Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-29
HOUSE MESSAGE NJ
Representatives Not Unanimous In
Their Enforcement of Presi-
dent McKfnley's Course.

lent McKfnley's Course.
Washington, March 2s.-Neither Speaker
Reed, Mr.. Dingley, the floor leader of the
majority. nor Mr.. Bailey. the Democratic
leader of the house. would make any COM
ment on the message. Otner members.
however. were not SO reticent.
Mr.. Quigg. Republican, of New York. a
member of the foreign affairs committee,
said: THE facts disclosed in the message
are those and only those which have been
anticipated. and their effect on public feel
ing is naturally discounted. The president
states them clearly. and defines a course
which becomes the chief magistrate of a
SOBER. right-intending and self-confident
people. He is acting with absolute good
judgment. and /. as one representative,
purpose to sustain him.. War is hideous.
and should be resorted to only when no
other course is possible in justice and self
respect"
Mr.. Grosvenor. Republican. of Ohio. said
he had no comment to make on the mes
sage.
Mr.. Livingston, Democrat. of Georgia.:
1.-THE message reads like al apology"
Mr.. McMillin, Democrat. of Tennessee:
1.-The message is thoroughly non-committal
and does not acquaint congress with the
policy of the administration From the
fact that the president simply transmits
the findings of the board and notifies us
that they have been laid before the Span
ish government, I Judge that we are ex-
pected to do nothing until Spain is heard
FROM"
Representative Cummings. of New York,
a member of the naval committee: in
my opinion the blowing up of the Maine
ought to be considered one of the main
faotnYc in tha oaCA aoas1et C,a;, Tto
Spaniards are proverbial for their trick
cry. Their policy is one of delay. BY
stunning the issue made by the blowing
up of the Maine, they concentrate every
thing on the issue of feeding their own
starving people. II I understand the pres
ident. the Spaniards are unwilling that we
should tax ourselves to feed this people,
and II they finally agree to allow us to do
SO 1t will be a special favor to US and re-
move all pretext for interference. 1 have
no common to make. The American peo-
pie will make their own comment, and
make 1t SO loud that even the deaf will
hear them"
| Charles A. Russell. Of Connecticut, a
member of the ways and means committee:
The presidents message. transmitting the
report and evidence of the Maine board of
inquiry. was calm and dispassionate. be-
NhAAas s"o SANNAs "a N"S J SOltSt tSS
and the country ought to receive this mes
sage Of the president and the report as the
forerunner of some decisive action. delay
ed only for two reasons-first. to exhaust
every effort to preserve peace with honor
to ourselves and Justice to Cuba. and sec
ond. to prepare most efectually for war"
Representative Babcock. Republican, of
Wisconsin. chairman Of the Republican
congressional committee: The president
I hos treated tho rnassor NTH oraax So
bearance. and has been very conservative
in his action"
Representative Warner. Republican, of
Illinois: The report settles the question
beyond cayil that the Maine was blown up
by a mine in Spanish waters. The time for
talking on our part has passed. We should
now act"
Representative Foss. Republican. Of ILL.,
nois. a member Of the naval affairs COM
mittee: THE report fails to fix the re-
sponsibility. but it will be difficult to make
the American people believe that Spain did
not have something to do with it. If armed
intervention Is to take place, ii should be
done on the broad grounds of humanity
Representative Dockery. Democrat. of
Missouri: Il have not read the findings of
the court of inquiry or the accompanying
evidence, and. therefore. my opinion is
based solely upon the presidents message.
L confess 10 Il ueep sehSe Vi uisappolntmen
at its tenor. Doubtless the language of
diplomacy calls for respectful phrases. but
the facts already known to the country in
relation to the Maine do not. II seems to
me. warrant any departure from a strict
and simple recital, devoid of coloring either
way. / do not know the contemplated pol
icy of the administration: but it may as
we'll be understood now as later that the
people of the United States will ~disapprove
of any attempted settlement of the Cuban
question involving the payment or guaran-
tee of bonds or leaving the Spanish flag
floating on the island. or any action re-
sulting in the feeding OF Cuban non-com-
batants while the Spanish gun is fighting
the insurgents in the field. The appropria-
ton to relieve the starving Cubans would