Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-04-08
rHE ssTH CONGRESS AT WORK

/
against the PRONUNCIATION of tariff
beyond the tax needed for revenue.
The House amendments TO the Senate
joint resolution appropriating $3.50,
for the saving of life and property
along the Mississippi river, were agreed
TO and the resolution now goes To the
President. The Cuban question was
brought forward by Mr. Morgan, of
Alabama, who presented a resolution
requesting the President to inform the
Senate whether letters had been re-
ceived by the present and former chief
executive from Gen. Maxine Gomez,
commander of the revolutionary army
| in Cuba. The resolution also asks
whether the Spanish authorities in
Cuba have refused to allow cipher dis
/ patches to be transmitted between the
| u. s. consul at Sagua la Grande and
the u. s. consul-general at Havana.
The usual executive session to consider
the arbitration treaty was held. HOUSE
The continuation of the tariff debate
occupied the day.
SENATE.-Fourteenth day.-Practic-
ally the whole day was spent in eXecu-
tive session on the arbitration treaty.
There was very little debate and the
time was devoted to voting on amend
ments, only two OF which were
adopted, viz: BY Mr.. Hoar-"Any diff
ference which, in the Judgment of
either power. materially affects its
honor or its domestic or foreign policy,
shall not be referred to arbitration I'M
der this treaty except by special agree
ment nor shall any question as to the
continuance in force of any treaty
which has previously been made. 1t is
further explicitly specified and agreed
that all agreement entered into by the
contracting parties under this treaty
shall be signed by the President of the
United States and receive the approval
of the Senate by two-thirds vote be-
fore it becomes binding upon either
Great Britain or the United States"
BY Mr.. Foraker-Amendmen to each
article providing for tribunal of arbi-
tration and declaring that each case sub
mitted to arbitration must be tried by
a separate tribunal. The arbitrator
appointed by the United States to be
nominated by the President and con-
firmed by the Senate. An amendment
introduced by Mr.. Mills, expunging
the last half of article of the
treaty invoking the good offices of
other powers before resorting to war
in case of failure to reach an agree
ment under the terms of the treaty,
was lost by a close margin. SEN
ator Hansbrough gave notice of a sub
stitute for the entire treaty, which he
said he would offer in the shape of
resolution setting forth that while
the United States accepts the doctrine
of arbitration as wise and humane,
the present treaty is not demanded
by the eXigencies of the times.
HoUsE.-The Dingley tariff bill debate
was finally concluded and vote taken
and it was passed by majority of's3.
! The vote stood, yeas POS, nays 1872,
present but not voting 81. The last
amendment to be acted upon was that
| of Mr.. Grosvenor, of Ohio, which was
passed, land which fixed April as the
date on which the bill shall go into
effect.
SENATE.-Fifteenth day.-The Cuban
question was revived after long pc
riod of comparative calm. Four dis
tinct Cuban resolutions were brought
forward in rapid succession. The last
and most important one came from
Senator Morgan, of Alabama. 1t de-
clares that state of war exists in
| Cuba and announces the policy of the
United States to accord both parties to
the conflict full recognition as belliger-
ents. OF the other resolutions two
were agreed to. One of these, by Mr..
Morgan, calls on the President for the
| letters of Gen. Gomez to himself and
Mr.. Cleveland and for other informa-
ton on Cuban affairs. The other by
Mr.. Mills, of Texas instructs the com
mittee on foreign relations to report
what obligations the United States has
assumed by compelling Cuba to remain
subject to Spain. Still another resolu
ton came from Mr. Allen, of Nebraska,
and proposed protest against the re-
ported purpose of the Spanish authori-
ties to try Gen. Ruiz Rivera, the Cuban
officer, by military drumhead court
martial. This resolution went over.
The tariff bill passed by the House
was received. There were no formali-
ties as to its reference to the commit
tee on finance. Mr.. Hale, of Maine, Sc
cured immediate consideration and pas
sage of joint resolution directing the
secretary of the navy to use a govern
ment vessel or charter a private vessel
for the transportation of contributions
of grain etc, to the ADMINISTRATOR
people of India. Mr.. Stewart, of Ne
vada, took occasion to speak briefly
on the demone citation of silver in In
dia, brought about by England as one
of the chief causes of the present la
inevitable condition of affairs in India.
In the executive session the considera-
| ton of amendments to the arbitration
treaty was completed. Senator Chan.
dler took occasion to call attention to
situation in Crete, and. said that he did
not feel disposed to enter into negotia-
tons with any power whose guns were
trained upon community of Chris
tians, struggling to throw off the yoke
of Moslemism. file also spoke of Eng
lands conduct toward the Beers of the
Transvaal as deserving of condemna-