Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-01-22
CUBA IN THE HOUSE
Insurgent Sympathizers Again De-
feated by the Majority.
THE PLEA OF CHAIRMAN HIT.
He Declares That the Cry For Recog-
milton Is Intended Merely to Involve
This Government In War With Spain.
Presidents Sympathy With Cubans.

He Declares That the Cry For Recog-
milton Is Intended Merely to Involve
This Government In War with Spain.
Presidents sympathy With Cubans.
Washington, Jan. 20-An day yester-
day the question of granting belliger-
ent rights to the Cuban Insurgents was
argued in the house, but, as, on Tues
day, the minority hurled itself against
stone wall. On the only vote taken
yesterdays motion designated to over
rule the decision of the speaker and di-
rect the committee on foreign affairs
to report without further delay the Gu
ban resolution passed by the senate at
the last session-the Republicans stood
solid and voted to sustain the chair.
The galleries were banked to the
doors, and there was considerable eX-
element throughout the early part OF
the session, when the members of the
minority were successfully pressing all
sorts of amendments bearing on the
Cuban question for the purpose OF em-
barrassing the majority. During the
general debate Chairman Hit, of the
foreign affairs committee, made an i'm
pressive speech of less than an hour
explaining at length the situation which
made action by congress inadvisable.
Mr.. Hit spoke with impassioned
words of the presidents sympathy with
the struggle for Cuban independence
and the achievements of the present
administration. The release of Ameri-
can prisoners in Cuba, the recall Of
Weyler the abandonment of the policy
Of concentration and the autonomy
scheme he attributed to the firm atti-
tude of the president, and contrasted
these results with the inaction Of the
last administration. He averred that
belligerent rights could not aid the in
surgents' cause, and perhaps the most
dramatic portion of his speech came
when he declared that the insurgents
only wished for belligerent rights in the
hope and belief that this country would
be embroiled in war with Spain, which
would give them their freedom with
our triumph. He asserted that the
president must assume the RESPONSE
bility of any action which might
eventuate in war, and appealed to both
sides of the chamber to periodically
support the executive if a crisis shall
come.
Mr.. Dinsmore, of Arkansas, the lead
ing member of the committee on for
eign affairs, replied to him, and Messrs.
Adams, Pennsylvania Republican,
chairman of the Cuban committee
of the same committee; Berry, Ken
lucky Democrat, and Wheeler, Ken
lucky Democrat. also addressed the
house during the general debate.
Mr.. Williams, of Mississippi, intro
duced a resolution to provide for a min
lister of the United States to Cuba. He
also introduced another bill for a COM
mission to negotiate a treaty of peace,
amity and commerce between the Uni
ted States and Cuba.
A spirited debate was precipitated in
the senate by the introduction of a
resolution by Mr.. Hoar, of Massachu-
sets, providing for an inquiry by the
committee on postoffices and post roads
concerning the recent order of the post
master general reducing the force of
letter carriers in several cities of the
country. Mr.. Hoar declared that the
order had had the effect of a dynamite
bomb in creating CONSERVATION among
business men throughout the country,
while apparently all that was needed
by the postoffice department was an APP
preparation of $150000 fully to maintain
the efficiency of the carrier service.
Senator Morgan continued his speech
in advocacy of the ratification of the
Hawaiian annexation treaty in the ex-
ecutive session of the senate.