New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-15
CONGRESS SEEKING LIGHT.
TWO CUBAN RESOLUTIONS OF INQUIRY
ADOPTED
TIE STATE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED TO FUR
NrsH INFORMATION AS TO THE CONDITION
OF THE REcoNcENTRApos AND THE
PROGRESS TOWARD ACCEPTANCE
AUTONOMY
TBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRiBUNE'I


was ar unusually large attendance or MEM
hors and symptoms Of excitement were IT.
narent 4 call had been sent TO members "'
m. Majority 70 he on hand early this mo'h!AS'
and for an hour or more before noon the III
was heavy with runlors that great events "e'c
i,<elv 70 happen before the end OF the DAY an"
;iat Cuban affairs were to be the 'he''e "a "
. ar5 exciting debate. Expectation WAS
-, ,in,oe therefore when Mr.. Quigg-who oe-
ciored ONLY q few months ago in his most ier-
ia ana commissioned tones and Impressive man
ror that Cuba mast and shall be free -arosc
70 submit a report from the Committee on Fo'-
cisn Affairs When the report was iouho 10 pe
a simple resolution Of inquiry concerning 'h'
exclusion Of American fruit. horses e'c'' run
Germany, a shade Of disappointment ana ais
gust overspread the countenances OF the ie'"'-
Gratis.
That passed away. however. when MY V"'se
offered a second report relating to CUBAN ar
fairs II turned out to he q resolution '''ee""s
the Secretary OF state. IF. in his opinion no'
,nconpa;ible with the public interests, 20 seho
10 the House OF Representatives copies OF inc
reports Of consular officers IN Cuba concerning
the condition and treatment OF the reconceh'r@-
dos-vhether they have beer: permitted 10 re-
turn 10 their homes and resume the cu'uFa''oh
OF their fields etc.-and also cohSHii'i"6 '".
progress made toward the establishments Vi
autonomy The only amendment pGopoSeu y!
,ba committee 70 the resolution. which was Of
fered IN the House by Mr. Williams oil MIS-
sisslppi some days ago. WIS TO strike out the
words If any" in that part Of the inquiry re-
lating 10 autonomy. What progress u any
Mr. Williams had written Mr.. De Armoho' OF
Missouri was disposed 10 complain Of the eimi-
nation Of the two words but Mr.. Dnsrnore' OF
lie he
Of the Committee Foreign Affairs, insisted
that the omission did not change the sense or
scope II tho resolution. and. moreover, that the
amendment. as we'll as the report Itself, was
unanimous. and Mr. De Almond subsidized
or course Ny Terry Of Arkansas, had 70
INQUIRE whether the committee had taken cog
n!zance Of the De LONE incident. an inquiry
which created ripple of Laughter but no eA-
element Mt Cooper, OF Wisconsin. was also
in an inuusitiye mood and he wanted to KNOW
why the resolution was brought in at all y
Chairman Hit was correct when he Informed
the House In a speech some time ago that the
policy Of concentration had been abandoned By
The Spanish authorities.
TENT OF THE RESOLUTION.
The resolution was adopted without further
debate and without division and the ex-
pected sensation failed 10 materialize. The reso-
luton reads as follows:
Resolved. BY the House OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the Secretary o. state he and hereby Is directed II
IN his opinion incompatible with the public IN
teresi. TO INFORM me iiouse wnS1 lnIorl.''Ci' ~
concerning the present condition 81 the reConocU-
trados IN Cuba: whether or not they have been per-
,atfcd IN return 10 their estates: whether or not
they or any considerable number OF them are now
On their estates whethe, or not any zones or con.
siderable parts Of zones are nov peing cultivated
BY them according TO the reports received at inc
American consular agents; and what steps II any
are shown by SAD GoHs@Sr Tepo['s 10 nSEe Deeh
Ycconcentrados or for otherwise preventing them
Spanish CoycrrInent has given The necessary mill
iary n1oicGon 10 fnaha ne mi =, 20 Srs Co.
5s no sacr- - ~ So T directed -
ports from consuls vicc-consuls and commercial
agents Of the United States in cuba is may shed |
Hight upon the subjects referred TO. and shall
give information TO Tho House and to the country
concerning the condition OF Cuba since he advent
OF the new regime under General Blanco.
Mr. QugG made a brief statement, saying
that In December the President had informed !
the House shat the indefcnsibe policy OF conoen-
trat!on in Cuba had been abandoned by Spain /
in Difference to the repeated requests OF this !
Government, and that a more peaceful and hu- !
name policy had been adopted The objec, of |
this resolution was simply to ascertain what !
had been done, and what steps had been taken |
Cuban people Three months he added. had |
elapsed since autonomy had been promulgated. |
In order to regain control Of the floor Mr.. |
Quigg asked for the previous question but !
yielded five minutes to Mr.. Dnsmore Dem. !
Ark), the senior minority member Of the For
eign Affairs Committee who said the resolu- ,
tion had been unanimously reported by the !
committee It's purpose was 10 put the House !
and the country In the possession OF the real |
facts concerning the condition Of the people of !
Cuba both IN military and private life The /
press was full Of stories regarding the deplor-
able condition Of the reconcentrados and the
suffering that prevailed in Cuba, and the cOun-
try was entitled TO the facts in order to deter
mine what responsibility was placed upon il TO
bring about the conclusion of the war and thus
end The existing distress.
MI De Almond wanted 10 know why the
words If any after the words what progress"
al the end OF The first section Of The original
resolution had been stricken out. He wanted
10 know why the committee conceded that any
progress had been made toward the acceptance
OF autonomy by the people of Cuba.
Mr.; Dinsmore replied that the words stricken
ont did not change the sense Of the resolution
If no progress had been made the State De-
payment would 50 report
Mr. Terry dem. Ark asked Mr. Quigg IL the
Committee on Foreign Affairs had considered the
De LONE incident.
That is hardly a pertinent query" replied
Mr.. Qutgg. Oiandly.
1T is pertinent inquiry in the minds Of the
don't you forget it,"
1T Is being considered By the proper authori-
ties" retOrted NJ. Quieg
Mir. Cooper 0ep. Wis., called attention 10
the fact that early in the session. during the
consideration Of the Diplomatic APPROPRIATION
bill. Mr.. Hu'. chairman Of the Foreign Affairs
committee. Rad said the floor IN explicit
terms that Spain had abandoned the policy of
concentiation. He wanted Ia know why this
inquiry nos TO b" made when the COMMITTEE
xnew from Mr. Hints statement TINT tho policy I
or concentration had been reversed
MIR tf'liw~ ,nDlisf &c !
put the House IN complete possession ~ Tho /
iacts There was no effort on the part OF Tho
ihlhoIlty 10 contest the ordering Of the previous
question and The resolution was adopted with
OCT dissenting vote.
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