Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-19
A STROKE FOR CUBA
Mr.. De- etAfmond's Intellectual
Effortin the House.
An Attempt to Attach a Rider to the
Diplomatic and Consular Appro-
priaton Bill


lar appropriation bill.
Mr.. De Almond (dem., MOI precipi-
tated the issue by offering the resolution
as an amendment, but a point Of order
against it was sustained.
Mr.. De Armond appealed. He urged
the republicans who had professed
friendship for the struggling Cubans to
override the decision of the chair, as the
only chance of securing action on the
proposition.
Mr.. Bailey, the leader of the minority,
and other democrats, joined in the ap-
peal. The excitement became intense,
but the appeal Of Mr. Dingley, as well
as other republicans to their associates,
not to join in the program, succeeded.
Mr.. Colson (rep., Ky) warned his side,
that unless he was soon given an oppor-
tunity to vote his sentiments on the
Cuban question, he would cooperate in
any movement made to secure action.
The republican tactics kept to the front
the point that the minority were seek
ing to override the rules of the house,
and they secured every republican vote,
sustaining the chair by vote of 152-1l4.
One democrat, Mr.. Fleming of Geor-
gia, voted with them, on the ground that
he could not violate his oath, by voting
against upholding the rules.
Dullng the debate Mr.. Bailey chal-
lenged Mr.. Hit to give the house an as
surance that an opportunity would be
offered to vote on the resolution passed
by the senate at the last session, but ne
received no reply. Before the diplomatic
bill came up, the army bill was passed.
Mr. De Almond, speaking to the point
of order that was raised by Mr.. HIT,
said he fully understood the rules OF the
house which were designed TO suppress,
when desired, the will Of the house. The
chairman of the foreign affairs commit
tee might, he said, feel constrained to
stick to his point Of order, but he re-
minded the house that there still resided
in Its judgment the power at any time.
at any place, on any bill to place What
the house believed should be there.
For months, he declared, these in con-
trol of the house had declined TO allow
the house to consider what the people
of the country, without regard to party
desired, namely, that congress consider
and act upon this question of recogniz-
ing the beliigerency of the struggling
patriots in Cuba.
The autonomy offered by Spain, Mr..
De Almond declared, was q revolting
mockery. He warned the other side
that the question could not be evaded or
lodged; that with this opportunity be-
fore them they could not go back to
their constituents and plead the rules
as an excuse for non-aotion.
Mr.. Steele (rep), Ind, and Mr.. Hit
both called the attention of the chair
to the fact that Mr.. De Almond was
not discussing the point Of oder.
Mr.. De Almond said he well under
stood this but he would not finch from
his purpose. If the point of order were
sustained, he declared that it was his
purpose to appeal from the decision of
the chair, and give the house the oppor-
tunity to determine this question for it's
effect. He felt constrained to do this,
he said, out of a sense of public duty.
Mr.. Bailey, the democratic leader, re-
inforced the views of Mr.. De Almond,
arguing that a proposition to recognize
a state of war in Cuba was certainly
germane TO this bill. 1t had been his
purpose, he said, to have offered the SEN
ate Cuban belligerency resolution as an
The climax of his speech came when
he dramatically offered to withdraw the
amendment If Mr.. Hit, the chairman of
The foreign affairs committee, would
give assurances that the senate resc =
ton would receive consideration within
a reasonable time.
Mr.. Bailey paused to await Mr. Hits
answer, but Mr.. Hit did not rise.
The gentleman" q1itD, added Mr..
Bailey, SIS as silent as the republican
party on this question
Then Mr.. Hit rose, but instead of re-
plying to Mr.. Bailey's challenge, he
called the attention of the chair to the
fact that Mr.. Bailey was not discussing
THE point of order
Mr.. Hepburn, IN the chair, then sus-
tained the point Of order, whereupon
Mr. De Armond in order to get the
question before the house in a better
form, offered the senate Cuban resolu-
tion as an amendment and when it
was overruled, to make his appeal from
the decision of the chair
BY this time the greatest excitement
reigned in the house The galleries had
filled to their fullest capacity, and
pages were sent scurrying to all quar-
ters of the capital to summon republi-
cans who were absent from the hall,
1t was evident there was fear on the
part of the house managers that the
house might be carried off its feet on
this first occasion of a test sentiment
toward Cuba.
Mr.. Dingley, the floor leader of the
majority, characterized Mr.. De Ar
mond's appeal from the decision of the
chair as most extraordinary PROPOSE
tion.
1t was a proposition to override the
rules, he said, and establish new mode
of procedure and to destroy the orderly
transaction of business.
Mr.. De Almond secured the floor
again, and urged members on both
sides to vote ''to free this house for one
hour from dominion so absolute that
it IS impossible to get consideration for
any matter, no matter how important
or urgent, without the consent of those
in authority in the house. '.It seems"
he added ironically, ''to be our loftiest
6Uty to observe the petty shifting rules
of the house, no matter where they lead
or what the exigencies of the time de-
mand.
Again Mr.. Hit protested that the de-
bate was not on the question before the
house, and again the minority jeered.
"I am sticking close to my text" shout
ed Mr.. De Almond, "as Mr. Dingley
didp'
Mr. De Almond declared that no code
of rules should violate the plain dictates
of humanity and decency.
After some remarks by Mr.. Grow (rep.,
Pa.), there were cries Of Voter from
the republican SIDE but the debate pro-
ceeded for some time. Mr.. Hit moved
to close debate on the pending para
graph. Mr.. Bailey attempted 20 make
the point of order that he question was
on the appeal and not on the paragraph
and that Mr.. Hits motion was not in
order, but Mr.. Hepburn, who was in the
chair, held that Mr.. Baileys point of
order came too late. This announce
n1ent was greeted with democratic jeers
'T would appeal from that decision"
said Mr.. Bailey, were it not that two
appeals are not in order at the same
time"
There was no break in party lines on
this notion, which was sustained-153
to 11S.
Speaker Reed marched through the
tellers with the majority. The ques-
tion then required on the appeal from
the decision of the chair A solitary