The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-04-10
WASHINGTON.
THE HOUSE PASSES THE CUBAN RES
OLUTIONS.

Powers and circuit Lock Hours ON I'll
Library Hill-Eecd Kcverses liimsel
.tgnin-An important Pension KUHN:
And BilI to Increase Pensions.
The houseMouday in concurrence will
the senate passed the Cuban resolutions
recognizing the belligercuey of thu
rebels and Offering tn Spain the friend
~ offices OF theUnited States for the rec
IGNITION of independence. The vote
was 2li 10 q. The negatives included
Is Republicans and nine Democrats
Among them were II New England
membcrs including Grout of Vermont
and Atwood and seven other Massa
chusetts members. The vote was
reached only after three days debate,
which was opened by Chairman Hit
of the Foreign Affairs committee, who
called up tho resolutions Friday and
made speech of admirable temper in
their support. He argued that the
recognition of bclligerency was only
fair to the struggling Cubans who were
engaged in a greater war than was the
former fight for independence, and that
! the exercising of friendly offices look
ing toward the granting Of independ-
once would not be an act of hostility
toward Spain, but strictly consistent
with former action of the United States
under similar circumstances. He in
stanced the efforts of Gen. Grants adj
ministration during the former Cuban
rebellion and the action of the United
States toward South American rcpub-
lies struggling for freedom.
III opposition was led by Boutclle
Of Maine, who got pretty abusive Fri.
day while arguing that Congress had
better stop medding in foreign affairs,
and in this particular matter leave the
President of the United States to use
his own discretion. Gilett of Massa
chusetts made IA moro digniiicd argu
ment Saturday. expressing the utmost
sympathy for the struggling Cubans,
but insisting that the passage of the
resolutions would accomplish no good
result. Granting belligcrency to the
Cubans is not function or prcroga-
tive of the legislative power, but of
the executive, and the passage of the
resolutions would ho usurpation on the
part of congress.
The fourth class post.oliices are to
remain political spoils until after one
more presidential at least. The Lodge
amendment to the postofilce appropria-
tiop bill, authorizing the postmaster
general to utilize the general fund APP
propriated for pustmasters' salaries,
so as to pay clerks in charge of consol-
idated postoflice, was defeated Tues (
day in the Senate by an unexpectedly
large majority of Is to T. 4
The fact that it was new legislation
and offered as part of an appropriation
bill increased the vote againgt 1t on I
account of the growing prejudice
against the practice OF putting such .
legislation on appropriation bllis. .
In the House 1t IS forbidden by the
rules and in the Senate an attempt is
being made TO prohibit 1t by custom.
But the spoils instinct was the chef
cause. Lodge and Hoar OF Massachus.
etts, Wocott Of Colorado. and Villas OF
Wisconsin all made strong arguments
in favor Of the change, while German
Of Maryland led the opposition to it.
Villas. spoke out of his long experience
as head of the post office department.
He said that no opposition would have
been made to it had not Mr.. German
uncorked the bottle and let out the
genius of opposition TO civil service re
form. And, he added, civil ser
vice advancement in this country owes
its success TO the man now at the head
Of this government. Walcott's speech
was "A brilliant one and he declared
that he did not agree with Senator
German that the corner grocery was
.he corner stone of the republic.
Ioar, growing eloquent over civil ser.
vice reform, mentioned Dorman b. Ea-
on, Senator Hawley and Theodore
Roosevelt as the three men who had
l,pa NOR, fhan urv ~ hors fpr Mr.
eaton, he said, had first brought it
before the country, Sen
ltor Hawley had carried through the .
ivil service act, and Mr.. Roosevelt had |
lone more than anybody else to estab- c
ish the new system. An amendment =
which restricted the consolidation sys :
EN- to the limits of corporate towns and
tiles was adopted. Yeas, 80: nays, %.
mother amendment was also adopted,
$50. GOO for thr expert v
tents in free mail delivery.
The house wrangled for two hours q
esday over bill to give Il public Ii u
rary TO the DISTINCT OF Columbia. Inc
onferees on the part OF the mouse
3ported IN favor OF accepting the sen
tic proposition that the government \
ay haIf tne expense ana the Dlstrict e,
ne other half as usual with inc dls- 81
net expenses. Judge Powers OF YER "
lont led the opposition and was sus- Il
'incd, ll3 to III Another conference b.
. the subject was ordered. Circuit ut Il
ermont took the other side from Pow. sc
IS and made speech IN advocacy OF tc
lc measure. II
The house took up the blll Tuesday OF
establish the metric system III the Il
nlted States. Inc measure was sus- &
lined Inv a scholarly rpnDrt nv Rppre- | -,