The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-26

Washington, April 25.-Congress to-
day formally declared war to exist be-
tween the United States and Spain; the
seI.ate passed the naval appropriation
bill, carrying large amounts of money
for the Improvement of our sea fight
ing arm of the federal service. The
Hull army reorganization bill was
passed by the senate, and now goes
to conference; Secretary Sherman re-
signed as chief of the state depart
ment, to be succeeded by Assistant
Secretary Day, and the latter by John
s. Moore of New York, an acknowledge
ed authority on international law; and
the war department called on the sew
eraI states for their quota to the vol
unteer army of the United States.
These make up the important events of
the day.
AWE-INSPIRING.
The house today passed the bill de-
claring the existence of state of war
between the United States and the
kingdom of Spain, in manner which
car not fail TO impress the world. The
representatives of 70,Oe0,0OO voted for it
Without d word OF debate, without
dissenting vote, and without roll call,
but with a solemn appreciation of the
gravity of their momentous action. 1t
required but one minute and Al seconds
to accomplish this. The house was con-
sidering an election case, and simply
paused to declare war.
There was no excitement, no caVil,
no word or question. 1t was only In
the great cheer that went up from the
floor and the galleries when Speaker
Reed announced its passage that the
tremendous import Of the act, and the
suppressed enthusiasm behind it was
shown After the presidents message
was read, the committee on foreign re-
lations framed the resolution; Acting
Chairman Adams wrote the report, and
it was passed on its way to the senate
n an hour and minutes. The speaker
signed Il at 4:2i.
The remainder Of the day was de-
voted 70 the Wise-Young election case,
from the Second Virginia. district. The
house declined to agree to the senate
amendments to the army reorganfz alton
bill, and il was sent to conference.
IN THE SENATE.
After a debate of one hour and a
half, conducted in executive session, the
senate, today, passed a bill declaring
that a state of war existed between the
United States and Spain.
The bill was in the same language as
that passed by the house. The debate
in the senate was based on an amend
nent offered by Senator Turpie, provid-
ing for the recognition of the belliger-
ent rights of the insurgent Cubans, the
amendment being practically in the fol-
lowing language:
1--WE hereby recognize the rights of
5he Cuban army under General Gomez,
to be treated as belligerents, the free
dom and independence of the Cuban
people having heretofore been IecOg
nized by act of congress
SENATOR TURPIE.
The same amendment had been urged
in The committee on foreign relations
previous TO the reporting of the bill
to the senate and the Indiana senator
only agreed to the bringing in of the
hill on condition that his amendment
should be presented to the senate Both
in committee and in the senate, Mr..
Turpie made elaborate argument in
support OF his proposition. be con-
tended that so long as the ins;Irgent
rights of the Cubans were unrecog-
uiZed. they could only be regarded as
subjects of Spain, and hence urged that
our position in declaring for the recoS-
milton of the freedom and independence
of the Cuban people was entirely in
their belligerent rights. lie also re-
heated his argument made upon the
resolution providing for the interven-
ton of this country in the Cuban war,
in regard TO the interest of the holders
Of the Spanish bonds in preventing the
d11e recognition of the rights of the Gu
ban insurgents.
The roll of the senate was called
upon this amendment, and it was de-
feated by a majority of "A, the vote
standing "a to 49,
PETTIGREW'S CRITICISM.
There was also some criticism Of the
fact that the bill fixed q date in the
past when the war had begun. Sena-
for Pettigrew declared that the 2lst
was evidently used in order to make
legal the capture of the lumber vessel,
the Buenayentura, on that date. TIE
characterized this as a small piece of
business for either the administration
or congress to indulge in and said that /
under the circumstances, if he had been
president. he would have returned the |
shin to its owners. He predicted that /
the courts would in the end settle the
claim against US, regardless of this |
declaration.
Senator Davis replied briefly to this |
point. saying that the date was not |
Fixed bv the capture of the Buenaven- !
tura, but by the recognition of the |
Spanish government of a state of war, |
as made on the 21st, and as outlined in |
the presidents message.
Senator White took up the Pettigrew |
Contention holding that the president |
had not indicated any date for the be- /
ginning OF hostilities. but that he had