The San Francisco call., 1898-01-20
LIVELY DEBATES IN
 HOUSE AND SENATE

l
 T appeal from the decision of the
 ''And I make the point that the appeal i Is dilatory," exclaimed Dalzell (R) of Pennsylvania
 "The. chair sustains the. point" ex- claimed Hepburn, who directed the clerk to proceed with the reading.
 Excitement was now at boiling point, and Terry (D.) of Arkansas shouted his
 Can 1t be possible that we have reached the point where this side of the House | cannot appeal from the decision or the chair?' he called
 1 Hepburn directed Terry to take his seat, and the clerk droned on with the readlng. | Lewis found a parliamentary way or ais l cussing the amendment, however, py by moving a pro lorna amendment to Chairman Hit of the Committee on Foreign Relations made an extended the general debate on the diplomatic bill l opened. He reviewed the course Of the i administration, the successful demands | for the release of American citizens, the protest against the inhuman war methods | of Weyler and the effect of the concentra- 1 ton of Cubans in towns. This showed | what spirit animated the President ana what might be expected of him. Hit also spoke of the autonomy plan and the dlS- position of the executive to give It a Tar ] trial, notwithstanding the many doubts heard throughout the country against the ! sincerity of the Spanish Government. A declaration of belligerency, he eX- plained would allow Spain's warshipS to hunt our vessels on the high seas. In the l existing situation, good men sympathlZ- l ing with Cuba's cause were constantly ! making their way to the islands. Supplies. guns and ammunition were going from the United States It was said that every | pound of powder fired for the cause of | Cuba's freedom had come from this coun- | try. Members, he said, might ask why, | with all these disadvantages in store for them the t agents or the Ge0an rePuoe 'I could explain it." said Hit. but l prefer to do so in the words of one of those agents to me. We know said this | the matter of supplies, but we also know | that if Spanish cruisers began to stop before a nasty shot is fired. With that l shot public opinion in Spain and the ! United States will plunge these countries into war. Then our battle will be over That, perhaps, is very just argument for the Cuban" continued Hit, but not | for an American. If we are to have war 1 let us seek it directly, not be forced into ! it by chance"
 Hit spoke of the Spanish authority in Havana as tottering between armed | forces without and tumultuous riot with i in, but with impressive words warned the members that the vast responsibility of action, with the momentous consequences l that might ensue, rested upon the shoul- ders of the executive, not on members of ] Congress, who might be making speeches for public approval.
 Let us remember" said he, that we have a faithful pilot at the helm, and if the ship of state is near the rapids we | should be patient and ready to support ] him if he takes the step which the honor and the interests of our country may de- mand."
 Dinsmore of Arkansas, Democratic ! member of the Foreign Affairs Commit l tee, declared that the time had come for ] giving the Cubans the recognition they had so long sought. He arraigned Hit and the Republican side for all alleged in- | constituencies in regard to their speeches under the Cleveland administration, and { then branched off to the tariff. civil ser | vice, bimetallism and various other topics. | Returning to Cuba, he declared that no act of this Government could bring war with Spain. for bankrupt monarchy. which could not put down 35 900 ragged l Cuban soldiers, would not enter upon a contest with the United States.
 Adams (R) of Pennsylvania, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and chairman of the subcommittee on Cuba. 1 followed MT. Dinsmore anC entrusted the inaction and apathy of the last ad- l achievements of this, dwelling particu- larly upon the release of all American prisoners in Cuba. the change in the
 Spanish war methods and the abandon | ment of the policy of concentration. He
 maintained that the recognition of bel ligerency was purely an executive func-
 tion.
 Did you not vote for belligerency in the last Congress?" asked Sulzer.
 'I did, replied Adams, but then we
 were seeking to protect American prop ! erty; that property is now destroyed. We were seeking to free American prisoners;
 they are now all free. This whole ques- | tion is nearing a solution of its own
 weight. Spain Is bankrupt. She cannot l send another man to Cuba. There are
 riots in Havana The handwriting has
 appeared on the wall.''
 Berry D) of Kentucky eloquently
 pleaded Cuba's cause. After 300 900
 Cubans had gone down to their death
 during the last four years, he said it was
 absurd for members to stand on the floor
 of the House and deny that state of
 war existed on the island.
 'I don't fear war;" said Berry 'I
 think little blood running would be
 good for us. Let Spain fire on the
 American flag just once and the flame
 will be kindled that will free Cuba
 But what will happen to us?" asked
 Mahany.
 "Oh, we can take care of ourselves, ,''
 replied Berry.
 After some further remarks by Wheeler (DD of Alabama, in favor of granting
 belligerent rights to the insurgents, the
 committee rose and at o'clock the
 House adjourned.