The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1898-01-27
WHAT cUBANs WANT.
Would Like to See Us Mixed Up in =
War With Spain.

Would Like to See Us Mixed Up in .
War With Spain.
Washington, Jan. 21.-All day long
the question of granting belligerent
rights to the Cuban insurgents was
argued In the house, but, as yesterday.
the minority hurled itself against a
stone wall. On the only vote taken
today, a motion designed to override
the decision Of the speaker and direct
the committee on foreign affairs to re !.
port without further delay the Cuban
resolution passed by the senate at the
last session, the Republicans stood solid
and voted to sustain the chair.
The galleries, as yesterday, were
banked to the doors and there was con-
siderable excitement throughout the
early part of the session, when the
members of the minority were success
lively pressing their views bearing upon
the Cuban QUESTION, for the purpose of
embarrassing the majority.
During the debate, Chairman Hit,
Of the foreign affairs committee, made
an impressive speech of less than an
hour. explaining at length the situa-
ton which made action by congress
inadvisable. He spoke with impas-
stoned words of the presidents sympa-
thy with the struggle of Cuba for indie
pendence and the achievements of the
present administration. The release of
American prisoners in Cuba, the recall
Of Weyler, the abandonment of the
policy of concentration and the auton-
omy scheme. he attributed to the firm
attitude Of the president, and contrasted
these results with the inaction of the
last administration He averred that
belligerent rights could not aid the in
surgent cause, and perhaps the most
dramatic portion of his speech came
when he declared that the insurgents
only wished for belligerent rights in
the hope and belief that this country
would be embroiled in a war with
Spain, which would give them their
freedom with our triumph. He assert
ed that the president must assume the
responsibility of any action which
might eventuate in war and appealed to
both sides of the chamber to patriotic
ally support the executive if crisis
shall come. -
Dinsmore, the leading minority men,
Ter of the committee ON foreign affairs,
eplied to Hit and Adams. Berry and
Wheeler also addressed the house DUR
ing the general debate.
The debate will close at O'Clock to-
morrow, under the arrangement made
today, and final test will be made on
motion, of which Williams gave
notice today. to recommit the bill with
instructions to report back the Cuban
resolution as rider.
A spirited debate was precipitated in
the senate today by the introduction Of
a resolution by Hoar providing for an
inquiry by the committee on postofices
and postroads concerning the recent Or
der of the postmaster-general reducing
the force of letter-carriers in several
cities of the country. Hoar declared
that the order had had the effect of a
dynamite bomb in creating consterna-
ton among business men throughout
the country. while apparently all that
was needed by the postoffice department
was an appropriation of $4,000 to
maintain the efficiency of the carrier
service.
The debate took wide range, VOL
colt, chairman of the committee on
postoffices and postroads, insisting that
many New England people represented
by the>senator from Massachusetts, were
responsible for deficiency in funds OF
the postoffice department, because they
insisted that the government should
carry second-class mail at an enormous
loss, and Allen charged that the govern
ment was annually defrauded out OF
millions of dollars through the under
weight of mail matter. The resolu-
ton, in a modified form, is pending.
Vest gave notice that he would move
tomorrow to take up for consideration
the Teller resolution, reported by the
finance committee, providing that
bonds of the United States be paid in
standard silver dollars. Vests notices
were taken to indicate an intention on
the part of some of the senators to dis
place temporarily the Hawaiian an
nexation treaty, as it is evident, as
White said, that the consideration OF
the resolution would precipitate some
slight discussion.
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