New-York tribune., 1896-04-04
PRICE THREE CENTS.
CUBA TO THE FRONT AGAIN.
THE CONFERENCE REPORT DEBATED IN
THE HOUSE.

ARGUMENT FOR RECOGNITION OF THE IN
sURGENTs - RoARs OF LAUGHTER
CAUSED BY MR.. BouTELLE's
HITS AT THE PRESIDENT.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.l
Washington. April Sowing to the perform.
snces Of Democratic flibusters in the House OF
Representatives to-day, II was somewhat late In
the afternoon when the conference report on the
Cuban resoutions called up by Chairman
Hit, Of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and II
was therefore found impracticable to reach .
vote to-day. Many Of the visitors who had
braved the rgors OF bleak. bitter, wintry day
bequeathed to April by blusterous March, became
weary of the proceedings long before the sub
ject which had induced them to leave warm fire.
sides was brought forward. and had left the Capt.
to in disgust. but more remained. so that the
galleries were comfortably filled until the days
sitting ended.
MIR. HIT DEFENDS THE REPORT
Mr.. Hits speech was temperate In tone and
able and exhaustive as are all his speeches on
international matters. After reciting the facts
and circumstances which had induced the House
conferrees to recede and accept the Senate resolu
tions. he explained that the former. so far they
went, were substantially the same the latter.
This part Of the speech was apologetic as well az
explanatory. The remainder OF the speech was
mainly luminous exposition Of the meaning OF
"belligerent rights" and the effect Of granting
them on all concerned: defence, based on his
torical grounds o. the proposed action to offer
to Spain the friendly offices Of the United States
In establishing Cuban independence; an inter-
esting review Of the military operations in Cuba
since the beginning of the present revolt. and .
caustic review Of the acts Of the Spanish Govern
ment. which had broken the promises made as the
price paid for the paciication of Cuba at the end
Of tho disastrous ten years struggle which
ended eighteen years ago. Mr.. Hit was FREE
quently interrupted by questions from members
on both sides Of the House. who appeared to be
seeking information to all Of which he gave
ready and apparently satisfactory answers. His
remarks We're also frequently interrupted by ap-
pause. both on the floor and In the galleries.
MR.. BOUTELLE PROTESTS AGAIN
He followed by Mr. Boutelle, Of Maine.
who delivered a vigorous speech In opposition
to the resolutions. Mr.. Boutelle boldly claimed
to represent the sentiments of a large portion
Of the American people, whose opinions were
entitled to high respect and consideration, and
he protested most vigorously against the efforts
TO manufacture and then inhame a false public
sentiment in favor Of action by Congress which
might involve the country in a foreign war.
He thought Congress and the Executive might
better employ themselves in exhibiting some
capacity to manage the affairs Of the United
States before undertaking to interfere with and
settle the affairs Of other nations. The reve-
nues CT the Government were confessedly in
adequate ito pay for it's daily bread" and Con-
gress, or branch OF ii, had already con-
fessed It's inability to provide means to meet
the daily deficit
Mr.. Boutelle then adverted to President Ceve-
lands Venezuelan message. and drew a picture
as true 1t was ludicrous OF what had pre-
ceded and followed the emission Of that docu-
ment He described the President as having
returned to Washington from the swamps Of
North Carolina flushed with his deeds Of dead
" prowess upon the waterfowl" and so filled
with a bellicose spirit that he clad himself
in the full uniform OF the Commander-in-Chief
with gorgeous epaulets and lofty plume
a sword ten feet long and spurs with rowels
four feet broad-and blew a blast Of defiance
against John Bull. He stood the shore Of
the Atlantic in all the panoply Of war. and. gaz-
ing seaward and shifting the air. he shouted.
Fe-f- f-fo-fum. / sr,ell the blood of an English
man. and all the people, pointing toward him,
shouted: Look at our great President He
has given the tail Of the British lion such
twist as 1t never felt befo:e Oh, he's a rngeri
Now for vigorous foreign policy"
ALL But THE "CUCKOOs" AMUSED.
The House roared with laughter-that is. all
the members did except a few 'Cuckoos." But
Bou,ee not through. He drew another
picture. Christmas Day was nigh; many men,
bers had already gone to their homes to enjoy
their Christmas turkey, and Congress on
the eve Of holiday recess when Ii was startled
by another apparition. 1t was the tai-twister.
with broken plume his ten-foot sword bent
and dangling between his legs. with one epaulet
missing and his horrible spurs lost in the folds
Of his uniform, he came bended knees and
implored Congress not to take any holiday recess
because the Government had money where
with to pay its daily bills or maintain the public
credit" Again and again the House roared VITA
laughter and applause
But no synopsis could do justice to Mr. Bou-
telle's speech which abounded In happy hits and
sarcastic illusions. every one Of which hit the
mark A few members ventured to interrupt
and attempt to badger him, but most OF them
had reason to feel sorry for 1t. and he pursued
the even tenor Of his way in peace and gave
some most cogent reasons why the resolutions
should not be adopted. at least until Congress
had received further ana accurate information
to justify such a course. That the Administra-
ton had not yet been placed in possession OF
such Information he felt jus tilted in asserting
In the absence Of any action by the President
who had been so ready 20 act in the Venezuelan
matter.
THE DEBATE IN DETAIL.
The prospect OF a further debate the Cuban