Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-04-07
NAVAL BILL PASSED.
After a Turbulent Session the Meas
ure Gets Through the House.
The ENLISTMENT OF CONFEDERA1ES.
Senator Chandler Wants the Cuban Con-
sular Correspondence Sent In United
States Not Ready for War--Cuban
Resolution Ready.

| ''|"s't Ssst ''O"'t y Sop,i'ht PU''N' sht
naval appropriation bill and adjourned
until Monday. The war spirit was
manifested in all the speeches and
overrode the naval committee itself by
increasing the number Of torpedo
boats and torpedo boat destroyers to
"a, the bill as reported providing for
but II. The amendment Of Mr.. Can
non, chairman OF the appropriations
committee, to reduce the number OF
battleships to one was buried under
an overwhelming majority. The pro-
vision relating to armor plate, which,
in ordinary times would have precipi-
tated debate Of several days, was dis
posed Of in ten minutes, proposition
to decrease the price agreed to in the
bill from $500 to $500 per ton being
drowned in perfect chorus of noes
Mr.. Cannon, during the course OF the
day, announcing the belief Of ma
jority Of the members that war would
be upon us within a week, and Mr.. De.
Almond, Of Missouri, made q notable
speech, declaring that, II hostilities
were to come, it was our duty to strike
the first blow.
The Chickering general bill declar-
ing that enlistment in either army or
navy will not deprive veterans of pen
sions for previous service has been
agreed upon in the house committee
on invalid pensions, with the follow
ing amendment: "All persons who
served in the confederate army during
the civil war who shall hereafter serve
in the army or navy of the United
States for at least 90 days shall be en-.
titled to benefits OF the act OF June 81,
1890, and pensionable hereunder, If
shown TO be unable to perform manual
labor and dependent thereon for sup
port" The bill was reported favora-
bly, 70 the house.
THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, April 2.-ln open ses-
sion Of the senate yesterday Senator
Chandler, of New Hampshire, called
up the resolution he introduced Thurs
day requesting the president to send
the Cuban consular correspondence to
the senate, and at his suggestion it
was referred to the committee on for
eign relations Immediately after
ward, however, he introduced another
resolution, which went over, calling
upon the secretary of state for the
same information After the passage
of few bills the senate went into Sc
cret executive session, the proceedings
occupying the greater part of the
afternoon and being devoted to a de-
csion of the wisdom of purchasing the
Danish West India islands.
Senator Quay offered a resolution In
the following terms; THAT the COM
mittee on foreign relations be and is
hereby instructed to report on or be.
fore the 9Th inst. bill for the recog.
milton Of the republic of Cuba" 1t
went over under the rule.
Senator Bacon, Of Georgia, offered a |
resolution, which was adopted, re-
questing the secretary Of war to in
form the senate what provisions had
been made to protect the seacoast cities
of Georgia and what part Of the emer-
gency appropriation of $50, 900, 900 had
been allotted for the defense OF Geor-
gia's seacoast The senate then ad-
journed till Monday.
FURTHER DELAY ADVISABLE.
WASHINGTON, April .. From one of
the senators who has been in consulta-
ton at the white house three times
day ever since the situation became
critical, the following statement was
obtained yesterday afternoon:
The president is fat-footed on the PROPOSE
tion that : pain must move out bodily He also
knows absolutely that Spain cannot, or, at
least will not consent TO this complete aban-
donment That means war The president
squarely faces that He is not ready, He rec
oenizes certain serious unpreparedness Nc
Klnley feels he would be guilty Of great neg
ligence II the DEFICIENCIES be not made
good before we are plunged into war.
Had he felt 70, matters would
have been advanced to a point where
tho United States could have stopped
the coming OF the torpedo iotila. This fact
will manifest itself by Monday or Tuesday,
house ah Minute wv WI sapborf s prsne ane
The committees will be given information,
which the members should know, that will
have tendency TO sober them up q bit The
president may ask that he be permitted to con-
duct further negotiations on these lines. It
will be plan TO all that these negotiations IN
only lead to war but the men who will advo-
cate that the president be permitted to contin-
ue his correspondence with Spain will make 1t
plain that little delay is good thing for US
US well Us Spain,
CUBAN RESOLUTION READY.
WASHINGTON, April The sub-com-
mittee Of the senate committee on for
eign relations appointed to draft a re.
port and prepare form of resolution
outlining course of action which this
government shall pursue toward Spain
with reference to Cuba so far com.
pleted its work yesterday that it will
be able to report TO the full commit.
tee at its meeting to-day. The sub
will recommend the adop.
ton of resolution declaring, in the
first place, for the recognition of the
independence of the Cuban republic
and in the second for the inter-
vention by the United States with
her army and navy for the purpose of
assisting the Cubans to secure indie.
pendence in case Spain continues to
refuse to concede it, The committee
will report on Monday, unless it is
then made evident that 1t has been
impossible for the president IN com.