The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-03-05
OVERWHELMING VOTE
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES PASSED ITS CUBAN
RESOLUTIONS.
DRAMATIC DEBATE PRECEDED VOTE
FOREBODINGS OF WAR WE'RE
UTTERED = UNBOUNDED EN-
THUSIASM OF SPECTATORS.
A BILL FOR THE INCREASE OF OUR NAVY.
Passed the Standardization Were
Introduced Demanding of Spain to
Know the Truth of Reports of
Torturing Prisoners-Several
Minor Bills Pass the
A BILL FOR THE INCREASE OF OUR NAVY.

war talk from Spain the struggling pa
triots in Cuba were eulogized and SYM
| pathized with in two hous debate and
| the rules were then suspended and the
resolutions presented by the house for
egn affairs committee were adopted as a
| substitute for those of the senate by an
| overwhelming majority-263 to II.
An analysis of the vote shows that 1SS
| Republicans, 20 Democrats and Popu-
lists voted for the resolution and nine
Republicans and eight Democrats against
them.
The debate which preceded their adop-
ton was animated and at times it was
exceedingly dramatic, especially when
forebodings of war were uttered, but
there was no stemming OF the strong
tide. The setting of the scene was brill
liant. The galleries were black with peo-
pie attracted by the prospect of the STIR
ring event. In the reserved galleries
were many prominent persOnages. Even
the diplomatic gallery, which is usually
empty, was thronged with the representa-
tives of foreign countries. On the floor
the attendance was the largest of the
season. a number of senators came over
from their end of the capitol to watch
the proceedings. The enthusiasm of the
| members and spectators ran riot several
times, and the opponents of the resOlrl-
| ton cut but sorry figure when they at
tempted a demonstration. Owing to the
brief time allotted for debate members
were fortunate in securing two or three
minutes to present their views.
Under suspension of the rules Il bill
was passed on motion of Mr. Dinsmore
, (Dem) of Arkansas to grant the Arkan-
sas and Northwestern railroad right
of way through the Indian Territory.
a bill to retire Lieutenant Commander
Brown, United States navy, one of the
officers injured in the Samoan wreck, as
Il commander, was defeated.
The senate joint resolution directing
the secretary of agriculture to purchase
and distribute the seed authorized by
| the current law, was adopted.
Mr.. Hit, chairman of the foreign af-
fairs committee, arose.
Immediately hush fell upon the house
He moved to suspend the rules and pass
| the resolutions reported by the house for
eign affairs committee for recognizing
Cuban belligerency.
The resolutions are as follows
Resolved, BY the house of representa-
tives, the senate concurring, that in the
opinion of congress state of war exists
| III ouDu, lhc pil W WllCu are pIllltltu
to belligerent rights, and the United
States should observe a strict neutrality
between the belligerents.
Resolved, That congress deplores the
| destruction of life and property caused
by war now raging in the island, and
believing that the only permanent solu-
| tion of the contest, equally in the interest
| of Spain, the people of Cuba and other
nations would be in the establishment of
a government by the people of Cuba, it
| is the sense of congress that the govern
| ment of the United States should use its
good Offices and friendly influence to that
| end.
Resolved, That the United States has
| not interviewed in struggles between Eu-
! ropean governments and their colonies on
| this continent; but from the very close
relations between the people of the United
States and those of Cuba, in consequence
| of its proximity and the extent of com
merce between the two people, the pres
ent war is entailing much losses on the
people of the United States, that congress
is of the opinion that the government of
the United States should be prepared
to protect the legitimate interests of
Amerfans by intervention if necessary.
"Thesc resolutions" said Mr.. Hitt.
have been considered with great care by
the foreign affairs committee. In many
meetings the question has been discussed.
They have been ripened and matured
after consultation with the most emf
nent jurists. In the right of peace. our
own country, and in the interest of those
who are making a struggle with which
we sympathize, we believe these resolu-
tions represent the more practical. con-
servative and effective mode of action.
They propose, first, that congress shall
express its opinion that a state of war
exists in the island of Cuba and that we
recognize it; second, that the conditions
prevailing on the island which have in
volved such great and deplorable losses
VIII hnd 'ermanent solution only in the
establishment of government by the
free choice of the people of Cuba them
selves and that our government should
use its friendly influence to that end.
This, in the interest of the people of
Spain, of Cuba and of all other nations.
And, third, in view of the vast interests
of our people in the island of Cuba, so
close neighbor, in view of the immense
commerce being destroyed and the pro-
digious investments of our American
citizens there being consumed, that our
government, while it has never entered
into connection between European
powers and their colonies in any of the
struggles which have taken place be-
tween them, should be prepared to pro-
tect the interests of our American citi-
zens by intervention. if intervention be
necessary. The resolutions ought not to
cause any trouble between us and any
country not seeking to foment trouble
with us.