Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-07-14


hict with a nation of another continent
since 1912, the annexation of Hawaii
and contemporaneous with a further
movement for territorial expansion,
though with few important changes in
the domestic scheme, the present con-
gress outranks almost any other that
has ever assembled.
1t began with q widespread clamor for SYM
pathetic action for suffering Cuba. but there
was apparently then no expectation OF armed
conflict But when the trend OF events cul-
minated the emergency was quickly met and
necessary legi Station enacted The FIST feTT
out sIsnJhcant assures. suddenly needed,
were frame1 and made law. but with the issue
m1de clear there as a food of bills and res
olutions that fairly submerged the two branches
Of congress
Hawaiian annexation. Spain and Cuba, war
appropriations AM war revenue legislation, or
ganiZatiOn OF tn vast volunteer army and ex-
panslon OF the navy, new bankruptcy law all
these were features Of the session. Notable
speeches and dramatic scenes over foreign is
sues were comparatively frequent in both leg
fslative chambers Urgent deficiency bill car
ry1nS millions 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 $780,
100000. and u1garIs Of s}O0JJ.0JJ OK this was
Tor purely wa purposes II was the largest
Uy any session Since the civil war
and the general deficiency was the largest
separate mcl-ur since the $500 O.OOJ single
appropriation In 1863 the naval appropri3-
tion bill provided for three new DattieSnipS-
four monitors. 10 tOrpedO-boIt deStroyers. -
torpedo OoIts AMI on gua.poat The urgent
deficiency bills all carried provisions for ag-
greSSiye WORK in tAe prosecution Of the war
The general deficiency, enacted in the last
days. carried pr gision for re:un ling the in
debtedness OF the Central and Western Pacific
railroads TO the government
Cuba and Hawaii.
Cuba and Hawai- were the important matters
OF debate and provoked the most widespread
interest Hawaii IN annexation finally passed
at the close, agitated throughout the ses-
Sion first in treaty form. in executive session.
and last in open session by resolutions accept
ing the Hawaiian governments ceSsion Of the
islands
There were number OF messages from Pres
ident Mckinley bearing the Cuban silva
ton. ranging from the submission OF a report
upon the Maine disaster AMI the consular re-
ports. to the call for declaration of war
The first real war legislation was when con-
sress placed. without IimitatiO -. 5000 800 in
the presidents hands as emergency fund for
national defense. Party lines were swept
away. and Dpth houses unanimously voted its
confidence in the administration. Soon after
ward bill reimbursing the survivors of tho
Maine disaster for their losses, not TO exceed
years pay, with a similar amount to those who
persisted. became law. On April l.. the presi
dent in a message left the Cuban issue in the
hands of congress Resolutions were soon en-
acted and became q law, April 10. declaring
that the people Of Cuba ought TO be and
are free and independent, and demanding that
Spain relinqulsh its authority and withdraw
its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban
waters. and directing the use of our land and
naval forces TO enforce the resolutions.
The declaration OF war was passed by con-
greSS and approved on April p. Subsequent
legislation gave free admission 10 all military
and naval supplies purchased abroad by this
government, allowed temporary Notifications to
be constructed on the written ,nSent of owners
OF land so taken. and prohibited under execu-
tive discretion the export Of coal or other war
material Three days before the declaration
of war President Mckinley had approved the
Vo unteer act Under it all the soldiers massed
against Spain mustered in the entire volunteer
army have been raised. embracing 125.O o men
under the first and $500 under the second call
4 month previous lie sislaton had been enact
ed reOrGaDiz.ns the line Of the army, efecting
the modern three-battallion war formation L.
designated the peace organization OF these
regiments with Two battaliOnS of fou.
companies each OF Two skeletons or IN
manned companies, and supplied the third
battalion in time by manning tn.
skeleton companies in organizing two addi .
tional ones, and made other important re-
quirements- Another law am ended the pres
ent administration OF justice in the army. &c
complishing reforms in cOurt-mar:ial methods
Revenue Legislation.
One feature OF the session was the enactment.
of the war revenue Law. Its trainers expect 4
to produces $4,000 .OOI per year.
Other revenue legislation included a bill en-
Iargins in favor OF importers the provisions -
TO disposition of abandoned imported merchal-
disc and extending the outage allowance On
distilled spirits in bonds from four to six years
Minor war legislation included the
following:
Allowing q maximum increase of 100 army
hospitals; toward Providing for the mainte-
nance of vo!un teerS between their enrollme 1t
and mastering into United States service: adj
ing two assistant adjutant generals; organizi II
\ volunteer army signal corps: organizing a
volunteer bri ,ade OF engineers: creating tlSn
additional artillery regiments, adding 1910 men
and Is assistant surgeons TO the army perm q.
nently and in emergencies as many cen.
tract surgeons necessary; creating q
United States auxiliary naval force. not tx
ceediny 2-Op enlisted men. and appropriatinG
6. %. OOD therefor; organizing naval hospital
corps of % pharmacists and many hospital
stewards AMI apprentices as necessary; or-
ganizing n naval battalion OF the District Cf
Columbia: keeping lhe-saving stations on ths
Atlantic and gulf coasts open during June aDJ
July for patrol purposes; ratifying all temper airy
appointments OF naval officers on and a!tsr
April 81: authorizing assistance to Cubans ard
proyiding them with arms and supplies: allow
ing homestead settlers who volunteer to count
their service in homestead requirements; ESQ
Iutions of thanks to Dewey and his men: The
presentation of 4 sword to him and medals 20
his officers; and providing for increase in the
force of inspecsors-general, ordnance and cher
army departments
Civil Measures.
Other important legislation, aside
from war. included:
Prohibiting the killing of fur seals in the
North Pacific and importation OF sealsSinsI in
20 this country; prohibiting foreign FIRE light
Indirectly. between United States ports: an
Alaskan homestead ami right Of way act. en-
couraglng railway construction: approprIstiag
Sa00. 10 for the relief OF the Yukon miners sif-
fering from the fierce winter there; creating
q non-partiSan Industrial commission 20
investigate immigration labor, manufac-
ture and business appropriating ssf.i5l
TO pay the BebrinZ awards;
creating a commission 70 allo: lands on the
Unitsh Indian reservation in Utah: adjusting
the old land dispute between the United States
and the state OF Arkansas. the compromise
calling for n payment from the latter of $780,
SO: dispensing with proof of loyalty during the
late war prerequisite In bounty land appII-|
cation where proof o: herwise shows tithe; aboI-
fshing tho distinction between offered and un-
offered. the Reconsideration of the patent sys-
utes relating TO patents and trademarks; re-
moving the disability imposed by section 3
Of the fourteenth amendment TO the constftu-
tion here ofore incurred: allowing t2sS 600 for
the relief OF the book agents Of the Methodist
Ept-copal church south for damages during
the war: $40 ISL for the heirs OF John Roach
the Philadelphia shipbuiIder. for work ON the