The Topeka state journal., 1898-07-08
RECORD BREAKER
The Most Notable Congress in
the Nations History
Is About to Close Up Business
and Go Home.
1T VOTED MORE MONEY
Than Any Congress Since the
Civil War.
Appropriations Reach a Total
of $9OO,OOO,OOO.
IT VOTED MORE MONEY

Washington, July S.-The passing of
the second session of the 55th congress
marks the close of the first war con-
gress in a quarter OF a century. AS
sociated with the first hostile conflict
with the nation of another continent
since 1872, the annexation of Hawaii
and contempOraneOus with a further
movement for territorial expansion
though with few important changes in
the domestic scheme, the present con-
gress OutranlSs almost any other that
has ever assembled. It began with a
widespread clamOr for sympathetic ac-
tion for suffering Cuba but there was
apparently then no expectation of arm
ed conflict. But when the trend of
events eliminated, the emergency was
quickly met and necessary legislation
enacted. The first few but significant
was measures, suddenly needed, were
framed and made law, but with the is
sue made clear there was a flood of
bills and resolutions that fairly sub
merged the two branches of congress.
Hawaiian annexation, Spain and
CUBA, war appropriations, and war leg
iSlatiOn, organization of the vast VOlun-
teer army and expansion of the navy,
new bankruptcy laval these were
features of the session. NOta ble
speeches and dramatic scenes over for
eign issues were comparatively fre-
quent in both legislative chambers.
Urgent deficiency bills, carrying mil
lions of dollars were rushed through
with far less delay than marked the
course of ordinary measure of like
Importance. The total appropriation as
footed is almost $780, 900, 600 and up
wards of $3.50, 00O, 600 of this was for
purely war purposes. 1t was the
largest aggregate by any session since
the civil war and the general deficiency
was the largest separate measure since
the $75G 600 single appropriation in 1858
The naval appropriation bill provided
for three new battleShipS, four mOni-
tors. sixteen torpedo boat destroyers
twelve torpedo boats and one gun boat.
The urgent deficiency bills all carried
provisions for aggressive work in the
prosecution of the war. The general
deficiency bill enacted In the last days
carried a provision for refUnding the in
debtedness of the central and western
Pacific railroads to the government.
Cuba and Hawaii.
Cuba and Hawaii were the important
matters of debate and provoked the
most widespread interest.
Hawaiian annexation finally passed
at the close, was ag1tated throughout
the session, first in treaty form, in eX-
ecutiVe session, last IN open session by
resolutions accepting the Hawaiian gov
ernment's cession of the islands
There were a number of messages
from President Mckinley bearing on
the Cuban situation, ranging from the
submission of a report upon the Maine
disaster and the consulate reports, to
the call for declaration of war.
when congress placed without limita-
tions, fifty million dollars in the presi-
dents hands as an emergency fund for
national defense. Party lines were
swept away and both houses unani-
mOusly voted its confidence in the ad-
ministratiOn. Soon afterward a bill re-
1nbursing the survivors of the Maine
disaster for their losses not to exceed
q years pay with q similar amount to
those who perished, became a law. On
April II, the president in a message left
the Cuban issue in the hands of con-
gress. Resolutions were soon enacted
and became a law April 19, declaring
that the people of Cuba ought to be and
are free and independent and demand
ing that Spain reinquish its authority
and withdraw its land and naval forces
from Cuba and Cuban waters. and di-
recting the use of our land and naval
forces to enforce the resolution.
The declaration of war was passed by
congress and approved on April %.
Subsequent legislation gave free adrnis-
sion to all military and naval supplies
purchased abroad by this government;
allowed temporary fOrtificatiOns to be
constructed on the written consent of
owners of land so taken and prohibited
under executive discretion the export
of coal or other war material, and three
days before the declaration of war
President Mckinley had approved the
volunteer act. Under it all the soldiers
massed against Spain mustered in the
entire volunteer army have been rails
ed, embracing 125,000 men under the
LISL anu t05OUO QuUeI the second call.
Army Reorganization.
A month previous legislation had
been enacted reorganizing the line of
the army, effecting the three modern
battalion war fOrma ton. 1t designated
the peace organization of these regi-
ments as II battalions of four COM
panieS each or two skeleton or unman-
ned companies and supplied the third
battalion in war time by manning the
skeleton company, in organizing two
additional ones and made other import
ant requirements. Another law amend
ed the present administration of justice
in the army, accomplishing reforms in
court martial methods.
One feature of the session was the en-
actment of the war revenue law. It's
trainers expected it to produce $3.50. .OOO.-
O00- Other revenue legislation included
a bill charging in favor of importers
the provisions as to disposition of
abandoned imported merchandise and
extending the outage allowance on dis
titled spirits in bonds from four to six
years.
Legislation That Failed.
Many important measures were agi-
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