The Mena star., 1898-04-27
DECLARATION OF WAR
Congress Acts Promptly on a Mes
 sage from the President.
House Passes the Army Reorganization Bill -Democratic Substitute for Bond Issue in War Measure-Income Tax and
 Seigniorage Coinage Favored.

To the Senate and House of Representatives Of
 the United States of America:
 | transmit to the congress for it's considera- ton and appropriate action copies of corre- spondence recently had with the representative of Spain in the United States with the United States minister at Madrid and through the lat ter. with the government of Spain showing the action taken under the joint resolution ap- proved April 20, 1898, for the recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, de- manding that the government of Spin relin- l quish its authority and government in the is- land of Cuba and to withdraw it's land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters and directing the president of the United States to use the land and naval forces of the United l States to carry these resolutions into effect'
 Upon communicating with the Spanish min- | fster in Washington the demand which it be- came the duty of the executive to address to the government of Spain in obedience to said resou ion. the said minister asked for his pass ports and withdrew. The United States min- ister at Madrid was in turn notified by the Spanish minister for foreign affairs that the 1 withdrawal of the Spanish representative from l the United States had terminated diplomatic relations between the two countries and that all of the communications between their re- spective representatives ceased herewith. 1 recommend to your especial attention the note addressed to the United States minister al Madrid by the Spanish minister for foreign af- fairs on the 2lst inst, whereby the foregoing notification was conveyed. It will be perceived therefrom that the government of Spain, hav- ing cognizanee of the joint resolution of the United States congress and in view of things which the president is thereby required and authorized to do, reponds by treating the rep reSentative demands of this government as measures of hostility following with that in- stant and complete severance of relations by it's action, whereby the usage of nations &C., companies an existent state of war between sovereign powers
 The position of Spain being thus made known and the demands of the United States being denied with complete rupture of intercourse by the act of Spain, have been constrained, in exercise of the power and authority con- ferred upon me by the joint resolution afore- said to proclaim under date of April % lS96 a blockade of certain ports of the north coast of Cuba, lying between Cardenas and Bahia Honda and of the port of Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba; and, further. in exercise of my constitutional powers Lnd using the au- thority conferred upon me by the act of con- gress approved April p, 1898, to issue my proc lamaton dated April B, 199S calling for volun- teers in order to carry into effect the said reso- lution of April % 1898. Copies of these procla- nations are hereto appended
 In view of the measures so taken and with a view to the adoption of such other measures as may be necessary to enable me to Carry out the expressed will of the congress of the United States in the premises, I now recommend to your honorable body the adoption of a joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the United States of America and the kingdom of Spain. and I urge speedy action thereon to the end that the definition of the in- ternational status of the United States as belligerent power may be made known, and the assertion of all it's rights and the maintenance of all its duties in the conduct of public war may be assured WILLIAM MCKINLEY Executive Mansion. Washington April 25, 1898 Accompanying the presidents mes sage to congress was the correspond ence which has passed between the United States and Spain since the pas sage of the resolution directing tho president to intervene in Cuba
 Quick Action by Congress. WASHINGTON, April 26. 6.--The house and senate yesterday passed the bill declaring the existence of state of war between the United States and the kingdom of Spain in a manner which cannot fail to impress the world. The bill is as follows
 A bill declaring that war exists between the United States of America and the kingdom of Spain
 Be it enacted First, that war be and the same is hereby declared to exist and that war has existed since the Fist day of April A D
 
 States of America and the Kingdom of Spain.
 Second, that the president of the United States be and he is hereby directed and em- powered to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States and to call into actual service of the United States the militia of the several s'ates to such extent as may be neces- Sary to carry this act into effect
 Army Reorganization Bill Passed.
 WASHINGTON, April 25.--The house passed the army reorganization bill Saturday. Fear was expressed on the democratic side that the bill might in- crease the regular army in time of peace, but an amendment prepared by | MT. Bailey which removed all doubt on this score was accepted and the bill | passed by unanimous vote. The bill | reorganizes the army into the three battalion formation and authorizes the 25 regiments of the infantry arm of ! the service to be recruited up to a | total of 3l, 500 enlisted men It au- thorizes the recruitment of the ten | regiments of the cavalry arm of the service to total of 12,O00 enlisted | men, the seven regiments of the artil- | lery arm of the service to 10, 457 men [ and the engineer battalion of five com panies up to 752 enlisted men, includ- ing two non-commissioned officers. | which makes a total for these four arms of the service. when at a maxi mum strength, of 6i,010.
 Democratic Substitute for War Measure
 WASHINGTON, April 26 The demo- cratic members of the committee have substitute proposition for the bond