Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-02-17

Two Phases OF tho Question Up ir
the Sonat,
GREAT EIyl.Cl7EN-.JT IL 7EG HOUSE.
All Republican Members Ordered to BE
Present at the Session to Prevent the
Opposition from Amending u
Cuban Resolution.

WASHINGTON, Feb H. During the
short open session of the senate yester.
day two phases of the Cuban question
were adverted to briefly. The amend
ment of Senator Allen, of Nebraska, to
the diplomatic and consular appropria-
tion bill recognizing the belligerency
of the Cuban insurgents was reported
adversely by the foreign relations COM
mittee, not, as Senator Morgan eX-
planned, on the merits of tine amend
ment, but because the committee did
not approve Of tacking such legisla-
ton to appropriation bills. Senator
Morgan's resolution calling upon the
president for the reports of United
States consuls in Cuba and for informa-
tion as to whether any agent of the
autonomous government in Cuba has
been accredited to this government
and recognized by it. was adopted
without dissent A feature of the
session was a speech in advocacy of
the free coinage of standard silver
dollars by Senator Allen, of Nebraska.
AT the conclusion OF his remarks, Sem
ator Harris, of Kansas, introduced II
resolution with reference to the latest
phase OF the Kansas Pacific sale. He
said, in connection with the resolu-
ton, that the reason for its presenta-
tion at this time was that the attorney
general had informed him less than a
week ago that he proposed to redeem
the first mortgage bonds of the Kansas
Pacific and have receiver appointed
for the road. "We were surprised"
said Senator Harris, "to learn that the
attorney general had decided to aban-
don his expressed plan of redeeming
the first mortgage bonds of the Kansas
Pacific and having IL receiver ap-
pointed for the road. BY this deal, if
it be true that it has been entered
into, the government would lose &c.
624, 1U7 interest due The resolution
went over
The senate devoted almost four
hours in executive session to the con-
sideration of the Hawaiian treaty.
The principal speech was made by
Senator Pettigrew, this being the
third installment of his remarks upon
the subject.
During the session Senator White,
of California, attempted to ascertain
from Senator Davis, in charge Of the
treaty, whether there would be any
early attempt to secure vote upon it.
The California senator stated his
opinion that there onght to be at least
three weeks notice OF time for a
vote, for the arrangement of pairs.
Senator Davis stated that he could not
at present say when the debate would
cease or when the senate would be pre-
pared to take vote.
Senator Hoar introduced a bill for
the suppression of gambling in the
territories of the United States.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, intro
duced a bill authorizing the loyal
Creek Indians of the Indian territory
to bring suit in the court Of claims for
damages committed upon their prop
erty Senator Pettigrew presented
petition of I. N. Foster and 81 other
members of the South McAlester, |. T.,
bar, asking for right of appeal from
decisions of United States courts in
citizenship cases.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. l5.-Cons iderable
unnecessary excitement was caused
among the members of the house yes
terday by the rumor broadly circula-
ted before the house convened that i'm
portant action relative to Cuba was to
be taken. 1t turned out to be simply
a resolution of inquiry unanimously
reported to the foreign affairs commit
tee last week calling on the state de-
partment for information as to the con-
dition of the reconcentrados in Cuba
and the progress made in Spains eff
fort to induce the Cubans to accept
autonomy. The resolution was adopt
ed without division. Another resolu-
ton was calling for the correspond
ence relating to the exclusion Of our
fruits, beef and horses from Germany.
The remainder of the day was devoted
to District of Columbia business,
Late Sunday night, one of the subor-
dinate officials of the house sent out
an imperative summons to each repub-
lican member, impressing the urgent
necessity Of his presence at the session
Monday. At first no one seemed to
know the purpose of this rallying call
and all sorts of rumors were ahoat.
All that was definitely known at first
was that something in regard to Cuba
was to be brought up in the house. II
turned out that Chairman Hitt of the
foreign affairs committee, was merely
to call up some resolutions reached by
his committee calling upon the state
for general information,
one of which related to Cuba, and the
notice had been sent out as precau.
tionary measure to prevent the posi-.
BILE amendment of the resolution By
tho onnosition n nroceedinn vhioh