The San Francisco call., 1898-04-14
Call Office, Riggs House,
 Washington, April 13

| Washington, April 13.
 War between two powerful nations was the sole topic of discussion in the | Senate to-day.
 Such excitement, suppressed though 1 it was; such feeling that the country was on the verge of events that would make history for all time to come; such eloquence and impassioned oratory, and such keen and brilliant repartee have been known In the Senate not since the days when the country was convulsed into the greatest war of mod ern times.
 Notwithstanding the throng in the l galleries that semi circular chamber was almost as silent as if 1t were de- serted. Conversation was conducted in | low whispers. A full quarter of an hour before the Senate was convened Davis chairman of the Foreign Rela- | tions Committee, entered the chamber. ands quietly went to his seat in the cen- | ter of the Republican side. He care fully placed on his desk a bulky pack age, which all intuitively knew to be the fateful resolution and report from his committee on which peace or war might hang The Senate chamber filled rapidly, and when the Vice Presidents S gavel fell nearly every Senator was at his desk.
 Scarcely five minutes had elapsed at- ter the session convened before the | Vice-President recognized Davis. An I instant hush fell over the chamber Da- wis presented to the Senate the reso- l lutions and report from his commit tee, and requested that they be read. | Th0 terrific arralgnmGnL of Spain and her policy, yet so eager were all to hear every word that not | the slightest demonstration occurred | throughout the reading.
 Following the presentation of the re- port and after Hoar of Massachusetts l had insisted that consideration Of the resolution go over till tomorrow on 8 point of order came two of the most re- markable speeches yet delivered on the | Cuban question. Foraker Of ohio ana Lodge of Massachusetts, both lmpas- stoned and brilliant orators, presented different phases of the Cuban situation Foraker advocated the direct recogn1- tion of the independence of the Cuban republic, and with eloQuence and vehemence seldom heard in the Senate splendidly maintained his position. A sharp colloquy between him and Elkins of West Virginia caused excitement.
 Lodge followed with an appeal Tor | action in preservation of the national honor and in wiping out the stain of | the "atrociouS murder" in Havana har- | bor His words so reached the heart that the galleries were swept With | tremendous wave of applause
 Lindsay of Kentucky concluded the discussion for the day with a powerful speech, in which he advocated the recognition of the Cubans and con- cert of action between the insurgent army and the United States troops in driving the Spanish forces from the 1sl- and of Cuba
 The majority report and resolution submitted by Davis, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, were read. occupying about forty-five min utes. The resolution attached to the re- port was as follows
 Whereas, The abhorrent conditions which have existed for more than three years in the island of Cuba, SO near our own borders, have shocked the moral sense of the people of the United States, have been a disgrace to Christian clv- l the destruction of United states pat tleship, with 266 of its officers and crew, while on a friendly visit to the harbor | of Havana, and cannot longer be en- dured, as has been set forth by the President of the United States in his message to Congress of April Il, 1898, upon which the action of Congress was invited; therefore,
 Resolved. First that the people of the | island of Cuba are, and of right ought to | be, free and independent;
 Second that it Is the duty Of the Gov ernment of the United States to de- mand, and the Government of the United States does hereby demand that the l Government of Spain at once relinquish | its authority and government in the 1 island of Cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban | waters.
 Third, that the President of the United States be, and he hereby is directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States and to 1 call into actual service of the United | States the militia of the several States l to such an extent as may be necessary to carry these resolutions into effect.
 Senator Turpie presented the report of the minority of the committee as | follows:
 The undersigned members of the Com mittee on Foreign Relations concur in the l report made upon the Cuban resolutions, l but we favor the immediate recognition 1 of the republic of Cuba as organized in that island, as a free, independent and | sovereign power among the nations of | the world.
 The minority report is signed by Sen ator F'oraker (R.) and by Senators Morgan, Turpie, Mills and Daniels OD.
 Hoar demanded that the majority resolution lie over under the rules until tomorrow.
 | It soon began to look as if the con- servative Senators would delay the Cuban resolution by debate. Senator Davis said there was no disposition to unduly rush the question, though it would be pressed as rapidly as possi- ble. The speaking in itself would be sufficient to throw the case over until tomorrow
 The chair decided Senator Hoar's point of order well taken.
 Notwithstanding the decision of the Vice President, Senator Foraker pro- ceeded to discuss the Cuban question on it's general merits.
 Foraker began with a reference to the Presidents message, stating that the President made certain recommenda- tions, some in negative and some in an affirmative form. "One of his nega- tive commentators Senator For aker said, lis that notwithstanding he finds and states to us that he effort of Spain to subdue and conquer the ir- surgents in Cuba has been futile, we shall continue to deny to the people of Cuba and also to the government es- tablished by the insurgents of Cuba recognition of independence Foraker then entered into a compari- son of the Presidents recommendations nI Ioti nf fIa