Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-09
1|||0Il|0F CONGRESS.
Much Legislation Enictsd Along the
Lines Of 4 New Policy.

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| THE ORGANIZATION OF A VAST
VOLUNTEER ARMY AND THE Elk
| PANSION OF THE NAvY-THE AP-
PREPARATIONS MADE REACHED
| ALMOST 5000, 100000.
| Washington, D. c., July S.-The
passing of the second session of the
Firty-fifth Congress marks the close OF
the first war Congress in quarter of
century. Associated with the first
hostile conflict with a nation Of an
other continent since 1872, the annexa-
ton Of Hawaii, and contemporaneous
with a further movement for territor-
| ial expansion, though with few i'm
| portant changes in the domestic
scheme, the present Congress outranks
! almost any other that has ever as
sembled 1t began with widespread
clamor for sympathetic action for suf-
| fering Cuba, but there was apparently
then no expectation of armed conflict.
But when tie trend of events culmin-
ated, the emergency was quickly met
and Necessary legislation enacted.
The first few but significant war meas
ures suddenly needed were framed and
made law, but with the issue made
clear there was a flood of bills and
resolutions that fairly submerged the
| two branches of Congress.
| Hawaiian annexation, Spain and Gu
ban war appropriations, and war rev.
enue legislation, organization OF the
vast volunteer army and expansion OF
the navy and ne wbankruptcy laval
these were features of the session.
| Notable speeches
AND DRAMATIC SCENES
over foreign issues were comparatively
frequent in both legislative chambers.
I Urgent deficiency bills, carrying mill
ions of dallors, were rushed through
with far less delay than marked the
! course of an ordinary measure OF llIle
/ importance. The total appropriations
footed almost $500 100000 and upward
of $3.50. 600, 900 of this was for purely
war purposes. 1t was the largest ag-
gregate by any session since the Civil
War. and the general deficiency was
the largest separate measure since a
$3.50, 100000 single appropriation In
1868.
The general deficiency bill, enacted
in the last days, carried a provision
for refunding the Indebtedness OF the
Central and Western Pacific railroads
to the government Cuba and Hawaii
were the important matters OF debate,
and provoked the most widespread IN
terest. Hawaiian annexation, hnaly
| throughout the session, first in treaty
| form. in executive session, last In open
session by resolutions accepting the
Hawaiian governments cession of the
| islands.
There were a number Of messages
from President Mckinley bearing on
the Cuban question, ranging from the
submission of report upon the Maine
disaster and the consular reports to
the call for declaration of war. The
first
REAL WAR LEGISLATION
was when Congress placed, without
limitations. $50, 100000 in the Presi-
dents hands as an emergency fund for
national defense. Party lines were
sweep taway and both Houses unanl-
mously voted it's confidence In the ad-
ministration. Soon afterward a bill
reimbursing the survivors OF the
Maine disaster for their losses, not TO
exceed a years pay, with similar
amount to those who persisted, became
law On April II the President, in a
message, left the Cuban issue in the
hands of Congress. Resolutions were
soon enactaed ard became law
April 10, declaring that the people OF
Cuba ought to be and are free and in
] depsn dent.Nand demanding that Spain
relinuuish it's authority and withdraw
Its ldnQ dllu naval IoASOS AANAiA 1890
and Cuban waters, and directing the
use of our land and naval. forces to
enforce the resolutions
The declaration Of war was passed
by Congress and approved on April %.
Subsequent legislation gave free ad-
mission to all military and naval sup
niles purchased abroad by this govern
ment: allowed temporary foruhcatlons
to be constructed on the written con-
sent of owners of land so taken, and
prohibited under executive discretion
the export of coal or other war mater
ial. and three days before the declara-
ton of war President Mckinley had
approved the volunteer act. Under 1t
all the soldiers massed against Spain
mustered in the entire volunteer army
have been raised, embracing $4,000
men under the first and $4,000 under
the second call.
A month previous legislation had
been enacted recognizing the line of