due aw sow and in a proper
y ! Today all over this land the ap-
peal comes up to us. is reaenes ns from
every section and from every class. That
appeal is now for action. .
in an interview of yesterday the sen-' I
tor senator from Maine (Mr. Hale is re
ported as saying:
"Events have crowded on too rapidly,
and the president has been carried off
his feet."
I know cf no warrant far such an as
sertion, but I do know this that unless
congress acts promptly, meeting this ,
grave crisis as it should be met, we will
be swept away, and we ought to be
swept away, by tbe tidal wave of Amer
ican indignation.
The president has not been carried off '.
his feet I
The administration has been doing its. 1
whole duty. With rare foresight and i
statesmanship it has hastened to make
every possible preparation for anyeaer -
BlSht aff Hlaat.
Mr. Pxesidant, then are those who :
say that the affairs of Cuba are not the ;
affairs of the United States, who insist !
that we can stand idly by and see tbat
island devastated and depopulated, its
business interests destroyed, its commer
cial intercourse with ns cut off, its peo
ple starved, degraded and enslaved. It
may be tbe naked l-T'A right of the
United States to stand ius idly by.
I have the right to pass along tbe
street and see a helpless dog stamped
into the earth under the heels of a ruf
fian. I can pass by and say that is not
my dog. I can sit in my comfortable
parlor with my loved ones gathered
about me and through my plate glass
window see a fiend outraging a helpless
woman near by, and I can legally say
this is no affair of mine it is not hap
pening on my premises and I can turn
away and take my little ones in my
arms and, with the memory of their
sainted mother in my heart, look np a
the motto on tbe wall" and read, "Gen
bless our home 1" ' 1
But if I do I am a coward and a cur,
unfit to live, and, God knows, unfit to
die. And yet I cannot protect the dog
nor save the woman without the exer:
cise of force.
We cannot intervene aud save Cuba
without the exercise of force, and force
means war; war means blood. The low
ly Naxarene on tbe shores of Galilee
preached tbe divine doctrine of love,
"Peace on earth, good will toward
men." Not peace on earth at the ex
pense of liberty and humanity. Not
good will toward men who despoil, en
slave, degrado and starve to death tbeir
fellow men. I believe in the doctrine of
Christ I believe in the doctrine of
peace, but, Mr. President, men must
have liberty before there can come abid
ing peace.
Lesse la Patriots.
Mr. President, against tbe interven
tion of tbe United States in this holy
cause there is but one voice of dissent;
that voice is tbe voice of tbe money
changers. They fear war! Not because
of any Christian or ennobling sentiment
against war and in favor of peace, but
because they fear that a declaration of
war, or the intervention which might
result in war, would have a depressing
effect upon the stock market.
Mr. President, I do not read my duty
from tbe ticker; I do not accept my
lessons in patriotism from Wail street.
I deprecate war. I hope aud pray for
the speedy coming of the time when the
sword of tbe soldier will no longer leap
from its scabbard to settle disputes be
tween civilized nations. But, Mr. Presi
dent, it is evident, looking at the cold
facte, that a war with Spain would not
permanently depreciate the value of a
single American stock or bond.
Let them go; what one man loses at
tbe gambling table his fellow gambler
wins. It is no concern of yours, it is no
concern cf mine, whether tbe "bulls"
or the "bears" have the best of these
stock deals. They do not represent
American sentiment; they do not repre
sent American patriotism. Let tbAf
take their chances as they can. Their
weal or woa is of but little importance
to the liberty loving people of tbe Unit
ed States. Let tbe men whose loyalty is
to the dollar stand aside while the men
whose loyalty is to the flag come to
the front
There are some who lift their voices
in the land and in the open light of
day insist that tbe Republican party
will not act, for tbey say it sold out to
the capitalists and the money changers
at the last national election.
It is net so. God forbid! The 7,000,
000 freemen who voted for the Repub
lican party and for William McKinley
did not mortgage tbe honor of this na-;
tion for a campaign fund, and if the
time ever comes when the Republican!
party hesitates in its course of daty be
cause of any nndne anxiety for She wel
fare of tbe accumulated wealth of tbe
nation then let the Republican party -be
swept from tbe face of the earth and
bo succeeded by some other party, by
whatever name it may be called, which
will represent tbe patriotism, tbe hon
isty, the loyalty and the devotion that
the Republican party exhibited under
Abraham Lincoln in 1861.
Intervention means force. Force means
war. War means blood. But it will be
God's forca When has a battle for hu
manity and liberty ever been won ex
cept by force? What barricade of wrong,
injustice and oppression has aver been
tarried except by force?
Force Coaspela Freeaea.
Force compelled the signature of un
willing royalty to the great Magna
Oharta; force put life into the Declara
tion of Independence and made effective
the emancipation proclamation; force
beat with naked hands upon the iron
gateway of the Bastile and made re
prisal in one awful hour for centuries
of kingly crime; force waved the flag
of revolution over Bunker Hill and
marked the snows of Valley Forge with
blocd stained feet; force held the broken
line at Shiloh, climbed the flame swi
X.
hill at Chattanooga and stormed
clouds on Lookout heights; foroe march
ed with Sherman to the sea, rode with
Sheridan in the valley of tbe Shenan
doah and gave Grant victory at Appo
mattox; force saved the Union, kept the
stars in tho flag, made "niggers" men.
The time for God's foroe has come
again. Let tbe impassioned lips of
American patriots once mora take up
the song:
la the teaaty of tbe lilies
Christ was borae acros the sea.
With a glory la his bosom
That trajuagwed yoa aad me.
As ho died to stake soea holy
Let us die to stake men free.
For God is wsrrhlf on.
Others may hesitate, others may pro
crastinate, others may plead for fur
ther diplomatic negotiations, which
means delay, but for me I am ready to
act now, and for my action I am ready
to answer to my oonscience, my coun
try and my God.
Mr. President, in tbe cable that moor
ed me to life and hope tbe strongest
strands are broken. I have bnt little left
to offer at the altar of freedom's sacri
fice, but all I have I am glad togire. I
am ready to serve my country, as best I
can in tbe senate or in the field. My
dearest hope, my most earnest prayer
to God is this, that whan death comes
to end all I may meet it calmly and
fearlessly as did my beloved, in the
cause of humanity, under the American
flag.
India's pearl fisheries have been fa-
mous from the remotest time. la the
Persian gulf the industry has existed
from the days of the Macedonians.
SEND!! IN REPORT.
v -
j President Requests Congress
, to Carefully Consider It
STILL HAS FAITH IN PEACE
Believes Tbat Spain Will Act Honor
ably In the Matter.
'
! TIHDIHG8 OF
00UBT OP IHQUIBY.
t
ntalae Was Wrecked by
Mine
VaabletoFlx Responsibility For tbe
Disaster Captaia Exonerated
FroaiAU Blame.
Washixqto.v, March 28. Tho presi
dent today sent the following message
to congress:
To tb Congress of the United States: .
For some time prior to the visit of the
Maine to Havana harbor our consular
representatives pointed out the advan
tages to follow from the visit of na
tional ships to the Cuban waters, in ac
customing the people to the presence of
our flag as the symbol of good will and
of our ships in the fulfillment of the
mission of protection to American in
terests, even though no immediate need
.therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the 24th of January
last, after a conference with .the Span
ish minister, in which the renewal of
.visits of our war vessels to Spanish
!V
GOT. SAMPSON
BOARD OF INQUIltr.
waters was discussed and uccepted, tho
peninsular authorities at Madrid and
Havana were advised of the purpose of
this government to resume friendly
naval visits at Cuban ports, and that iu
that view the Maine would forthwith
call at the port of Havana. This an
nouncement was received by the Span
ish government with appreciation of
the friendly character of the visit of
the Maine and with the notification
of the intention to return the courtesy
by sending Spanish ships to the prin
cipal ports of the United States. Mean
while, the Maine entered the port of
Havana of the 25th of January, her ar
rival being marked with no special in
cident besides the exchange of cus
tomary salntcs and ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor
of Havana during the three weeks
following her arrival. No appreciable
excitement attended her stay. On the
contrary, a feeling of relief and confi
dence followed the resumption of tbe
yy
long interrupted friendly intercourse.
So noticeable was this immediate effect
of her visit that the consul general
strongly urged that the preseuse of our
ships in Cuban waters should be kept
up by retaining them at Havana, or in
the event of her recall, by sending
their vessel there to take her place.
At 9 :45 in the evening, of the 15th of
February, the Maine was destroyed by
an explosion, by which the entire for
ward part of the ship was utterly
wrecked. In this catastrophe two offi
cers and 260 of her crew perished, those
who were not killed outright by her
explosion being penned between decks
by the tangle of wreckage.and drowned
by the immediate sinking of the hull.
Prompt assistance was rendered by
the neighboring vessels anchored in the
harbor, aid being especially given by
the boats of the Spanish cruiser Alfon
so XHI and the Ward line steamer City
of Washington, which lay not far dis
tant. The wounded were generously
cared for by the authorities of Havana,
the hospitals being freely opened to
them, while the earliest recovered
bodies of the dead were interred by the
municipality in a public cemetery in
the city. Tributes of grief and sym
pathy were 'offered from all official
quarters of the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people of our country With crushing
force, and for a brief time an intense
excitement prevailed, which in a com
munity less just and self-controlled
than ours, might have led to hasty acts
of blind resentment. This spirit, how
ever, soon gave away to the calmer
processes of reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and await the ma
terial proof before forming a judgment
as to the cause, the responsibility and.
if the facts warranted, the remedy due.
This course necessarily recommended
itself from the outset to the executive,
for only in the light cf a dispassionately
ascertained certainty could it determine
the nature and measure of its full duty
in the matter.
, The usual procedure was followed, as
if in all cases of casualty or disaster to
national vessels of any maritime state.
A naval court of inquiry was at once
organized, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical experi
ence, to discharge the onerous duty im
posed upon them. Aided by a strong
force of wreckers and divers, the court
proceeded to make a thorough investiga
tion on the spot, employing every avail
able means for the impartial and- exact
determination of the causes of the ex
plosion. It operations have been con
ducted with the utmost deliberation and
judgment, and while independently
pursued, no source of information was
neglected aud the fullest opportunity
was allowed for a simultaneous investi
gation by the Spanish authorities.
Findings of the Board.
The finding of the court of inquiry
was reached after 23 days of continuous
labor, on March 21, and having been
approved on the 22nd by the comman
der-in-chief of the United States naval
forca on the North Atlantic station.was
transmitted to the executive. It is here
with laid before the congress, together
with the voluminous testimony taken
before the court. Its purport is in brief ,
as follows: When the Maine arrived
at Havana she was conducted by the
regular government pilot to buoy No.
4, to which she was moored in from
five and one-half to six fathoms of
water.
The state of discipline on board, aad
the condition of her magazines, boilers,
coal bankers and storage compartments
are passed in review, with the conclu
sion that excellent order prevailed, and
that no indication of any cause foram
trT?ttowic uanxcnM, wan
mmxmzzi' imzm&
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'Ityrv
aayquar-
At 8 o'clock, on the evening of Feb.
15, everything had been secure aad all
was quiet. At 9:40 o'clock the vessel
was suddenly destroyed. There were
two distinct explosions, with a brief in
terval between them. The first lifted
the forward part of the ship very per
ceptibly; the second, which was more
prolonged, is attributed by the court
to the partial explosion of two or more
of the forward magazines.
Tne evidence of the divers establishes
that the after part of the ship was prac
tically intact, and sank in that condi
tion a very few minutes after the ex
plosion. At frame 17. the outer shell of the
hips; from a point 11J feet from the
middle line of the ship and six feet
above the keel when in its normal po
sition, has been forced up so as to be
now about four feet above the surface
of the water; therefore, about 34 feet
above where it would be had the ship
sunk uninjured.
The outside bottom plating is bent
into a reversed "V" sha?. the after
wing of which, about 15 fVt broad and
S3 feet in length (from frame IT to
frame 25), is doubled back upou itself
against the continuation of the same
plating extending forward.
At frame lb the vertical keel is broken
in two and the keel bent into an angle
similar to the angle formed for the
outside plates. This break is about six
feet below the surface ot the water and
about SO feet above its normal position.
In the opinion of the court thii effect
conld have been produced only by the
explosion of a mine situated under the
bottom of the ship, at about frame 18
and somewhat on the port side of the
ship.
Coaelasleaa of the Coart.
The conclusions of the court are :
That the loss of the Maine was not in
any respect due to fault or negligence
on the part of any of the officers or
members of her crew.
That the ship was destroyed by the
explosion of a submarine mine, which
caused the partial explosion of two or
more of her forward magazines ; and,
That no evidence has been obtainable
fixing the responsibility for the des
truction of the Maine upon any person
or persons.
I have directed that- the finding of
the court of inquiry und the views of
this government thereon be communi
cated to the government of her majesty,
the queen, and I do not permit myself
to doubt the sense of justice of the
Spanish nation will dictate a course of
action suggested by houor and the
friendly relations of the two govern
ments. It was the duty of the executive to
advise the congress of the result, and
in the meantime deliberate considera
tion is invoked.
Signed. William McKinley.
Executive Mansion, March 28,1898.
In neither senate nor house was there
any debate in reference to the presi
dent's message. It was refered to the
committee on foreign relations under
the rules. The hotne adjoornsd early
out of respect to Represntative Simp
kins of Massachusetts.
MAINE BOARD'S REPORT.
Ship Blown Up by a Mine Exploded tra
der Port Side Second Explosion, That
of Two Magazine. Follows SJgs
bee Exonerated.
Washington, March 28. The follow
ing is the fnll text of the report of the
court of inquiry :
U. S. S. Iowa, Ket West, Fla.,
March 21. After full and mature con
sideration of all of the testimony before
it, the court finds as follows :
1. That tbe United States battleship
Maine arrived in the harbor of Havana,
Cuba, on Jan. 25, 1898, and was taken
to buoy No. 4, in from five and one
half to six fathoms of water, by the
regular government pilot. The United
States consul general at Havana had
notified the authorities at that place the
previous evening of the intended ar
rival of the Maine.
2. The state of discipline on board
the Maine was excellent, and all orders
and regulations in regard to the care
nd safety to the ship were strictly car
ried out. All ammunition was stored
away in accordance with instructions,
and proper care was taken whenever
ammunition was handled. Nothing was
stowed in any one of the magazines or
ihell rooms, which was not permitted to
be stowed there. The magazines and
shell rooms are always locked after
having been opened ; and after the de
struction of the Maine, the keys were
found in their proper place in the cap
sain's cabin, everything having been
reported secure that eveninir at 8 n. m.
The temperatures of the magazines aud
shell rooms were taken dally and re
ported. The only magazine which had
an undue amount of heat was the after
10-inch magazine, and that did not ex
plode at the time the Maine was de
stroyed. The torpedo war heads were
all stowed iu the after pirt of the ship
under the wardroom, end neither
caused nor participated in tlis destruc
tion of the Maine. The dry guncotton
primers and detonators were stowed in
the cabin aft and remote from the scene
of the explosion. The waste was care
fully looked after on board the Maine
to obviate danger. Special orders in
regard to this had been given by the
commanding officer. Varnishes, dryers,
alcohol and other combustibles of this
nature were stowed on or above the
main deck and could not have had any
thing to do with the destruction of the
Maine.
The medical stores were stowed aft
under the ward room, and remote from
the scene of the explosion. No danger
ous stores of any kind were stowed be
low in any of the other storerooms.
The coal bonkers were inspected. Of
those bunkers adjoining the forward
magazines and shell rooms, four were
empty, namely : B3, B4, Bo, B6. "A15"
had been in use that day and "A16"
was full of New River coal. This coal
had been carefully inspected before re
ceiving it on board. The bunker in
which it was stowed was accessible on
three sides at all times, and the fourth
side at this time on account of bunkers
Be and B(S being empty. This bunker,
Ale, had been inspected that day by the
engineer officer on duty. The fire
alarms in tbe bunkers were in working
order, and there had never been a case
of spontaneous combustion of coal on
board the Maine. The two after boilers
of the ship were in use at the time of
the disaster, for auxiliary purposes
only, with a comparatively low pressure
of steam, and being tended by a reliable
watch. These boilers could not have
caused the explosion of the ship. The
fonrforword boilers have since been
internal explosion existed in
tor.
found by the divers, and are in a fair
condition.
On tbe night of the destruction of
the Maine everything; had been reported
secure for the night aS 8 p. m. by relia
ble persons, through the proper author
ities, to the commanding officer. At
the time the Maine was destroyed the
hip was quiet, and, therefore, least
liable to accident oansed by movements
from those on board.
3. The destruction of the Maine oc
curred at 9:40 p. m., on Feb. 15, 1866,
in the harbor of Havaaa, Caba, beiaf
at the time moored in the same buoy t
to which lm bad baaa takasi hss
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BECHER. JJGGI k CO.,
Farm Loans, Real Estate
And Insurance..
COLUMBUS,
arrival. The forward part was com
pletely demolished.
Upon the evidence of concurrent ex
ternal cause the finding of the court is
as follows:
There were two explosions of a dis
tinctly different character, with a
very short but distinct interval between
them, and tho forward part of the ship
was lifted to a marked degree at the
time of the first explosion.
The first explo3ion wai mora iu the
nature of a report, like that of a gun,
while the second exp'.-iwiou was more
open, prolonged ami of greater volume.
This second explosion was, in the opin
ion of the court, caused by the partial
explosion of two or more of the forward
magazines of the Maine.
The Condition of tbe Wreck.
4. The evidence bearing on this, be
ing principally obtained from divers,
did not enable the court to form a defi
nite conclusion as to the condition of
the wreck, althongh it was established
that the after p:irt of the ship was
practically intact, aud sank in that con
dition a very few minutes after the de
struction of the forward part.
Tho following facts in regard to the
forward part of the shin are, however,
established by the testimony :
That portion of the port side of the
protective deck, which extends from
about frame 90 to about frame 41, was
blown up aft and over to port. The
main deck.from about frame 80 to about
frame 41, was blown up aft and slight
ly over to starboard, folding the for
ward part of the middle superstructure
over and on top of the after part. This
was, in the opinion of the court, caused
by the partial explosion of two or more
of the forward magazines of the Maine.
5. At frame 17. the outer shell of tbe
ship, from a point eleven and one-half
feet from the middle line of the ship,
and six feet above the keel, when in its
normal position, has been forced up so
as to be now about four feet above the
surface of the water, therefore abont
thirty four feet above where it would
be had the ship sunk uninjured. The out
side bottom plating is bent into a re
versed Y shape, the after wins; of
which about lf feet broad and 32 feet
in length (from frame 17 to frame 25)
is doubled back upon itself against the
continuation of the same plating ex
tending forward.
At frame 18 the vertical keelisTbroken
in two, and the flat keel bent into an
angle similar to the angle formed by
the outside bottom plating. This break
is now about six feet below the surface
of the water and about 30 feet above
its normal position.
In the opinion of the court, this ef
fect could have been produced only by
tbe explosion of a mine situated under
the bottom of the ship at about frame
IB. aad somewhat on the port side of
the ship.
6. The court finds tbat the loss of the
Maine, on the occasion named, was not
in any respect due to fault or negli
gence on the part of any of the officers
or members of the crew of said vessel.
7. In the opinion of the court the
Maine was destroyed by the explosion
of a submarine mine, which caused the
partial explosion of two or more of her
forward magazines.
8. The court has been unable to ob
tain evidence fixing the responsibility
for the destruction of the Maine upon
any person or persons.
W. T. oUxrso.
Captain U. S. N. VrnsWeat.
A.MUUX.
loeat. Com. U. S. N., Judge Advocate.
1 arkat Narrows.
New York, March 28. The
apsnedwitha very vigorous upward
movenMnt, led by the national stocks
and the grangers. As soon as tbe open
ins; demand for the shorts was satisfied,
values were allowed to sag again and
or tne specialties suffered severe
Candidate fer Co
Makshalltowx, la., March 29. A.
Haradon camp Xo. in, Son s of Vet
onus, of this city , has determined to
rut up a candidate for the position of
state commander of the order, the high
ist position in the state, and has selected
roseph Oppice as its man.
Movement as Naval Vessels.
Washlnqtox, March s. Com
nander Horace Elmers has been de
ached from Cramp's navy yard and
ardered to command "the mosquito
Seet," to be formed of all iTt craft
' Bat5JCMiy Tk Cincinnati
.ad Curiae have arrived at KerWest.
mm
The Kind Ton Have
Always Bought.
Bears the Fac-simile
Signature
-OF-
0V THE
WRAPPER
OF EVERY
BOTTLE.
THE KIND
YOU HAVE
ALWAYS BOUGHT.
twc ecirrauM coWMnr. ww vo city
NEBRASKA.
Mothers!
TBS discom
forts and
dangers of
cauu-oinacu
be almost en-1
tirely avoided.
WineofCardui:
relieves ex
pectant moth
ers. It gives
puts Them in
condition to do their work
perfectly. That makes preg
nancy less painful, shortens
labor and hastens recovery after
child-birth. It helps n woman
bear strong healthy children.
ine
has also brought happiness to
thousands of homes barren for
years. A few doses often brings
joy to loving hearts that Ions;
for a darling baby. No woman
should neglect to try it for this
trouble. It cures nine cases out
of ten. All druggists sell Wine
ofCardui. i.oo per bottle.
ForadVics la cases rwjalrfnr special
directions, address, rlyiar symptoms,
tte "Ladles Advisory Department.'1
The Chattanooca Medicine Co.. Chatav
BSora.Teaa. LOHSa I
Whea I arst teek wtae sT Cartful
asa ansa taarnen tare imh. hut
eMldaet tura tay children. Was
hw i aan a nee gin asay."
NOTICE.
-yL'jMct court in and for Platte county,
Elizabeth L. Reed, Plaintiff.
-Inline- Kasmntteon. Julie P. Raumuswen. Alfred
Bell
State Bank of Colnmbns. KetaskaT Oefcod"
Gould & Co- ilefptuUnta in ttu. -kt Y:!rri
action will take notice that on the 19th darof
March. A. D 13. the above named plaintiff
bled her petition in the district court of Platte
county, Itebraaka. against aaid defendant ia
of frh 'VMl,c,MUF.tn it aad prayer
or which are to foreclose a certain mortaaan
executed by said defendants. Julins Rubiimm
aad Julie P. fcmqssen. to said plaintiff, upon
the following described real estate, to wit:
Commencing- at tho southeast corner of lot
??lp.ehU8j ? Wo nomber aftr-serea
(), in the city of (.oluinbus. in Platte county,
state of Nebraska, thence north twentr-two (22)
feet, thence west eighty (80) feet, thence soetb
twentv-two (22) feet. lhnru ., ton
to the place of beginnine;; also the followlaaj
. - i . "-""""cucuik hi. a point oa taa
east line or mid lot number eight (d), rorty-foar
teet north of the southeast comer of said lot
S? ""Jr LHisil thence north twenty-two feet to
the northeast corner of said lot saaber eiaat.
feet, thence east eighty feet to the place of
beginning to secure the payment of on promie
e?inot.'datn? ApriI " 18'orWnTof
f1011 Ua !hree. Jear fterdate thereofsad
six coupon Botes of same date for Stench one
?f5 ""WBKdue a the 11th day if April! and
October of each year thereafter that therei.
now due aad unpaid upon said notes and iort-
fhTiift 'l0 !I2l0,ad iBtwwrt thereTaTroB
the 11th day of October. 18OT.at tea per cent,
and the plaintiff prays for a decree that W&
mortaaae mav b rnrMlni :. fzrT..
nM r. .,:.- ... "" zr "" ?"
thereon.
10 saiisry I lie amount dne the ntaiatiflr
u-n .!?T',,',d,to,aa8TMU,i, PtiUQ oa or
B, wnrrnovn. fiS,CTn KKED
her Attorney. 23mar4t
UNDERTAKING !
We Carry Coffins, Caskets art
Metallic Caskets at as low
rices as any one.
IX EMBILMHSTG
?wAHK BST HEARSE
IN THE COUNTRY.
W. A. McAixisteb.
W. M . Coamxics
AIXISTEm s COaUIXUlJS,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
ZS
nSLnnV
Tft annwn
X.W Snnnwl
iOH
1SL.V V "Tv!oal,cn "xnH E. Willanl,
Dean Armstrong 4 Co. Sprajra Warner 4 Co.!
.Manufacturing V. Itl it rw.n.i.t iv. "
llonld X (To.. Consolidate! Coffee Co. Dmiil
Landrrth & Hon. Wt.IL.t- w:," V;JAU
rSSEh0 VntT -'. ;w Sanborn, R. B.
I22.ci tol.C..r,e rcker -.. David Laa
dreth & Sons. R. W. H!l Mr- ... T vJfr
BIISISKKbo
ooidnairs,
Uiaatt
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