The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-18
MESSAGE ON CUBA
Resolution Promptly Passed In
Response Theret,.
$4,000 FOR AMtRiCANS
TO REIIEVE DESTITUTION OR TO
BRING THEM BACK.
wELL,NoroN's MAIDEN SPEECH

Against Resolution for Sell ger
ency Senator Ganiei Re-
plies, Strong Argument
Washington, May 17.-Cuba engross-
ed the attention of the Senate to-day.
The public interest in the subject was
shown by the great crowds which De-
sieged the galleries throughout the day.
Among the occupants of the diplomatic
gallery was Sir Julian PauncefOte, the
British ambassador and Minister Hatch,
of Hawaii, and in the reserved gallery
was General Dan Sickles, ex-United
States Minister to Spain. Neither The
Spanish legation nor the Cuban bureau
in Washington were represented IN the
galleries so far as could be observed. Two
phases of the subject were presented.
First came the question OF relief to destl-
tute and starving Americans in Cuba
This was presented in the President
message as soon as the session opened.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The message was as follows:
+ the kSe1la te Guu 1AOuoC VI AsSpASS~-
tatives of the United States:
1Official information from our cOnsuis
in Cuba tablishes the fact that large
number of American citizens IN the island
are in state of destitutiOn, suffering for
want Of food and medicines. This applies
particularly to the rural districts of the
central and eastern parts.
..The agricultural classes have been
a&l,o % int ho rpSt
towns where, they are without work or
money.
.arhe local authorities of the several
towns, however, kindly disposed, are una
BILE to relieve the needs of their own peo-
pie and are altogether powerless TO neip
our citizens. .. eszx-s .-....ssss
1.-THE latest reports of Consul General
Lee estimates that six to eight hundred
Americans are without means or sup
port. have assured him that provisions
would be made at once to relieve them.
To that end l recommend that Congress
make an appropriation of not less tnan
fifty thousand dollars to be immediately
available for use under the direction Oh
the Secretary of State.
1T is desirable that a part of the sum
which may be appropriated by Congress,
should, in the discretion of the Secretary
of State, also be used for the transportaf
: ton of American citizens who, desiring
to return to the United States, are With
out means to do sO.e.ni a1Boti.4 ai a01
"WILLIAM M'KINLEY.
Executive Mansion. May II, 1891" Z
Immediately following the reading Of the
message Mr.. Davis, chairman of the COM
mittee on Foreign relations presented
a favorable report on joint resolution
originally introduced by Mr.. Gallinger
appropriating $4,000 for the relief OF
American citizens in Cuba. There was
only one brief speech made, by Mr.
Gallinger, and then the resolution went
through by unanimous vote.
The resolution amended us as follows:
Resolved by the Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United States
in Congress assembled, that the sum OF
$4,000 be and the same is hereby ap-
propriated out of any money in the Treas
ury not otherwise appropriated for the
relief of destitute citizens of the United
States in the island of Cuba, said money
to be expended at the discretion and un-
der the direction of the President of the
United States in the purchaseand furnish
ing. of food, clothing and medicines to
such citizens and for transporting to the
United States such Of them as so desire
and who are without means to transport
themselves"
Mr.. Hoar Rep., Mass.), presented from
the judiciary committee, report on the
Allen resolution relating to Elverton Il.
Chapman. It stated that the committee
had ascertained to its satisfaction that
Mr.. CHAIRMAN is not and had not been an
applicant for executive clemency. Under
such circumstances the committee recon-
mended that the Senate take no further
action on the subject.
At the request of Mr.. HOar the report
was accepted and allowed to lie on the
table.
Mr.. Pettigrew, Rep., S. d., called up
the resolution for the appointment OF a
committee of five Senators to investigate
the issue of patents for lands to the Paci-
fc railroads and to the California ana
Oregon railroad. The resolution was
adopted after being amended so as 10 pro
vide that the regular committee should
make the investigation. The bill autnor'
izing the settlement of mutual accounts
between the the United States and Florl'
da was passed.
The second phase of the Cuban subject
came up at o'clock, when the Morgan
resolution declaring that condition OF
war exist in Cuba was taken up.
Mr.. Morgan stated that unless some
Senator desired to speak he would ask a
yea and nay vote on the pending motion
Of Mr.. Hale to refer the resolution to the
committee on Foreign relations.
Mr.. Hale, observing the meagre attend
ance on the floor. suggested that the i'm
portance of the question was such as to
make quorum desirable. This necessi-
tated call for a quorum which, after
some delay, brought As Senators, Just a
quorum, to the Senate.
The vote was about to be taken when
Dir. Wellington, Rep., Maryland), arose