The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-05

Private Property.
Washington, April 4.-While there
was no attempt to force consideration
for resolution regarding the Cuban
situation in the House today, there was
O brief outbreak in the course of which
the ;rarlike temper of the crowded gal
leries was SO manifest that Speaker Reed
threatened to clear them if it was repeat
ed The out break occurred over a bill
to authorizesstha President to erect tenn
porary Notifications in case of emergency
upon land when the written consent OF
the owners was obtained. without wait
ing the long process of legal condemna-
ton. This led to a demand by Mr.. Bailey,
the Democratic leader, for information
as to the facts which warranted all those
war measures.
The particular statement which aroused
the1 galleries was to the effect that
while the Democrats were willing to
wait any reasonable time for the Presi
dent to transmit message that would
meet the approval of the American peo-
pie, they would not wait minute for
him to continue negotiations with the
butchers of Spain. When the demon
STATIONS in the galleries were rebuked
by the Speaker. Mr.. Bailey declared that
the galleries were the American people
in miniature. Mr.. Cannon accused
MIR. Bailey of "posturing" and playing
to the galleries. The bill was passed and
it was arranged that the army re-organi-
cation bill should be taken up on We'd
nesday unless a report was made from
the committee on foreign affairs. The
remainder of the day passed without in
cident in the transaction of District of
Columbia business.
Washington, April Fifteen thousand
people swarmed through 1.-THE corridors OF
the House end of the Capitol this morn
ing, clamoring for admission into the
galleries Everybody seemed to be in an
excited frame OF mind, and on the floor
the most disquieting rumors prevailed.
No one seemed to know what the day
would bring forth. Fears of an out
break were expressed everywhere. but the
Republican leaders seemed confident that
they would hold the House tomorrow at
chat the Presidents message will be for
independence and invention and will
be perfectly satisfactory. g.. This is having
it's effect.
The floor of the House, owing to the
immense crowds, which, thronged the
hol hnur hafOrn
noon. Every seat in the reserved gal
leries and the executive and diplomatic
galleries, was occupied.
Speaker Reed assembled the rostrum at
noon and called the House to order.
Amid an impressive silence that fol-
lowed. the blind chaplain prayed that
the nations's legislature might with clear
thought, wise elaboration and unanimi-
ty Of action meet the grave situation
which confronted the country.
A resolution to print several thousand
additional copies of the report of the
board OF inquiry on the Maine disaster,
led Mr.. Livingstone, Democrat of Penn
sylvania, to ask why the House could
not wait for the next message from the
President.
tt
tee on appropriation, asked unanimous
consent for the consideration of the Sem
ate resolution, suspending portion OF
section 355 of the Revised Statutes, SO
as to permit the United States to erect
Notifications in cases of emergency upon
any land upon obtaining the written
consent of the owner.
"This is another war MEASURE" inter-
posed Mr. Bailey. II shall object until
I find out whether we are going to have
war;
Mr.. Cannon, explained that the passage
of this bill was urgently recommended
py the chief engineers. He moved to
pass the biN under suspension OF the
rules.
MIR. Bailey, the Democratic leader,
took the floor after Mr.. Cannon's expla,
nation and made a speech which aroused
the galleries to a pitch which brought
down upon them threat from the
Speaker that they would be cleared If
such demonstrations were repeated.
Mr.. Bailey called attention to the fact
that on several occasions within the last
80 days the House had been called upon
to vote upon several propositions which
indicated that war was directly ahead of
us.
Yet, be said, Congress was net in pos
session of any facts which warrants this
belief He had voted, no said, for the
extraordinary emergency 30, DOC, 600 appro-
Iriation, but he had voted for-it under
the impression that we were perilously
near to war. If Democratic President
had asked Democratic Housesto autho-
rize such an expenditure without con-
troll or limitation he should have denied
it. He should have demanded the esti-
mates. But in this case, believing that
danger was at hand, he had voted for it.
Much of that vast appropriation had al
ready been expended, yet information
except such as came through the news
papers, was still withheld. Today the
House was asked to meet another emer-
gency. Last Wednesday when the House
was asked to meet the vital question,
the majority had refused to meet it. 1t
was then everywhere announced that the
President would be prepared to send a
message to Congress today. The House
adjourned Friday until today with that
impression, yet, now, every we'll informed
man knew there was to be none today.
When was the message to come in? he
asked. sit seems to me important"
said he, THAT the House and the country
should know what the government is
doing and intends to do. We ought not
to be asked to vote blindly. If the occa-