Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-04-16


the Senate committee on foreign relations
and was questioned at SOM length concern
| ing the tuban republic, its so-callea gov
eminent, the men composing il and the zen
eral state Of affairs Oh the island. Gen IRA
Lee told the committee that he Is again.
recognizing the present government. In
| fact he added that there Is ~ government
| which really can he recognized. Ii is not
government in the true sense OF the wore!
it is not the kind of government Of which
| the United States can take cognizaure.
, With the adoption by Congress ofthe r.so-
| IutiOns there is but one narrow bridge be.
tween peace and war. Spain can cross II
| or break 1t down. She can cross it by with
drawing her troops from Cuba. That is the
| avenue of peaceful escape. the only avenue
| Of which she can avail herself. The impor-
lance OF the resolutions to be adopted by
Congress lies in the fact that they impose
upon the president the performance Of a
physical fact. The president is directed to
cause Spain to withdraw her armed forces
from Cuba. From that there il no
escape. The president may induce Spain to
| comply by the exercise of diplomatic meth
DDS; these falling, he must forcibly eject
her. To do this he must use the army and
navy. To use the army and navy means
war, and only Congress can declare war.
Congress recognizes and appreciates this.
1t has shown no disposition 10 shirk its re-
sponsbility. without declaring war in words,
1t has now taken that action which makes
war absolutely certain unless pain refuses
to fight. The only way Spain can avoid
fighting is by running away. II
she keeps her armed forces In
Cuba the president will have to obey
the mandate Of Congress and drive them
out. The course Of the president after the
passage Of the resolutions by Congress has
been considered an parity outlined. He
i ..nIl tl,. 20 Il - a
government and he will probably accom-
pany them with Il short note. which will
| have all the force and effect of an ulti-
matum. spain may h, given brief period
measured In hours in which to obey the
order of ejectmrnt. Failing to comply,
force will be employed. and the fleets
will move with Havana rs their OBJ
tilities? No one here believes that she
will. The members of the SENATE com
mittec on foreign relations are considering
the advisability of Offering Il lesolation APP
, proprating s250000. 010to carry on the war.
| This will probably b douA to show to the
country AMI the whole world TINT Congress
| fully realizes war cannot be avertcd and Is
| prepared to furnish the necessary money for
| its prosecution. Coincilently the commit
tee on ways and means will provide the re-
| quisite legislation to raise additional reve-
nue. and provide for Il bona issue.
WASHINGTON. ID. G.. April 15-The Re-
publican members of the ways and means
committee have agreed upon II plan for
raising revenue in case of need to carry on
war with Spain. The plan will raise more
than 800. OOJ, 900 additional revenue an
nually. and Is thus distributed: An addi-
tional tax on beer of $ per barrel, estimated
to yield $50, 00O. OOO II bank stamp tax on
the lines OF the law Of 1866, estimated to
yield $50. 000, 900; Il duty of three cents per
pound on coffee and ten cents per pound on
tea, and like amount Of internal tax on
stocks Of coffee and tea on hand in the
United States. estimated to yield E2S. 0O0. 900;
additional tax ON tobacco, expected to yield
%l5, 600 900. The committee agreed to
authorize the issuing OF S5OO.000 900.
bonds. These bonds are to he offered for
sale at all post Offlces in the United States in
amounts OF $50 each, making u great popu-
lar loan to he absorbed by the people. To
tide over emergencies, the secretary Of the
treasury will he authorized to issue treasury
certificates. These certificates or debent-
ures are to be used to pay running expenses
when the revenues do not meet the eXpendi-
lures. These preparations are distinctly
war measures, and would be put in operation
only should war occur.
PITTSBURG, Pa, April 15-C.O. Winkert
OF Kern county, Cal. owner of an extensive
cattle ranch In the White River valley and
the western representative OF New York cap
italists who have large ranches in Neva-
d. Arizona, Montana and Texas, says
1.-The United States government has Sc
cured options on enough cattle in the
west to sustain an army Of 100000 men for
twelve months No contracts have been
made, but prices have been fixed, and
in the event of war with Spain the govern
ment will be amply supplied with beef for
its troops Mt moderate figure. These OPP
tions were taken to prevent any cornerng
of the market by large beef packing con-
Germs, who may be prepared to advance
prices ut the first outbreak. The late civil
war was an object lesson not yet forgotten.
| Anybody who remembers the rebellion
knows what war prices meant"
HAVANA, Cuba, April 15--United States
Consul-General Lee and his staff, with Con-
suls Springer and Barker left Havana for
-