New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-26
Colgate & Co.'s
WORKS
CONGRESS- ACTS PROMPTLY.
A STATE OF WAR RECOGNIZED
QUICK AND HARMONIOUS RESPONSE TO
THE PRESIDENTS REQUEST

4 BILL. DECLARING THAT HosT1LITEs WITH SPAIN
HAVE EXISTED SINCE APRlI. 81 PASSED BY
ROTH HOUSES WITHOUT DISSENTING
VOTE AND SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
my TELEGRAPH TO TRlBrNE.l
Washington, April 25.-The House or fepre-
sentatives voted one man to-day 70 pass '"e
h,u declaring that n state Of war exists anu mas
existed between the United states ana SPAIN
since and including April q. and au'hor'-ine
the President to employ the ent're ianu anu
,o,o, forces ~ the United States and to call
into active service the militia OF 'he seFe'a'
states 70 such extent as may be necessary to
carry this act into effect
Tho proceedings were as brief as they were
unanimous and gravely impressive. A M''hi-
gan Representative who was speaking on a
contested election case yielded to Acting Chair
man Adams OF the Committee on Foreign Al
fairs who asked unanimous consent. winch WAN
granted. for the immediate consideration OF the
hill unanimously reported from that committee
Mr. Adams asked for the previous question OH
the bill to its final passage. and 1t was uhahi-
rousiv voted The bill then ordered 10 pe
engrossed and read the third time by unani-
nous vote and was Immediately passed by
like vote and without a division NOT worn
of debate or explanation was considered neces-
sary and from the time the bill was Drought III
until its pass1 was announced less thah t"'
minutes elapsed. The result OF the vote was re-
ceived with considerable applause, IN winch
many members on both sides Joined, and the
House then quietly resumed consideration OF the
contested election case.
or course. this action Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives was predetermined and the forma'
recognition and registration of n decree that had
already been made by the Spanish Government
and with ii was coupled ample authority to the
President 10 give it effect. The work or the
Committee on Foreign Affairs was plainly indi-
Gated in the Presidents message. and 1t was
quickly done and satisfactorily that not
member Of the House had change to suggest.
Probably never before in the history OF that bodY
was a measure which even approached this one
in Importance framed and passed with such
unanimity and in so short time
IN THE SENATE.
After a debate Of an hour and half. con-
ducted in secret session. the Senate to-day
passed the House bill declaring that a state OF
war exists between the United States and Spain
The debate was based on an amendment offered
by Senator Turple. providing for the recognition
of the begerent rights OF the insurgent Gu
bans. the amendmen: being practically in the
following language:
We hereby recognize the rights OF the Cuban
army under General Maximo Conner 10 he treated
as belgerents, the freedom and Independence VI
nized by act of Congress.
The same amendment had been urged In the
Committee on Foreign Relations before the Iill
was reported to the Senate. and MI Tufpie
agreed TO the bringing In Of the bill only on con-
dition that his amendment should he presented
n the Senate Both in committee and in the
Senate Mr. Turpie made elaborate arguments
in supper. Of his proposition He contended
that so long as the belligerent rights of the
Cubans were unrecognized they could only be
regarded as subjects Of Spain. and hence urged
that the position OF this country in declaring
for the recognition of the freedom and independ-
ence of the Cuban people was entirely inconsist-
ent with the refusal to recognize their belliger
ent rights. He also repeated his argumer;
made when the resolution providing for the IN
tervention Of this country in the Cuban war
was considered. in regard to the interest OF the
holders Of the Spanish bonds In preventing the
due recognition Of the rights Of the Cuban In
surgents.
RECOGNITION AMENDMENT DEFEATED.
The roll Of the Senate called upon this
| amendment and II was defeated by a majority
|
There was also some criticism Of the fact that
| the bill fixed a date In the past when the war
! had begun Senator Pettigrew declared that
! April 81 was evidently used IN order TO make
! legal the capture OF the Buena Ventura on that
date He characterized this a small piece Of
! business for either the Administration Con
gress and said that under the circumstances
IL ne had been President he would have returned
the ship to its owners. He predicted that the
courts would in the end settle the claim against
this country regardless Of this declaration.
DATE FIXED BY SPANS ACTION
Senator Davis replied briefly to this point.
saying that the date not fixed by the capt
ure Of the Buena Ventura. but by the recogn-
ton by the Spanish Government OF state OF
war as made on the DIST. and outlined In the
! Presidents message
Senator White took up the Pettigrew conten.
ton, holding that the President had not in
dcated any daIe for the beginning Of hostilities.
/ but that he had rather shown In his message
that he considered the negotiations had by no
means reached the point Of hostillties. The
| President" said Mr.. White, speaks Of our
reasonable demands upon Spain. Did he he
asked expect Spain to take the view that his
! demands reasonable. when he had asked
Spain 10 part with large portion Of her King
dom, and to come up smiling In view OF this
polite request"
! Continuing Mr. White SAID that II was his
| purpose support the Administration In all
! reasonable measures for the prosecution OF war.
but he did not regard the fixing OF this date
| as in any sense a response TO Presidential
request.
! There was general plea for speedy action on
the bill and no anne ndment for a change Of date
was pressed. This motive also induced Senator
Davis to withdraw amendment suggested by
the Committee Foreign Relations directing
the President to prosecute the war TO sue