New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-26
PRESIDENT FULLY ARMED.
GREAT WARPOWERS GRANTED
WHY RECOGNITION THAT HOsTILITIES
EXIST WAS DESIRED.
THE ACTION DESIGNED TO CLEAR AWAY ALI
DOUBT AS TO THE PRESIDENTS AUTHORITY
AND AS TO THE LEGALITY OF CAPT
uRES-oTHER WAR MEASURES
PASSED BY CONGRESS.

| PASSED BY CONGRESS.
fBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.l
Washington. April 25-On the recommends
ton of the President, the two houses Of Con-
gress formally declared to-day that a state OF
war exists and has existed since the morning
Of April u. between Spain and the United
States As has been said several times In
these dispatches. no formal proclamation OF
! hosttles has been considered necessary on the
part Of this Government to justify 10 the world
the belligerent role which it assumed when
three days ago it undertook blockade Of the
chief ports still held by Spain in Cuba.
According to the view Of the Adminlstra-
ton. all peaceful relations between the two
countries were sundered when on April 21
Sehor Gulon, the. Spanish Minister of State.
announced to Minister WoodfOrd in Madrid
that Spain regarded President McKinleys ap-
proval Of the intervention resolution passed by
Congress as equivalent to an evident declara-
ton Of war;" and summary declined TO re-
ceive entertain any further communications
from Washington. Acting this theory. the
President declared the chief ports Of Cuba un-
der blockade. and the naval forces OF the
United States began at once the seizure as
| legitimate prizes of all vessels flying Spans
flag on the high seas
The Administrations view that hostllites
were precipitated by the dismissal OF the
American Minister from his post at Madrid
has been generally accepted by other nations.
Great Britain especially signifying her assent
to it by inslructing her Colonial Governors at
many points to issue neutrality proclamations
without delay; and yesterday Spain herself for.
maly recognized the state Of war which has
existed for the last three days by gazetting a
] tho rria ybi
proposes to observe in the conduct Of her op-
erations by sea.
TO REMOVE ALL UNCERTAINTY.
Not 50 much, therefore. 10 define the inter-
national status of the United States as bel
Ngerent Power to remove certain legal and
constitutional embarrassments TO the prosecu'
ton of the war at home, the President request
ed Congress to-day TO pass the technical dec
laratlon of hostillties which is TO arm him In
disputably with all the usual war powers con-
ferrcd on the Ex xrcutiye by the Constitution and
the statutes. In default Of a specific declara.
ton Of war it was urged. some doubt might be
thrown on the right of the President TO execute
the provisions of the Regular Army Reorgan-
ization bill. which has just passed both houses
of Congress Without an act of Congress to
appeal to 10 fix the actual date when war be-
gan questions might be raised as 10 the legality
OF seizures made by American warshps. Pay
| accounts In the two services. II was held would
be confused by any uncertainty as TO when
/ peace ended and war actually began, and the
eligibility for active duty Of retired Army and
! Navy offers would be clOuded by the failure
OF the legislative branch 10 recognize officially
the existence Of belligerent relations with Spain.
For these and other pressing domestic rea'
sons the President transmitted to-day 10 Con-
gress brief message suggesting the adyisa-
bllltv Of recognizing that war exists. and both
branches promptly indorsed the Adm!nistra-
tons programme by passing before adjourn
nent the following BILL
That war be and the same is hereby declared
10 exist and that war has existed since the
/ DIST day of April \. d. lS9S including SAID
day. between the United states OF America ana
the Kingdom OF Spain .
That the President OF the United states be.
and he hereby is. directed and empowered 70
use the entire land and naval forces or the
United States and TO call into the actual service
/ Of the United States the militia OF the several
States 10 such an extent as may be necessary
10 carry this act into erect
PROMPT ACTION BY CONGRESS.
An attempt was made IN the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Relations TO attach TO the
simple declaration passed by the House OF
Representatives the obnoxious rider defeated
week ago recognizing the independence and
scvererntv OF the present insurrectionary
government in Cuba The extremists on the
committee who stood out for the recognition
Of the Cuban republic only succeeded In de-
Ievinr action for few hours. for the House
hill was finally reported without amendment
and the Senate accepted II by An Overwhelming
vote To avoid disclosing the extent Of the
supnort given 10 the recognition rider. action
on the House bill was taken behind closed
doors.
The correspondence transmitted TO Congress
70 accompany to-day's message was far from
bulky. Several of the Enclosures had already
been given TO the press. and no new or impor-
tont light was thrown by the others on the
conduct of the negotiations which led 10 the
,o,,,ino,ion Of diplomatic intercourse between
S,oin and the United States on Thursday last.
INCREASE OF THE ARMY.
r,o massage to-d1y by the Senate Of tho
Army Reorganization Dill assures speedy IN
..aoso of rhe regular forces TO fully double
,hoir nresent strength and the adoption for
s,i,orv nurposes of n more modern and ad-
,ocoous system of field and lne-of-batte
r~roations rhe bill will be signed at once
hr rho President and recruiting 10 ill up the
ort REGIMENTS TO the three battalion limit
,u beoin forthwith 1t is hoped that the
marc eligible OF the volunteers from the vart-
ous STATES not included in the militia compile
meuts may be in iIced TO take service with
the Regular Army. and that through the MKT
ure of the hardest of the new recruits with
tbe seasoned men now in the skeletonzed regi-
mcnts a force sixty thousand strong may be
gathered on the Gulf coast likely TO prove fit
for active service within a month or six weeks.
The reuusitions on the various States for
their quotas under the Presidents call for
volunteers of Saturday last were made out and