The record-union., 1898-04-26
Theodore Roosevelt Appointed a
Lieutenant Colonel.
Presidents Message Recommending a
Declaration of War and Correspond
enCe Which Has Passed Between
This Government and
Spain.

WASHINGTON. April 25.-Congress
To-Day formally declared war to exist
between the United States and Spain:
the Senate passed the naval appropria-
ton bill, carrying large amounts of
money for the improvement of our sea-
lighting arms 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 Sec
retary Day, and the latter by John B.
Moore of New York, an acknowledged
authority on international law. and the
War Department called on the several
States and Territories for their quota
to the volunteer army of the United
States. These make up the important
events Of the day.
1t was not announced when Secretary
Sherman's resignation would take eff
feet, the Secretary having yielded his
original idea of leaving at once and it
is presumed that he will remain until
Judge Day qualities as his successor.
The selection of Mr.. Moore who is
now Professor of International Law at
Columbia University of New York to
succeed the latter. was warmly well
coined by the State Department en-
ployes. Appointed originally from Del
in thp fot tn
Bayard when the latter was Secretary,
Mr.. Moore, by sheer merit and ability.
worked his way up to the place of Sec
ond Assistant Secretary, and in that
capacity he served under several Ad-
ministratiOns without political changes.
He resigned his place in the State De-
partment to accept the chair of inter
national law at Columbia University
about three years ago, and it is be-
lieved that this present appointment is
only temporary, owing to his indisposi-
tion to permanently sever his connec-
tions with Columbia Mr.. Moore is an
authority on certain branches of inter-
national law, and his selection will do
much to strengthen the State Depart
ment in the present emergency.
The officials of the department, with
the assistance of the Attorney General,
have been preparing a proclamation,
which will be issued within a day or
two, this time treating of and defining
the conditions and time when seizures
of vessels of a hostile nation may be
made 1t is believed that the protests
and suggestions coming from foreign
embassies and legations have led the
department to define once for all it's po-
sition in this matter.
A Prize Commissioner was appointed
this afternoon in the person of Com
mander John A. Wynne, retired naval
officer. He will be stationed at Key
West, where he now resides, and it will
be his duty, in conjunction with two
other members to be selected as a part
of the commission, to make appraise
ments of the value of prizes and to
assist the prize courts in their work
1t has been understood for some time
past that Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
of the Navy Department would soon re-
tire. in order to enter the military SER
vice in the Cuban campaign. This
story can now be confirmed positively,
although the time set for Mr.. Roose-
yelt's departure from the department
is not definitely fixed. The President
to-day named Mr.. Roosevelt as Lieu
Colonel of one of the regiments
of mounted rifemen to be raised in the
Rocky Mountains, under Colonel Wood,
whom Mr.. Roosevelt has urged for the
place. Colonel Wood is now DR.. Wood
of the army He won a medal for dis
tinguished gallantry while commanding
a detachment of regular troops during
the exceedingly hard Apache campaigns
against Geronimo. Secretary Alger Sc
lected Colonel Wood and Mr. Roosevelt
for these positions because he felt that
their training and experience in the
past peculiarly fitted them to do good
with a cowboy regiment Col
onel Wood starts West tomorrow to
the recruiting, many offers
having already come to Mr.. Roosevelt
from individuals and organizations
the cowboys. Secretary Long
wishes Mr. Roosevelt to remain in his
present position as long as possible, SO