Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-01

| De NO imposition of Indemnity
Up3n the Cubans - Bailey De-
| clared for the Democrats, That
| They Stand for Cuban Freedom,
| Even If brings War With 1t.
I Washington, March 31-For three
hours to-day the packed galleries and
| excited members of the House listened
TO a passionate oAtburst Of oratory on
| the Cuban question, during which the
intensity of feeling was alternately
manifested by cheers, jeers and Kisses.
i lme and again the excited throngs in
| the galleries were admonished TO be
| silent, and once at least it seemed as il
! a motion would be made TO clear them.
The three speeches which stirred the
| assemblage to its depths were made by
! Mr. Grosvenor, of Ohio, who it was as
! sumed spoke for the administration
and who practically pledged it to the
cause OF free Cuba; Mr.. Bailey, of
! Texas, the Democratic leader,
who announced the Democratic po-
| sition as for free Cuba without war if
! it could be avaoided but war If neces-
| sary, and Mr. Johnson, OF Indiana
who spoke for peace, declaring that it
| was our duty 70 go TO the extreme in
magnanimity to avoid the horrors of
| war
Mr.. Lewis, a Democrat from Wash
ington, provoked the speech of Mr.
| Johnson, which aroused the members
| and the galleries to the fever pitch of
excitement Mr. Lewis had denOunc-
| ed the proposition that Cuba purchase
| her freedom from Spain, which, it was
alleged the administration was foster
| ing Then it was that Mr.. Johnson, in
brilliant speech, pleaded for peace
He faced the storm of Kisses which
| flooded down upon him from the gal
leries. like Spartan and with passion
ate utterance adjured members to
pause before they plunged
THE COUNTRY INTO WAR,
| the evils of which would follow after
| in endless chain. The House has had
before illustrations Of Mr.. Johnson
+, fearlessness, but none so striking as
| to-day when he espoused the unpopu-
| lar cause and pleaded to let diplomacy
| have it's way. At the same tIme ne
| gave ii as his opinion that il an ulti-
matum had been sent to Spain 1t meant
war, as SPANS pride would not per-
nit her to humiliate herself before the
world. He eulogized every influence
that made for peace and declared ms
| belief that the Cuban iunta would
agree to nay $1oG oo0, coo for the in1e-
| pendence of the island.
| MIR. Bailey the Democratic leader,
was quick to seize the advantage which
Mr.. Johnson's position had Afforded,
and in a ringing speech which set his
i , 10 lnrinc wild
| nounced his belief from what Mr..
| Johnson had said that the purpose OF
| the Republicans in refusing to join
with the Democrats yesterday was TO
| give the administration an opportunity
| to compel the Cuban patriots to buy
| the independence they had won from
the butchers of Spain He said he,
| too. deplored war, and in describing
it's awful horrors as the Southern peo-
nile had known them, drew tears from
the ewes of some of his colleagues. He
declared there was yet a chance to
avert war. He had been told within
twenty-four hours by representative
of the Cuban juata that they did not
want to involve the United States IN
war. All they wanted was to have
their INDEPENDENCE recognized. With
| they could then obtain, their
INDEPENDENCE COULD BE
ACHIEVED.
| I'm conclusion he said the Democrats
| were for free Cuba without war if pos
sible. with war if necessary.
This speech of Mr. Bailey's drew the
fire of the administration spokesman
on the floor, Gen. Grosvenor, OF ONO.
With his reply the climax OF the day
| was reached He charged Mr.. Bailey
| with attempting to make political cap
| ital He denounced the statements
! that the administration intended TO
| force Cuba to buy her freedom as the
silly invention of an idiot and declared
| that from the President down TINS adj
| ministration was for free Cuba. Rec
| ognition OF her independence, he SAID,
would be but half way measure. He
| thrilled his auditors when he asked
what meant the war preparations that
were going on night and day Il not
| that when action was taken looking
| to the independence of Cuba 1t would
be backed up if necessary by the army
| and navy of the United States.
| After Mr.. Grosvenor concluded the
| debate went on, the most significant
| utterance being made by NF. GUM
mings, a New York Democrat, who de-
nounced the political character which
| the question was assuming as unpa-
| triotic and unwise. Messrs. Grow,
(Rep.. Pennsylvania, Griggs, (Dem..
| New York; Norton, Dem, Ohiol, and
| Skinner. (Pop., North Carolina), also
| spoke. Little progress was made with
| the naval bill The only important
amendment adopted was one appropri-
ating $500, 600 for the erection of new
| buildings at the naval academy.