Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-02-17
APPEALS FOR CUBA.
Senators Cannon and Hale Make
Speeches on the Situation.
PETITIONS PRESENTED BY Mr.. BAKER
The Contested Election Case from Alabama
Decided by the House UnseatIng the
DemOcrat-A Bill for PEN
si0ning Mrs. Hanback,.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l0.-For more
than three hours yesterday, the senate
chamber rang with the eloquent ap-
peals in behalf OF the Cuban insur-
gents. Announced speeches were de-
livered by Mr.. Cannon, Of Utah, and
Mason, OF Illinois, in advocacy of the
adoption Of resolutions which they
presented to the senate Tuesday. Fol
lowing Mr. Cannon's speech, Mr.. Hale,
of Maine, addressed the senate briefly,
urging the senate to uphold the policy
Of the administration He pointed out
thai much had already been accom-
plished by President Mckinley, not
only for the cause of peace on the
island, but also for the protection Of
Americans and American interests and
for the relief of concentrates and pa
cifcos, He maintained that 1t would
not be good policy by the adoption Of
any drastic declaration, to place the
administration in Leading strings that
might interfere with the carrying into
effect of defined policy. Mr.. Can
mons speech was calm and dispas-
sionate argument in support of his reso-
luton. Mr.. Hale moved to refer the
resolution to the committee on foreign
relations. which was done without
division.
Mr.. Mason was then recognized and
he read the statements of correspond.
ents as to the famine and distress in
Cuba. He declared Spain was Jealous
Of our nearness to Cuba, and expressed
the opinion that there was an effort in
Spain to force this country to buy
Cuba. He said the Spaniards had al.
ways been hostile to the republican
institutions of this country. Spain
was without honor, without cash and
without credit. Her soldiers were con-
scripts, and her captain generals either
thieves like Weyer or bribe takers
like Blanco On motion of Mr. Hale
the resolution was referred to the
committee on foreign relations.
Mr.. Morgan introduced a resolution
requesting the president to send to the
senate copies of reports made by the
consul general of the United States at
Havana and other consuls of the
United States in Cuba relating to the
war which have been received since
the 4th of March last, and also re-
questing the president to inform the
senate whether any agent OF any
government In Cuba has been accred
tied to the government or to the pres-
dent of the United States with author
ity to negotiate treaty of reciprocity
with the United States, and whether
such has been recognized and received
from the representatives Of such gov
ernment in Cuba" The resolution
was allowed to lie on the table.
A bill making Sabine Pass and Port
Arthur, in Texas, supports of entry
passed.
Mr.. Chandler then called up the res
olution declaring Mr. Corbett not en-.
titled to the seat of senator from the
state of Oregon in the United States
senate and Mr.. Pettus, of Alabama,
contended that the question involved |
in Mr.. Corbett's case had been long
since settled by the senate. The ques-
tion was one of law and he argued
that there could be no reason for fur
ther attempts at upsetting precedents
and overturnng the law as estab-
lished.
Mr.. Baker presented petitions from
the W. c. T., IT,, OF Winfield, Kan, as
follows: To substitute voluntary ar
bitration for railroad strikes; to pro-
tect state anti-cigarette laws; to pro-
hibit interstate gambling by telegraph
or telephone; to prohibit the reproduc-
tion of prize fights by the kaleidoscope;
to prohibit the mail circulation of ex-
tended newspaper descriptions of such
fights, and to raise the age of protec-
tion for girls to Is years in the terri
tories. He also presented a protest
from the citizens and business men of
Fort Scott, Kan, against the passage
of general bankruptcy bill. He also
substituted an amendment to the In.
dian appropriation bill authorizing
the secretary of the interior to locate
the absentee Wyandotte Indians on
the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache In
dian reservations in Oklahoma, giving
to the said Wyandotte Indians 1850
acres of land per capita.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. l0.--The republic
an majority was increased yesterday
from 40 to 80, when the house, by
vote of l43 to ll3, unseated Mr.. Plow-
mon, democrat, from Alabama, giving
the seat to Mr.. Aldrich, republican.
This was the first contested election
case decided by the present house
against the sitting member. Previous
to the reopening Of the session spe-
cial deficiency bill was passed carrying
HoOO OOO for the navmant ~ ;,,rorS, faos