Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-05-03
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
House Wax Bill Passed After a short
Di6CussiOn.


Washington, April 26.-After a debate Of
an hour and half's duration, conducted in
secret session. the senate passed bill de-
claring that state of war exists between
the United States and Spain. The bill was
In the same language as that passed by
the house. The debate in the senate was
based on an amendment offered by sena tor
Turpie Qnd) providing for the recognition
OF the belligerent rights Of the insurgent
Cubans, the amendment being practically
in the following language:
I'VE hereby recognize the rights of the
Cuban army under Gen. Maxine Gomez
to be treated as belligerents. the freedom
and independence Of the Cuban people hav-
ang heretofore been recognized by act Of
congress-"
The same amendment had been urged In
the committee on foreign relations previous
to the reporting Of the bill to the senate
and the Indiana senator only agreed to the
amendment should be presented to the
senate. Both in committee and in the
senate Senator Turpie made elaborate ar
6ument in support of his proposition. He
contended that so long as the insurgent
rights of the Cubans were unrecognized
they could only be regarded as subjects Of
spain, and hence urged that our position
In declaring for the recognition of the
freedom and independence of the Cuban
people was entirely inconsistent with our
refusal to recognize their belligerent rights
He also repeated his argument made
when the resolution providing for the In
PREVENTION of this country In the Cuban
war in regard to the interest Of the holders
of the Spanish bonds In preventing the due
recognition Of the rights of the Cuban I'm
surgents.
Amend ment Defeated.
The roll Of the senate was called upon
this amendment and 1t was defeated by a
49, Ait 80 = III al -
There was also some criticism of the fact
that the bill fixed date In the past when
the war had begun. Senator Pettigrew de-
.clared that the 21st inst was evidently
used in order to make legal the capture Of
the lumber vessel, the Buena Ventura, on
that date. He characterized this as a small
piece OF business for either the adminlstra.
ton or congress to indulge in, and said
that under the circumstances, If he had
been president, he would have returned
the ship to Its owners. He predicted that
the courts would in the end settle the claim
against us. regardless of this 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
21st and outlined In the presidents mes
sage.
There was a general plea for speedy ac-
ton on the bill. and no amendment was
pressed for change of date. This motive
also actuated Senator Davis to wtthdraw
an amendment suggested by the commit
tee on foreign relations directing the pres-
ident to prosecute the war to successful
termination. This amendment was with
drawn in order to leave the bill Just as II
| passed the house. thus dispensing with the
necessity of a conference and making II
| possible to send the bill to the president
| at once. There was no division on the
| passage of the bill.
Signed by the President.
The war bill was brought from the capitol
by the clerk of the enrolling division and
reached the white house few minutes be-
! fore six. The white house was almos,
deserted at the time. no one Of the cabinet
being with the president except Attorney
| General Griggs. The enrolled copy Of the
| bill was laid before the president in his Of
| flee Immediately on Its arrival, and he at
| once went over the phraseology with tbs
attorney general The presidential Gig
nature was affixed at 6:1S and the measure
was then the law of the land. 1t will now
follow the regular course Of excessive doc
nments and will be sent to the rolls d.
vision OF the state department, where II
will be printed and published. as are other
laws, ana the original document will find
it, Anal resting place In the archives Of the
state department, although. as with Other
momentous state papers. Photographic
topy will probably be eventually prepared
for exhibition In tho department.