Connecticut western news., 1898-03-10
CONGRESSMAN CANNON.

were made. With one acclaim members
 from the north and the south, the east
 and the west, the states and the terri
 tories, battle scared veterans of the Union and the Confederate armies, all joined in proclaiming their support of the country's chief magistrate in the
 face of a possible foreign war.
 General Grosvenor of Ohio said that if war did not come the $50, 100000 ap-
 propriated by this bill would be wisely
 expended if it only served to show the world that when threatened from with
 out the hearts of the American people beat as one.
 One Solitary Note of Discord. On the wohle, there was only slight discordant note caused by the speech of General Bingham of Pennsylvania. a gallant soldier who served with dis tinction under Hancock. He spoke too conservatively for the aroused temper
 of the house, and when he insisted that
 our relations with Spain were as friend ly as they had been for years many of
 the members hissed him. While almost
 every member who spoke deprecated the possibility of war, a wide divergence of opinion as to how close were hostili- ties manifested itself in the debate. The general contention by the ma ys sides. was that this appropriation bill !, preparing for war would prove the ] sure guarantee of peace. Others in- | sisted that wars alarms would soon be rheard, and MT. Mana of Illinois declar- | ed that war actually existed in all save
 name. The speec'ss which attracted
 most attention " = those of Chairman of the Appropriations Committee Can- | non, Messrs. Henderson of Iowa and | Deliver of Ohio on the Republican side and Messrs Bailey of Texas and Savers
 of Texas on the Democratic side. | Meeting of the Cabinet.
 At a special meeting of the cabinet | the Spanish situation was discussed at
 length and from all points of view. The unanimous opinion of the cabinet | is that the appropriation of 0,000 GOO | by congress and the consequent exten-
 sive preparation for war made thereby
 mean peace. The cabinet believes that
 this activity of the United States in
 meeting all contingencies of expected
 emergencies will serve as a notice to | Spain and all Europe that the United | States is in earnest. If Spain deter
 mines to inaugurate war now in the | face of certain and disastrous defeat, 1t
 would be simply suicide.
 | All the presidents advisers concurred
 In the belief that. the Madrid ministry
 will pause and deliberate well before in-
 viting overwhelming and sure national | humiliation. The president asked Sec
 retary Alger to give him and his asso- | ciates a minute account of the army. | MT. Alger indicated the strength and | location of every army posti the con- | dition of seacoast defenses; the amount
 of ammunition on hand and where it
 is stored; the present and prospective
 outstanding contracts; the condition of tne sinarI arms ana torpeuo servIce: iL 1 fact, a minute, technical and detailed | statement of the army.
 The plans for the purchase of war
 ships are now well advanced, and Sec-
 retary Long was able to lay before ths
 cabinet the steps that had been taken. | The ships in view are nine in number.
 Two of them are building at French
 shipyards, three in Germany, two in
 England and two in America.