Evening star., 1896-12-19
ARE AGAINST WAR
Leaders of the House Opposed to the
Cameron Resolution.
VIEWS OF some OF TIE VETERANS
Probabilities if Actual HostiIities
Should Take Place.
EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION

- y
The reporting of the Cameron Cuban re
| solution by the Senate foreign relations
committee has had a very remarkable affec,
upon the House. The leaders have invoked
the spirit of conservatism, and IL is evident
| that a powerful influence is being exerted
| to check the liberty-loving enthusiasm OF
the emotional members of the House Ii
Is understood that Speaker Reed is violently
| opposed to the action proposed by the Sen
| ate, and this opposition is reflected by the
leaders who are recognized as be-. ng under
| his influence. The rank and file of MEM
bers are evidently very strongly fayora BILE
| TO the most radical action that can be
TAKEN Left to their own devices there
| can be no doubt that very large ma
1orlty would vote for the Cameron resoIu-
| ton. but this sentiment is all subject to
the influence of the recognized leaders The
most ardent sympathizers with Cuba fee
that II the resolution is adoped by the Sen
ate and is referred TO the foreign affairs
committee of the House, IL is liable to b,,
smothered there. Their plan is to try to
secure action IN the House without refer
ehce TO the committee If possible
Opposition From Three Sources.
The opposition to action comes from
| N'i'NS ouiScs-liIst from IN DSe lie auerS who
reflect the sentiment of Speaker Reed:
second, from those democrats who usually
| cooperate with the present administra-
tion, and, third, from some of the radical
silver men, who look upon foreign com
pllcatlon as likely to divert attention from
domestic political issues.
The opinion is almost unanimous that
the senate Will adopt the resolution by an
immense majority. There will be a hard
nght there by the few Senators who op-
pose any action adverse to the interests of
Spain, bat IL is not though: they will be
able to delay action very long. The ques-
ton will then he left TO the House for de-
termination. The House is almost com
pletely In the control of its leaders. Ii
IS in the power of the Speaker and his
lieutenants to overcome even the most
Widespread sentiment, and this renders il
extremely doubtful whether lie Cuban
sympathizers Will be able to carry their
point At the last session the House
most aggressive in this matter. Since
then the influence of the leaders has made
itself felt. The foreign affairs committee
has not given the question any sort of
consideration, and it is evident that the
sentiment there has changed. There is
also evidence of q change of sentiment in
the House among those men of command
What the Leaders Say.
Mr.. Dalzell, who is one Of the closest To
| the Speaker, said today that the House did
hot SSciIi ~ Dt cctHtIlHS iNstll dpoul
Cuban question. He said that he could
find 10 evidence of excitement except on
| the part of a few individuals. He did not
believe there was any general sentiment in
favor of radical action. General Hender-
son, another of of the leaders, said thai
he was not frothing over the matter, and
did not see any reason for haste. large
number of others who usually follow their
leaders spoke disparagingy of efforts to
excite feeling in the matter, and declared
fhaf eh.ah e.o &N1f
that direction. Mr.. Baily. a democrat, said
that no such resolution could be got
through the House without a fight. He
thought that judgment and not sentiment,
should control in such matters. Mr.. Owen.
another democrat. said that he did not
think that the resolution could be got
through the House.
Mr.. Terry of Arkansas said that he
thought there was a great change in tine
sentiment of the House. This he attrfb-
uted to the fact that the official informA-
ton furnish ed Congress by the President
did not present the case in the light ii was
regarded by the general public, and many
| members disposed to accept the
Presidents views, or at least to await fur
ther information.
What Mr.. Hardy Thinks.
Mr.. Hardy of Indiana speaks more in ac-
cordance with the sentiment of the rank
and file of the House He said this morn
ing that he did not believe there were more
than twenty members of the House who
were opposed to action. He said he sup
posed that if the resolution got to the COM
mittee 1T might be smothered there. but he
thought there would be sand enough In
the House to compel action without refer
ence to the committee He believed that
the sentiment was strong enough to pass
the resolution through both houses over
the Presidents veto, IL necessary. Mr..
Swanson, representing the similar senti-
ment among the democrats, said that he
had no doubt that the resolutions would go
through the House by a large majority
The only way this could be prevented he
ton to come up. The whole question in
the House is whether general sentiment
will be able to assert itself.
Veterans Opposed to War.
The interesting fact was developed by in
quiries OF Star reporter today THAI nearly
all the veteran soldiers of the House arc
opposed to the passage Of the Cameron
resolution. and opposed % anything like
war with Spain. BY the use Of the word
soldiers, is meant men who were prominent
as commanding officers in the last war, and
who are renowned for their knowledge OF
the tactics of warfare.
The position of these men was brought
out by questions put to them as to what
form war might take, tactics the Span
iards might adopt, what this country would
do, and hat would be the outcome. Gen.
n. NJ. Curtis, the hero of Fort Fisher; Gen.
Blue. a distinguished federal officer; Gen.
Henderson, also a distinguished officer Of
the Union, and Gen. James A. Walker, who
commanded the Stonewan Brigade. oil
members of the House. gave their views as
to where and how the fighting would be
done. What they have TO say is Interesting
at this time Gen. Walker was the only
one who thought a war might be lengthy.
He said Spain was big nation. aad ne had
seen people before who thought fighting
would be over quickly,
Gen. Curtis Doesn't Expect War.
Gen. Curtis expressed himself as follows:
I'm the first place. don't think there will
be any war. I don't think Congress will
pass any resolution which will cause war.
II war should come. however. 1t would be
entirely naval. tn which, probably, many
porta of this country might suffer but It
would be terminated very shortly In favor
of tho United States. This country could
take possession Of all spain's territory on
this side of the water and hold H. Our
navy Ii not as deficient as is said. but il is
not strong enough to justify war with
Spain at this time. Spain could not sue
cessfully land any forces I'm this country
and IL she did succeed In making q landing
her troops could not make half days
march. They could not remain on United