The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1898-01-20
ed and the provision went out of the

bill.
Mr.. Little (dem) of Arkansas offered
an amendment to appropriate $4,000
fop the repair of the National cemetery
at Fort Smith, Ark. He explained that
the cemetery had been totally wrecked
by the storm which recently devastated
the town. The amendment fell under Il
point of order
Without further amendment the bill
was passed. The Wheeler resolution for
the appointment of members of the
board of regents of the Smithsonian in
stitute was also passed.
MIR. Hit, chairman of the committee
on foreign affairs, then called up the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill. Mr.. Bailey objected to any limita-
tion of the general debate. The bill
carries $1,7S9, 20S, an increase of $685.
100 over the law for the current year.
AS soon as the enacting clause had
been reached, Mr.. De Almond (dem.) of
Missouri offered an amendment to recog-
nize the Cuban insurgents as belliger-
ents. Mr.. Hit raised the point of or
der that the amendment was new legis-
latiOn and obnoxious to the rules of the
house.
Mr.. De Almond, speaking to the point
of order, 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 committee might, ne said. feel
constrained to raise this point of order,
but he reminded the house that there
still resided in his Judgment the power
at any time, at any place, on any bill
to place what the house believed should
be true. For months, he declared, those
in control 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
recognizing the belligerency of the strug-
Cling patriots in Cuba. When the people
of the country felt as they did it was
the duty of the members to override
these petty little rules, which had been
used to suppress action. The newspa-
pers were filled daily with narrowing
tales of starvation and cruelty in Cuba.
Should we emulate the example of Nero,
who fiddled while Rome burned, and sit
supinely and indifferently by when men
almost within sight of our shores were
fighting vigorously for peace as holy as
patriots ever espOused or heroes ever
defended. He tainted the republicans
with being subservient to those who de-
sired to prevent action on this question.
Further inaction, he stated, was Il dis
grace to American manhood. The au-
tonomy offered by Spain, he declared.
was a revolving m0ckery, a sham and
a delusion. He warned the other side
that the question could not be evaded
or lodged, that with this opportunity
before them they could not go back to
their constituents and plead the rules
as an excuse for non-actiOn. He was
proceeding to denOunce the administra-
ton for following the example of its
npnInpnc N
States navy to hunt down the sympa-
thizers of the Cubans.
Mr. Steel (rep) of Indiana and Mr..
Hit both called the attention of the
chair to the fact that Mr.. De Almond
was not discussing the point of order.
Mr. De Almond said he well under
stood this. but he would not finch, from
his purpose. He would say no more, but
if the point of order was sustained he
declared it was his purpose to appeal
from the decision of the chair and give
this question for itself He felt con-
strained to do this, he. said out of a
sense of public duty.
Mr.. Bailey, the democratic leader, re-
enforced the views of Mr.. De Armond
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
senate Cuban belligerency resolution as
an amendment The climax of his
speech came when he offered to with
draw the amendment if Mr.. Hit, the
chairman of the foreign affairs commit
tee, would give assurances that the SEN
ate resolution would receive considera-
ton within n reasonable time. The dem
ocrats appauded this challenge. He
paused to await Mr.. Hits answer, but
Mr.. Hit did not rise.
"rhe gentleman" tHitt. added Mr.
Bailey, sis as silent as the republican
party on this question"
Again the democrats cheered. and the
galleries also applauded
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.
ut is an attempt to have two general
debates.' said he.
The democrats jeered this statement.
Mr.. Hepburn. in the chair, then sus-
tanned the point of ORDER whereupon Mr..
De Almond in order to get the question
before the house in a better form. offered
the senate Cuban resolution as an amend
mcnt. and when it was overruled made
bis appeal from the decision of the
choir
BY this time the greatest excitement
existed in the house The galleries had
been filed to overlooking; messengers
had been sent to all quarters of the CAPT