The National tribune., 1896-12-17


A conference report to increase the pension
of Carolina A. Hougb, widow of Brig.-Gen.
John Hough, from $17 to $50 was agreed to.
a bill was passed empowering any member
of the Legislature of New Mexico to swear in
the presiding officer. The purpose Of the bill
| is to prevent the Secretary of the Territory,
| who now swears in the presiding officer, from
making up the roll of the House and Senate.
THURSDAY, DEC. 10.
In the Senate, the feature of the day was the
speech of Senator Cullom (Ill., b. on the CUBAN
| question. The Senator preceded his speech
with the following resolution:
RESOLVED. bu the Senate and House Of Representa-
tires That the extinction of Spanish title and the
| termination of Spanish control of the islands at
the gateway of the Gulf of Mexico are necessary
TO the welfare of those islands and to the people OF
the United States
He said in part: "While am not disposed
to criticise President Cleveland, may properly
say that had hoped he would find occasion to
give more positive or emphatic expression OF
the true American continental policy, which
ought to be invoked in all cases where the
liberty and independence OF any OF the peoples
of the American continent are involved ana,
further. | think we ought never to hesitate or
delay when the lines of this policy run parable.
and coincident with those of common human
ity.
IF we wait for precedents we shall wait
forever If precedent is needed TIE shall
make one We violated every precedent by
the declaration of our own independence on
July 4. 1776 We had no precedent, nor ala
we even ask for advice as to the change In
1859 from a confederation to union of States.
When we announced the Monroe doctrine IN
1923. it was in defiance of precedent, and was
the determination of a rule which has become
a law, and will never be gainsaid. When we
announced not many months ago that we shoulo
intervene in the matter of the venezuelan
boundary, and see for ourselves If our rights
were to be concluded by foreign dictation, we
followed no precedent but that of good Amer
lean common sense. And common sense mas
won.
" In their recent war, which has lasted about
81 months, Spain has wasted over hundred
millions. and has put into the field possibly
200, 900 men and boys Spain is beggared to-
day, and unless she can continue her grasp
upon Cuba she will show to the world the end
of the worst-governed country known in 20OO
years. As / have before intimated believe
it to be the duty of the United States to use
the great power attaching to the Nation to de-
clare and TO maintain, as a prerogatlve OF rlgnt
belonging generally to repu blicanism, and espe-
cially to this Republic. that no charnei-honse
of ruin shall be continued In the West Indian
waters. whose waves break at our very front
gate any longer than the time it shall require
to break it up. And if the duty of suppressing
this damning blot and erasing it forever from
sight shall fall alone upon the United States,
so be it, The effort cannot fail"
Mr.. Call Fla, d. followed Mr.. Cullom ad
dressing himself to his resolution, introduced
Wednesday, for the recognition of Cuban in
dependence.
Mr.. Call began by having the clerk read several
mmunications. One by United States Consul
Brice of Matanzas, Cuba, to Assistant Secre-
tary of State Rockhill. stated that the Military
Governor had turned over Oscar Cespides to
the civil authorities, making profuse apologies
in the case. The deposition of Cespides, taken
in the Matanzas Jail, was read. 1t recited
that he was native-born citizen Of the United
States, who went as a reporter to Cuba on board
the Com modore He was captured while lying
sick under a tree, not having arms, and with
out any connection with the revolution.
letter to Mr.. Call added the information that
Hosea Gonzales an aged citizen of Florida. was
in Cuban prison, although no just charge was
against him.
Mr.. Call referred to these communications
as showing the extent of SPANS arbitrary
course in Cuba against United States citizens.
The first duty of the United States, he said,
was to protect its own citizens. He could sec
no reason for Withholding immediate rec0gni-
tion of Cuba's independence.
The Senator declared that it was to Spain's
interest that the United States should act,
ton of life and property, and without further
excitement in the United States.
The Call resolution was referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations
In the House, Mr.. Boatner La, d., from
the Fifth Louisiana District, whose seat was
declared vacant at the last session, and who was
ret elected at special session. was sworn in.
Mr.. Morse Mass. B. then called up fr0mthe
.,teo Dbl pail nd dc a
bill to prohibit the sale of intoxicating drinks
in the Capitol and Capitol grounds Mr.. Morse
said he did not care to make any elaborate re-
marks on the bill, but he declared that the sale
of intoxcants in the National Capitol was
scandal and disgrace No one took the floor
| in opposition to the measure and it was passed.
Yeas l04, nays five. Messrs. Adams PA. b.,
ardson Tenn, d. aud Foote IN. Y, b. voted
| against it.
| An effort was made by Delegate Flynn
| (Okla 10 have the letter in which Tom Watson
| attacked Senator Marion Butler, and held him
responsible for the Popnlist defeat read by the
| Clerk OF the House, but objection was made on
| the ground that Senator Butler was not present
to defend himself, and that the rules forbid an
| attack by member of the House upon Sen
| ator. Speaker Reed sustained the objection.
| Mr. Fiynn's point was made, however, for
every member of the House had read Watson's
attack upon the Senator from North Carolina.
| The discussion was started by the calling up
of the bill reported from the Committee on
| Territories, TO amend the act forbdding alien
/ ownership of lands in the Territories The
bill sought to enable aliens to acquire title to
| real property under mortgage foreclosure, but
| by tie terms OF the bill they must dispose Of
| such title within 10 years.
populism was dragged in by Mr.. Hepburn of
| Iowa who declared that the Populists after
declaimng against alien ownership, were now
| in fauor Of allowing aliens to acquire all they
| had heretofore declared should belong only to
/ American citizens He was answered by Mr..
Catron of New Mexico, who stood sponsor for
| the measure, aud declared that no foreign
capital could be invested under the present law,
| and that capital was needed to develop the re-
sources of the Territories. At the same time
the bill did not permit aliens to hold land longer
/ than 10 years Having admitted that a COM
] binaiion of Populists and Democrats had car
| ried New Mexico at the last election, Mr..
| Hepburn told him that the people of New
| Mexico ought now to have an object lesson and
| learn once for all that their Territory cannot
| grow under Populistic doctrines.
| This brought Mr.. Bell, the Colorado Popu-
list TO mis- feet in defense Of his party, and
| aroused Delegate Flynn (Okla). whose de-
| feat at the hands of Popuist preacher is
still with him tender memory. Mr.. Flynn
characterized the Popuist as an 1shmaelte, a
| man who could not thrive save on failure and
despair. Where nothing else could exist he
said. there the Populist party could be found
| in all its strength and glory.
4 Mr.. Stone PA, r. asked If Popnlism did
! not mean n different thing in every State