The Indianapolis journal., 1896-03-03
AN EMERGENCY BILL.
Warlike Naval Measure Hurrfedly
Passed by the Senate.


WASHINGTON, March 2.-The bill passed
by the. Senate to-day for the increase of the
navy attracted considerable attention in view
of the tension over Spanish-Cuban affairs. In
explaining the measure Mr.. Hale, who re-
ported it from the naval committee. said
that, while he did not believe the United
States would be involved in war as result
of the present troubles. yet he considered it
desirable to give the President authority, in
case Of emergency, to call out the naval
militia and charter private ships for naval
transports The bill, as passed. authorizes
the addition Of one thousand enlisted men to
the navy, the enlisting for not more than
two years of the naval militia forces, in case
Of emergency. and the chartering of trans
port ships in case of emergency. The bill
passed under the five-minute rule and by
unanimous vote. Another bill of general in
terest passed. which establishes a retired list
for the revenue marine service similar to
the retirement system of the army and navy.
Most of the day was given to the Senate
calendar. and many minor bills were passed.
The Spanish-Cuban question came to the
attention of the Senate soon after the session
opened, when Mr.. Call urged the adoption of
the following resolution:
dent Of the United States be requested 10 de-
mand of the government OF Spain a state
ment as to the truth OF the charges made in
a letter published in the newspapers purport-
ing to be from Mr.. Gomez late editor of
La Lucha, newspaper published in Ha-
vana, that he had been tortured while con-
fined in dungeon in the bare ground for
two months in Ceuta. the penal colony OF
Spain. to extort from him evidence against
Julius Sanguilly, naturalized citizen of the
United States, and subsequently killing the
al a Fl y
of the evidence and al the proceedings in
the alleged civil trial or julius Sanguilly, in
which 1t is charged that the said Sanguilly
was condemned TO Imprisonment for life at
Ceuta suspicion only and without evil
dence: also, to demand the release of Charles
Nicholson and Lorenzo Belancourt, corre-
are charged only with entering the insurgeni
lines to obtain information: also. to demand
Of Spain pa that "a all An american citizens who shall
treated as prisoners OF war, and be accorded
humane treatment, and to inform the Spanish
government that the United States will insist
on this demand
Mr.. Call read from newspaper extracts the
report of the barbarities perpetrated On Co
wife of Gomez had received a letter from
him, written in his blood. shortly before he
died in the Spanish penal colony in Africa
The Senator declared that Americans serv.
ing in the Cuban army we're being shot tc
death without trial. He declared that the re-
cent action of the Senate should be supple
meuteu Dy steps 10 secure humane treatment
OF prisoners taken by the Spanish troops
Mr.. Sherman moved to refer the resolution
to the foreign relations committee. which
was agreed to.
Senator Gear presented Senator Allison's
Credentials for the term beginning March a.
1897.
A resolution by Mr.. Allen was agreed to-
calling on the Secretary of the Treasury fol
information on the earnings of the Pacific
railroads from the time of their organza-
tion
The Presidents veto OF the bill concerning
Arizona lands. with a report from the House
that the bill had been passed over the veto
in that body, was presented, and the entire
subject referred to the committee on public
lands.
The bill was passed to prevent the carrying
of obscene literature and articles designed
for indecent and immoral use from one State
or Territory 20 another. The following bills
were also passed:
Providing certain requirements for vessels
propelled by naDhtha gas, fluid or electric
motors: establishing a naval training station
on Goat island. in the harbor OF San Fran
cisco; authorizing the construction of bridges
across the Missouri river between its mouth
and the mouth OF the Dakota or James river
and across the Mississippi river between the
mouth of the Minnesota river. In Minnesota
and Southport, La. and across the Illinois
and Desplaines rivers between the mouth oI