Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-04-21

ity and government in the island Of
Cuba and withdraw it's land and naval
forces from Cuba and Cuban waters.
Third, that the president of the
United States, and he hereby is di-
rected and empowered to use the en-
tire land and naval forces of the
United States and to call into actual
service of the United States the militia
of several states to such an extent as
may be necessary to carry these reso-
lutions into effect"
The report made by Senator Davis
tire situation, and a strong presenta-
ton Of the facts which led the COM
nittee to it's conclusions. The report
takes up the Maine disaster as the
leading topic for consideration and
plunges into that question in it's first
sentence. which is as follows:
The destruction Of the United States
battleship Maine, Of two Of her officers
and of 264 of her crew in the harbor of
Havana on the night Of Feb. Is, 1898,
excited to an unprecedented degree the
compassion and resentment of the
American people. Manifestations of
that resentment were suspended, al
though the feeling was not allayed, by
the self-restraint of our people, who
determined to hold their judgment in
suspense concerning their ultimate &C
ton until an official investigation
should disclose the cause of that great
disaster and enable them, by direct
or circumstantial testimony, to impute
the responsibility therefor. That in
vestigation has been made. 1t was
conducted with judicial thoroughness
and elaboration. The difficulty of
demonstrating by conclusive proof the
efficient personal cause of that sinister
event was the usual one of exposing
plotted and mysterious crimes. No
such difficulty, however, obscures it's
official and responsible cause"
The committee says that the explo-
sion itself of the Maine was linked
with series of precedent transac-
lions, which cannot in reason be dis
connected from it. The report con-
plainly apparent that no one can even
plausibly deny it's existence,
it is merely one reason for
the conclusion to which the
Investigating mind must come in
considerating the entire subject of the
relations of the United States with that
government. 1t is the opinion of the
Maine was comprised either by the Of
fetal act of the Spanish authorities or
was made possible by a negligence on
their part SO willing and gross as to be
equivalent in culpability to positive
criminal action
Washington, April 13.-The house,
after one of the most exciting and
memorable days in history, by a vote
of 1922 to 10, adopted resolutions which
nine-tenths of it's members believe
makes war inevitable. The resolutions
adopted direct the president to inter
vene at once in Cuba to restore peace
and secure to the people of the island
stable, independent government OF
their own" They also authorize him
to use the army and navy to accom-
plish the purpose of the resolutions.
The proceedings were marked by a
bitter, acrimonious display of partisan
feeling. During the excitement the
lie was passed between Messrs. Brumm
rep, Pa and Bartlett (dem., Ga.)
A disgraceful scene followed. The
resolutions passed read as follows:
Whereas, the government of Spain
for three years past has waged war on
the island of Cuba against a revolu-
out making any substantial progress
towards the suppression of said revo-
luton, and has conducted the warfare
i'll a manner contrary to the laws Of
nations by methods inhuman and I'M
civilized, causing the death by starva-
ton of more than 100000 innocent
non-combatants, the victims being for
the most part helpless women and
children, inficting intolerable injury
to the commercial interests of the
United States, involving the destruc-
ton of the lives and property of many
of our citizens, entailing the eXpendi-
ture Of $1,000,000 in patrolling our
coasts and policing the high seas in
order to maintain our neutrality; and
whereas, this long series of losses,
injuries and burdens for which Spain
is responsible has eliminated in the
destruction of the United States bat
tle-ship Maine in the harbor of Ha-
vana, and in the death of 266 of our
seamen, resolved, that the president is
hereby authorized and directed to in
tervene at once to stop the war in Gu
ba, to the end and with the purpose
Of securing permanent peace and or
der there and establishing by the free
action of the people thereof, stable
and Independent government Of their
own in the island of Cuba; and the
president is hereby authorized and en-
powered to use the land and naval
forces of the United States to execute
the purpose of this resolution"
The democrats made minority
report. When Mr. Adams, acting
chairman Of the committee on foreign
affairs, asked for unanimous consent
to consider the resolutions reported
by the majority, Mr.. Bailey, the dem
ocratic leader, objected. An effort
to set the resolutions before
the house kaving failed, the COM
mittee on rules retired to formulate a
special order. It's report provided for
the immediate consideration of the