Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-19
WILL NOT PASS THE HOUSE
Much Genuine Surprise Ex-
pressed by Members
ON HEARING THE ACTION
OF the Senate Committee as to Cuba-Many
Expressions on the Subject -Ihe Res
outions Cannot Go through

Washington d. c., Dec. 1S.-The house
heard with surprise the action of the
senate foreign relations committee in
recognizing the independence of Cuba,
and if the opinion of the members of the
foreign affairs committee and some of the
democratic and republican leaders In
the house is to be taken as a criterion
the popular branch of the government
will not sustain the position taken by the
senate committee.
Mr. Hit, of Illinois, the chairman of
the house committee, is out of the city
and is not expected to return until after
the holiday recess. Several other men,
bers of the committee were not in their
seats today and have presumably left
town.
OF those who remain-and of this num-
Der a Southern Associated Press reporter
talked with five-the entire quintet
strongly opposed any action at this time.
The republicans objected to any step
which would in their opinion, bring
about q war with Spain on the ground
that the Mckinley administration ought
not to be met at the very moment of COM
ing into power by so serious an interna-
Iional problem. 1t was thought better
that Mr. Mckinley should formulate his
own Cuban policy and in this conclusion
the democrats fully concurred Other
members felt that it would be injudcious
on the part of the United States to rec
ognize either the independence or the bel
ligerency of the Cuban rebels until the
real situation in the island was known.
Thus far members of the house, at least
are in absolute ignorance except so far
as conflicting newspaper reports are con-
cerned, of the strength OF the rebels or
their ability to maintain more than
guerilla warfare against the Spanish
crown.
Another gentleman, also a member of
the house foreign affairs committee, said
the time for action had passed. that the
island was bankrupt, that American in
terests in Cuba are destroyed, that our
commerce with the island has practically
disappeared and that recognition now
would be a mere sentiment without
practical consideration behind it,
IT." sad he 1--WE want war with
Spain for a sentiment, we are at liberty
to have 1t, but not with my consent. Ii
We had interviewed year ago the war
in the island would have been ended
in thirty days, American property rights
would have been saved and. our trade
with Cuba would have suffered only
partial interference. Today, as [ say, the
island is bankrupt, and their trade will
be worth nothing to the United States
for twenty years"
Another member of the committee ex-
pressed the belief that the United States
had better attend to its own business
gress of nations with chip on its Shout
der spelling for a fight "There is
great difference of opinion" he said,
among our own people today as to the
financial policy which we should adopt.
About half the American people favor
bimetallsm, and the remainder are
unit for the gold standard. We had bet
ter settle our own difficulties and get
our affairs on a satisfactory basis before
taking any further trouble upon our
shoulders"
Members of the foreign affairs COM
mittee expressed their surprise at the
change of sentiment among their col
leagues 1t was stated that members of
the committee who, at the last session,
were radical in their opposition to Spain
and bubblng over with enthusiasm for
the Cuban patriots have changed front
since their return to washington, ana
are now among the most conservative
men on the committee. The prediction
was freely made that notwithstanding
the unanimity with which the resolution
was reported by the senate committee, 1t
was doubtful if the senate would adopt
it, or at least not without very con-
siderable delay. Not a single member Of
the house. out of a score or more of the
leaders, could be found who believed
that the senate resolution could pass
the house, even though it be favorably
reported by the house committee, which
is also regarded as impossible. The
opinion was freely expressed that hte
senate, from being the conservative
branch of the government has changed
places with the house, and that the lat
ter today is by long odds the most con-
servative branch of congress.
One of the members of the foreign af-
fairs committee who did not hesitate to
express his views publicly was Mr..
Quigg, a New York republican. He said
~ don't think the senate resolution can