New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-20
PRICE THREE CENTS.
NOT FOR CONGRESS TO ACT
MIR. HIT REBUKEs THE CUBAN Elk.
TRENISTS.
HE URGES THAT THE ENTIRE QUESTION RE LEFT
IN THE HANDS OF PRESIDENT MKINLEY.
WHO HAS ACCOMPLISHED so MUCH
ALREADY DEMOCRATS AGAIN
BEATEN IN THEIR EFFORTS
TO INTRODUCE A BELLIG-
ERENcY RrsoII,TI0X
fnY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIpuNE.l

TO INTRODUCE BELLIG-
ERENcY RESOLUTION
tpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
Washington. Jan. 1o-The question OF CubaA
begerency was the vehicle on which the Dip
lomatic and Consular Appropriation hlll was
/ carried through the Committee = the Whole In
the House Of Representatives to-day without an
amendment or a demand for the explanation ~
single clause item Of Appropriation. The
minds and voices Of the Democratic dema-
gogues and pettifoggers Were so much occupied
with a question which was wholly extraneous
and Irrelevant to the matter under consideration
that they could not talk about anything else.
! One OF them-Mr. Prucker OF Michigan-at-
tempted to open the ball even before the House
resolved itself into Committee OF the Whole on
| the appropriation bill by Offering a resolution
to discharge the Committee on Foreign Affairs
! from further consideration Of the Senate Cuban
resolution which referred TO It at the special
session. The Speaker ruled 1t out OF order and
the mover appealed from the decision. BY
yea and nay vote OF 16S to 126 the appeal was
| laid on the table
AN EXHIBITION OF DEMAGOGY
AS soon as the first paragraph OF the bill had
been read in the Committee OF the Whole Mr.
Williams. Of Mississippi offered an amendment
directing the President to send three comms-
sioners to Cuba 10 negotiate "a treaty OF peace,
amity and commerce. with the Cuban republic
and appropriating $1,000 to defray their ex-
penses. AS soon this amendment had been
ruled out OF order the picturesque and fluent J.
Hamilton Lewis. of Washington, offered another
requiring the President TO recall the United
States Consul-General from Havana and TO give
notice to the Spanish Government OF "a suspen.
sion Of diplomatic relations at that point" The
chairman ruled this out OF order and Mr. Lewis
attempted to appeal from the decision, but the
appeal was also overruled on the ground that Il
was dilatory.
This exhibition OF tyranny" provoked the
wrath Of Terry. the Arkansas statesman with a
foghorn voice, and he began to declaim against
It, but was quickly sienced by the tyrannical
presiding officer who insisted on enforcing tho
rules Several other amendments relating to
the Cuban question offered and ruled out
Of order, and a number Of pro-forma amend
ments were used by Democrats pegs on which
to hang fve-minute speeches. one OF them was
by Henry Clay" Sulzer. the fervor Of whose re-
marks might have led entire and unbiased
stranger to suspect that Mr.. Sulzer must have
contributed at least years salary to the Cuban
relief fund
CHAIRMAN HITS SPEECH.
The regular order OF proceedings having been
reversed by agreement, the general debate on
the bill began after the bill Itself had been dis
posed Of by the Committee OF the Whole 1t
was opened by Chairman Hit in q short. dispas-
sionate speech, which commanded the attention
OF the House and provoked much applause on
| the Republican side The moderate and re-
served manner in which Mr. Hit dealt with the
subject gave added weight and significance to
his words, which evidently produced a deep and
favorable impression
Mr. Hit referred to the keen interest with
which the struggle IN Cuba had been watched
and spoke of how in the last Congress- the
House. impatient OF the delay OF the Executive.
concurred in the joint resolution expressing It
as the sentiment OF Congress that the insur-
gents should be recognized. That resolution
went unheeded, and the went The pres
ent Executive had come into power a year ago.
His sentiments were well known. on this floor
and In all his public utterances he had shown
his sympathy with any people struggling TO bet
ter their condition.
Hastily he sketched the course Of affairs since
Mr. McKinley's advent to power Mr. Hit
said that the President had Immediately de-
manded the release Of the American prisoners in
Cuba In many cases his demand compiled
with but not in all Then, by the hand Of an
assassin the leader Of the policy OF stern con-
servative oppression had fallen. His successors
pursued the same policy until overthrown.
When the Liberal Ministry came In the Presi-
dent had again pressed for the release OF the
American prisoners. The Ministry yielded at
last and all had received their freedom
THE PRESIDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS
But the President had gone further He had
protested with such emphasis and energy against
the barbarities Of the war and the policy Of
concentration that General Weyler had been
called in disgrace, and the policy OF concentra-
ton had been abandoned. Further even than
this the President had gone. He had informed
the Sagasta Ministry that the war must
and proposals for settlement be made within
a reasonable time. These representations had
been made owing to the great interest all over
the country in the struggle the Cubans were
making The Presidents representations had
been listened to by Spain said Mr.. Hit. and
scheme of self government. modelled upon that
Of Canada, had been issued. Whether 1t would
be successful, whether ii was practicable or
sincere. many might doubt.
Perhaps 1t would be harsh judgment now
to say 1t had already failed. But that il was
sincere events had already made clear. Those
who understood Spain and her Vaccinations
far better than we had passed judgment end tad
already attempted to destroy the autonomy
scheme and to pull down the Sagasta Govern
ment. which had proposed X. The commercial
class In Havana, Cubans OF Spanish birth. had
vented their rage in violence and turbulence.
They had threatened the very existence OF Ha.
vana.
Every act OF the President, continued Mr..
Hit. had shown the spirit which animated him
In his public utterances In the past. He had
achieved much in few months but be said
that he thought it unwse FOR the United States
.ns time to recognize the belligerency OF the
insurgents.
EFFECT OF GRANTING BELLlGERENCY.
Mr.. Hit admonished the members that Ma