The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-07-09
Associated With 1t Are the First
Foreign War in Nearly a
Century,
Annexation of Hawaii and Posi-.
ble Further Extension of
Territory.
Cuba and Hawaii the Prominent
Topics Of Debete--0ther
Legislation.

WASHINGTON, July 9.-The passing
81 the second session OF the Fifty.fifth
congress marks the close Of the first
war congress in quarter of q century.
Associated with the first hostile con.
fict with q nation of another continent
since 1912, the annexation Of Hawaii
and contemporaneous with further
movement for territorial expan sion,
though with few important changes in
the domestic scheme, the present con.
gress outranks almost any other that
has ever assembled. 1t began with
widespread clamor for sympathetic &C.
ton for suffering Cuba, but there was
apparently then no expectation of
armed conflict But when the trend
OF events eliminated, the emergency
was quickly met. and necessary legisla.
ton enacted. The first few. but sig.
nlficant war measures. suddenly need.
ed, We're framed and made law, but
with the issue made clear. there was q
food Of bills and resolutions that fairly
su uomerged the two branches Of con.
gress.
Many Notable Features
Hawaiian annexation, Spain and
Cuba, war appropriations and war rev.
enue legislation; niza,ion OF the
vast volunteer army, aud expansion of
the navy; new bankruptcy laval
these We're features of the session.
Notable speeches and dramatic scenes
over foreign issues were comparatively
frequent IN both legislative chambers.
Urgent deficiency bills carrying mill.
ions Of dollars were rushed through
with far less delay than marked the
course Of an ordinary measure Of little
Importance. The total appropriations
footed almost $500, 900, 900 and upward
Of 1850, ,OO0, 900 Of this was for purely
war purposes. 1t was the largest ag.
gregate by any session since the civil
war. aud the general deficiency was
S15o 100000 single appropriation in
1868. The naval appropriation bill
provided for 3 new battleships, mon.
itors, Is torpedo boat destroyers. IL
torpedo boats and l gunboat The
urgent deficiency bills all carried pro-
visions for aggressive work in the pros
ccution Of the war. The general de.
ticiency law enacted in the last days,
carried provision for refunding the in.
debtedness Of the Central and Western
Pacific railroads to the government.
Cuba and Hawaii Prominent in Debate.
Cuba and Hawaii were tho important
matters Of debate and provoked the
most widespread interest. Hawaiian
annexation, finally passed at the close,
was agitated throughout the session.
first Ill treaty form, in executive ses.
sion; last i'll open session, by resolu.
tions accepting the Hawaiian govern.
ments cession Of the islands
There were number Of messages
from President Mckinley bearing on
the Cuban situation, ranging from the
submission Of report upon tho Maine
disaster and the consular reports. to
the call for a declaration Of war.
The first real war legislation was
when congress placed. without imita.
tions, 800. 900. 900 in the presidents
hands as an emergency fund for ma.
tional defense. Party lines were swept
away aud both houses unanimously
voted its confidence in the administra.
ton. Soon after bill reimbursing
the survivors Of the Maine disaster for
their losses not to exceed years pay
with similar amount to those who
pcrished. became law.
Lefs the Cuban lssue to Copsress.
On April II. the president in . mes.
sage loft tho Cuban issue in tho hands
of congress. Resolutions were soon
enacted and became law April 10. de-
claring that the people ought to DO and
arc free and independent. aud demand.
ing that Spain relinquish its authority
aud withdraw its land aud naval forces
from Cuba and Cuban waters. aud di.
recting the use Of our land aud naval
forces to enforce the resolution.
The declaration Of war was passed
BY congress and approved OH April 25.
Subsequent legislation gave free admis.
sion 10 all military and naval supplies
purchased abroad by this government;
allowed temporary fortitications to be
constructed on tho written consent Of
owners Of land 50 taken. and prohibited
under executive discretion, the export
OF coal or other war material,
and three days before the declaration
of war, President Mckinney had ap.
crovod tho vnlnntoor NOT I1ndar IL n n