The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-03-24
WORK OF CONGRESS.

WAS almoSt lOSt track OF IN the de-
bate. AS on Tuesday numerous topics
We're discussed, but yesterday for the
first time the Cuban-Spanish question
which has been kept in the back
ground heretofore, forged 10 the front.
Mr.. Cochran of Missouri brought the
question into the arena, and in the
course OF the debate that followed Mr..
GrOsyenor of Ohio took occasion to
deny emphatically the stories afioat to
the. effect that the president desired
an early adjournment of congress in
order that he might effect settle
ment without congressional interior
y"ence. The subject of Hawaiian an
nexation also came in for more at
tentiOn. Mr.. Williams of Mississippi,
Mr. Adams of Pennsylvania and Mr..
Berry Of Kentucky, all members of
the foreign affairs committee, made
speeches on the subject, the former in
opposition and the two latter in favor
of the proposition.
In the Serate.
Business in the legislative session OF
the senate was confined to the passage
of few bills, largely of local char
acter. The national quarantine bin
. was not considered.
Washington, March IL. - Senator
last Sunday from an extended trip to
and through the Island of Cuba, made
a statement to the senate of his OBJ
seryations on the island. From many
view points the statement was remark
able. 1t had evidently been most care
fully prepared. Every element of
sentimentalism had been studiously
eliminated from it, and, except so far
as the facts recited were sensational,
it bore not the slightest evidence OF an
effort to arouse the public mind to the
condition of affairs on the island.
He began by saying that more i'm
portance had been attached to his
Visit than necessary, but he thought
public statement would be beneficial.
He said that Gen. Lee and other
United States representatives in Cuba
afforded him opportunity to secure in
formation. He denied that he made
the statement that the Maine was
blown up from the outside. but might
have said that such was the opinion
in Havana. The senator thought
there was no definite information to
be obtained upon this feature. Out
side of Havana there was desolation
and misery. People were surrounded
by trochas and controlled by forts or
blockhouses.
Theil Situation Terrible.
His observations, he said, We're in
the four western provinces. Outside
of the trOchas and forts there were nc
habitations nor people living. The
SpaniardS, he said, held in the four
provinces only what their army sits
on.
Senator Proctor describes at some
length the condition of the reconcen-
tradOs, saying one-half OF them had
dled owing to the manner in which
they had been kept in small houses
and to the bad sanitation. 1t was no
wonder one-half of them died. He
=, went to Cuba, he said, thinking the
condition of the people had been over
drawn, but found their situation terri
Bile. What he saw he could not tell
so that others could see it. In one
place in Havana the senator said he
saw 400 emaciated people lying on
stone floors, with little clothing. The
children had no clothing. American
people may be assured, he continued
that their bounty will reach the desti-
tute, and he added:
1.-The condition of the recoEcentrados
will not be changed until peace comes
Gen. Blanco's order of Nov. ID is
OF Little Practical Use.
No beneficial results had followed. For
this do not blame Gen. Blanco, as he
looked at the matter from a military
point Of view.
AS to the military situation, there
were about 10000 Spanish troops In
Cuba. He thought they would fight
well. There was no artillery. The
troops live in barracks. The cavalry
is mounted mostly on ponies. He said
that the Cubans had about 10000 men
in the field, and were very active.
The Cubans were we'll armed, but
poorly supplied with ammunition.
About one-third of the Cuban army
was negroes. He inquired as to au-
tonomy Of men Of wealth, business
and professional men. Without excep-
ton their reply was that it was too
late for autonomy. It was also too
late for peace under Spanish rule.
Some favored annexation by the Unit
ed States. Senator Proctor said he
was not in favor of annexation. The
conditions for self-government in Cuba
were favorable, and there was not
much danger Of revolutions. He would
not make any recommendations as to
what should be done. He thought the
matter might be safely left to an
American president and the American
people.
In the House.
No political questions were discussed
in the house. The whole session was
devoted strictly to the postoftice ap-
preparation bill, which was taken up
for amendment under the five-minute
rule. The questions which con-
sumed the major portion of the time
ii. related to the allowance for clerk
hire at postotfices and to rural free de-
livery. The house increased the al
lowance for rural free delivery from
000 tn TQ00 tod
proposition for increased clerk hire.
Washington, March 49, The house
spent another day on the Dostotfice ap-
preparation bill but only disposed of
two pages of the bill. Most of the day
v was devoted to the debate on the mer-
it's of the pneumatic tube mail service
in New York, Boston and Philadel-
phia, and the ACCESSIBILITY Of continu-
ing the existing contract An effort
to strike out the appropriation of
$225,OOO was defeated, but the on