The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-26
EXISTENCE Of STATE OF WAR


The Wise Young election contest from
Virginia was next taken up.
Mesick made the opening argument In the
election case In favor Of the Claims Of the
contestant. Wise.
Burke of Texas, Yost of Virginia and De
Almond Of Missouri spoke on the election
case.
Just prior TO adjournment Speaker Reed
signed the bill declaring the existence OF q
state OF war, When the army reorganixa-
ton bill with senate amendments came
back to the house. on motion OF Hull. the
amendments were non-concurred In and
the bill was sent TO conference.
Cox OF Tennessee and Marsh OF Iiiinosa
were appointed confeFees.
AT $40 p. m. the house adjourned
Wara Deheee In secret sesstoa.
After debate of one hour and hail
conducted In secret session the senate to-
day passed bill declaring that y state OF
war existed between the United States
aud Spain. The bill was In the same Ian
guage as that passed by the house.
The debate In the senate was based on
the amendment, offered by Turpie provid-
Ing for the recognition OF the beliigerent
rights OF the insurgent Cuhans, the amend
ment being practically in the following lam
guage:
I'VE hereby recognize the rights OF the
Cuban army under Gen. Comes to be treat
Cu aS kEESdpIn ana tnNS~
pendsnce Of the Cuban people having here
tofore been recognized by act OF congress-
The same amendment had been urged In
the committee on foreign relations previ-
GUS to the reporting OF the bill to the seu-
ate and the Indiana senator only agreed
to the bringing In OF the bin on condition
that his amendment should be presented to
the senate. Both in the committee and in
the senate, Turpse made elaborate argu-
ments in support of his proposition.
TINS roll of the senate was called upon
this amendment and II was defeated BY q
majority OF IA. tho vote standing "a to -.
There was also some criticism cf the
fact that the bill fixed date In the past
when the war had begun. Senator Petit
grew declared that the zlst was evidently
used IN order TO make legal the capture
CT the lumber vessel Buena Ventura on
that date. He characterized this rs
small piece CT business for either the adj
ministration or congress 20 indulge in. and
said that under the circumstances. IL he
had been president. he would have re-
turned the ship to its owners He pre-
dicted that the courts would i'm the end
settle the claim against US, regardless Of
Its declaration.
Senator Davis replied briefly to this
point saying that the date was not fixed
by the capture Of the Buena Ventura. but
by the recognition OF the Spanish govern
ment OF state Of war, as made on the
2ist. and as outlined in the presidents
message.
White took up the Pettigrew contention.
hoiding that the president had not Indi-
Gated any date for the beginning of hostil-
ties. but that he had rather shown In his
message that the negotiations had by no
means reached the point OF hostliI.ies.
White said that it was his purpose 10
support the administration In all reason
able measures for the prosecution of the
war, but he did not regard the fixing OF
this date IN any sense q response TO a
presidential request. There was a general
plea for speedy action on this bill, and no
amendment was pressed for n change of
date, This motive also aetuated Senator
Davis TO withdraw ap amendment sug-
gested by the committee on foreign rela-
tons, directing the president TO carry on
the war 10 a successful ending. This dis
pensed with the necessity Of a conference
ana made IL possible to send the bill TO the
president today.
The war bill was brought from the cap
i'ol by the clerk of the enrolling division,
and reached the White House few min
uies before o'clock. The White House
was almost deserted at the time not one
Of the cabinet beng with the president ex-
cept Attorney General Griggs. The en-
rolled copy OF the bill was laid before the
president In his office Immediately on It's
arrival, and he at once went over the
phriseology with Attorney General Griggs
The presidential signature was affixed Mt
els and the measure was then the law OF
the land.
i; will now follow the regular course of
executive documents and will be sent TO the
rolls division OF the state Department.
where 1t will be printed and published as
are other laws and the original document
VIII flnd itself In resting place In the
archives Of the state department although
az with other me n1entoee OF the state de-
partment Photographic copy will be even