New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-22
THE HOUSE IN THE WAY.
MR. CAMERON's RESOLUTION PHACIl-
cALLY CERTAIN TO BE KILLED
THERE.
SPEAKER REED AND A MAJORITY OF THE FUN
EIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AGAINST IT
MR. oLNEY's ACTION CRITICISED
AND DEFENDED-TALKs WITH
t-... MANY REPRESENTATIVES,.

AND DEFENDED-TALkS WITH
t. MANY REPRESENTATIVES,.
rny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
Washington. Dec 21.-Should 1t possibly nap
nen that the Cameron resolution gets through
the Senate it is asserted to be practicahy GER
tain that it will be killed In the House Opin-
ions TO this effect were freely Expressed u
day by individual Representatives. some oi
tbese came bfrom members who are favorapiy
DISPOSED toward the idea of recognition
heretofore. as a general thing. only mem
bers who have opposed the Caiheio" ieo'"
tion have urged that that proposition would not
get through the House. But to-day seNeiai
frierds of Cuba who have INSISTED 'ha' ''ie ro"'e
would pass the resolution by Dig maJo'''! au
,,i,,ad that there now seemed no likelihood Of
such a result Their chief reason FOR TINS want
If confidence appears to be in the attitude taken
bv Sneaker Reed IL has been supposed that 'he
sneaker was opposed to the Cameron resolution.
but no one has been found who has optaiheu
from him an expression of his views. nor has
any ono shaken with his authority. 1t is possible
thar MIR Reed said something on the subject to-
dav as the Representatives friendly TO Cuba
now admit that the Speaker Is to be counted
against any decisive action by Congress this SEES
sion II has been known that majority OF the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs would vote
not TO report the Cameron resolution. with the
Speaker arrayed against the proposition It's
chances Of passage are slim. one Kepresehta-
tive said to-day that he doubted If the speaker
would recognize a member on the moor II ne
knew or even suspected that it was his purpose
to get a vote on the resolution. Everything con-
'sidered it would appear. therefore. that what
ever may be the course Of the Senate, the House
will not adopt the resolution
General Draper of Massachusetts,. acting
chairman of the House Committee in the alb
sence of Mr. Hit. thus expressed himself to-day
as TO the attitude OF his committee toward the
resolution: I'm my judgment. no SUCH PROPOSE
ton as Mr.. Camerons will get through the COM
nittee in the course of this Congress. The sub
committee in charge of the Cuban subject, con-
sistiDg Of Messrs. Adams and Tucker and myself.
is opposed to all ill-consderci act IN. such this
would be. and I think the full committee feels
the same way, There has been a decided change
of sentiment on this question. not only In the
committee. but with the members of the House
generally since the last session. The House has
now become the conservative body
OLNEY ATTACKED AND DEFENDED.
a number of Senators and Representatives.
while not committing themselves as to the merits
of the reported resolution. freely criticised Mr..
this time, Whether the Secretary's views to
the respective rights and powers Of the executive
and legislative branches sound or otherwise
was of course discussed at length by members.
and various were the opinions expressed. But
this point was not discussed perhaps so frequent
~ as was the fact that Mr.. Olney had spoken at
all OF course. there are members of both houses
who praise the Secretary's action. These say
that in doing as he did he displayed both cOur
age and patriotism. for. disregarding custom.
possibly courtesy. at time when the Senate
committee had gone to extremes from prudent
point of view. he warned the members of the
committee that their course was unwise and
that the President would not sign the yesolu,ion
they adopted. But there other members who
severely condemn Mr.. Olney. and say that he has
been both presumptuous and impertnent not
only in giving out to the public a statement dis
GUESSING the action of Senate committee on
grave question which the executive branch had
temporarily disposed Of. and which Congress.
after hearing what the Executive had to say. is
now considering but in defying Congress before
the world. .
Senators and Representatives are sensitive
about their prerogatives. and many who dis
cussed Mr.. Olneys course o-day found no apollo
gy for it. The general sentiment expressed was
that if the President opposed to the passage
Of measure pending in Congress. there was
decOrous way provided by custom to let the fact
become known To members both before and after
a vote was had. To anticipate the action of the
Senate and through the press Of the country to
fay the Senate committee and defy H. was c.
to be not only extraordinary but highly
polite.
INTERVIEWS WITH REPRESENTATIVES,.
Many interesting views have been elected from
Representatives and Senator'S on Mr.. Olney's in
terview. Representative Baker. Of New-Hamp-
shire, looked at the Olney letter and the Cuban
situation in this light MY opinion is that IT is
the duty OF the Chief Executive to obey all
statutes and resolutions Of Congress whenever
they become laws either by his approval or when
hey are passed over his veto. and any failure
TO carry out the will Of Congress thus expressed
would render the President or any of his Sere-
taries liable TO impeachment and 1t might be-
come the duty Of Congress, In defence of free
government. to take action in that regard. ire
spective Of any views held on the Cuban ques
ton. Personally. ] believe this Government
should. far possible. extend to the patriots
fighting for free government In Cuba our aid.
without committing a breach OF international
law. | voted for the recognition Of beigerency
and would do so again. because do not believe
such a recognition can be considered as preach
of our international duty. l should be willing to
vote for q recognition of Independence. The
Cubans are suffering from taxation without
representation and other wrongs vastly in excess
Of those which led our forefathers to declare
and maintain their independence"
Representative Hill Of Connecticut haven't
given the letter of Secretary Olney full consd-
Grafton. but am in favor Of doing anything
lawful or honOrab bic for Cuba, although | am not
in favor OF war.
Representative Henry. Of Connectcut-I am
not a lawyer but ii was great surprise to me
to see the claim made that the President would
refuse to comply with q two birds vote Of Con-