Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-04-21
Action of the House Committee.

| OF CuDd.
Action of the House Committee.
WASHINGTON, April 13.-At 1870 p. N.
the majority OF the house committee on
foreign affairs agreed to the following
resolution. which was later reported TO
| the house:
WHEREAS, The government OF Spain for
three years past has been waging war on the
| island OF CuOa against 4 revolution by the in
haoitautS thereof, without making any subStGn-
| tiai progress toward the suppression Of said
revolution, and has cOnduct=d the warfare
| IN manner contrary to the laws Of nations by
methods inhunGn ami uEcjviIiZed. causing he
death by starvation OF more than 3jJ.uUJ inno-
| cent nOn-comDatantS. the victims being for the
| most part helpless women ami children infiicJ-
Ing lntoierabIe injury to the commercial inter-
| ests OF the United States involving the
destruction Of the lives and prosperity
| Of many OF our citizens, entail
| ing the expenditure of millions of dollars in
| patrOl.ng our coasts and polishing the high seas
N uF.ier 10 maintain our neutrality; and
WHEREAS, This long series Of losses injuries
and burdens, for which Spain is responsible
has eliminated in the destruction Of tae United
States DattieShIp Maine in the harbor OF Ha-
vS4na and ii the death of 255 OF our seamen;
therefore
i:esoiced etc, That the president is hereby
authorized ami dre.5eI 20 intervene at once
| TO stop the war in Cuba, to the end. and with
| the pUCpose Of securing pernaa mt peace AMI
order Luere. ana establishing DE- the free ac-
tiUl Of the people thereof a stable and
independent government of their own in
the island OF Cuba; and the president is hereby
authorized and empowered to Use the land and
naval forces of tls United States to execute tht
purposes OF this resolution.
The Minority Report.
The democratic members OF the house
foreign affairs committee, in a report
| signed by five democrats and Mr.. New
lands, silverite, agreed to the following
| resolutions as substitute for the ma
jority report. 1t follows:
RssoLred, That the United States government
hereby recognizes the independence Of the re-
pubic OF Cuba.
Z. That, moved thereto by many considera-
tiOnS OF humanity, of interest and of proyoca-
Liou, among which are the deliberate moorinS
Of our battlesnip Maine over q sub
marine mine and its destruction in the
harbor Of Havana, the president of the United
States be, and he is nereby directed to employ
Immediately the land and naval forces or the
United States in aiding the rapu 5Iic of Cuba to
maintain the independence hereby recognized
J. That the president Of the United States is
hereby authorized ami directed to extend i'm
mediate relief TO the starving CuOans.
The house of representatives,, after
one of the most exciting and memoir
able days in its history, by vote of
nine-tenths of its members believe
makes war with Spain inevitable.
There were majority and minority
reports made from the foreign rela-
tions committee, and a motion to re-
| commit with instructions.
When the vote was taken on the sub
| stitute resolutions they were defeated
liz to 100.
Mr.. DinSmore then moved to recon-
NIT with instructions to report back an
| amendment recognizing the independ-
ence of Cuba 1t also was lost, 146-190.
The vote was then taken on the adop-
ton of the majority resolutions, and
they were adopted, 322 to 49, The
house then, at $50 P. M, adjourned.
A Day of Stirring Activity.
WASHINGTON, April I4.-Yesterday
was a day of stirring activity at the
navy and war departments. Antici-
pating decisive action by congress, the
| machinery of the military and naval
branches of the government was early
put in motion, and events of grave sig
| nifcance followed in quick succession.
| In every bureau the work of prepara-
| ton went on with an enthusiasm and
push that was in marked contrast to
the lethargy that had characterized
| the big granite building since Monday.
With it all there was an added secrecy
and reticence on the part of officials to
discuss the warlile movements.
The first event to become known was
| the acquisition by the navy department.
of the American line steamships st,
| Louis and St. Paul, and coupled with
the announcement came the informa-
| ton that, in all'probability. Capt. Sigs-
bee would be placed in command of one
! and Capt. Goodrich of the other.
Early in the forenoon the naval
strategic board went into session and
| called Consul-General Lee into the con-
ference. The session was a long one
| and was devoted to a thorough discus
sion of offensive and defensive move
| ments in Cuban waters. Gen. Lee giving
| the board much valuable information.
For a Practice Cruise Only.
Despite the utmost precaution it de-
veloped shortly before noon that the
flying squadron had been ordered to
move from Hampton roads. The first
report, that the squadron would sail
under sealed orders, going south. oc-
casioned much excitement Appreci-
ating that deep significance was likely
to be attached to the move, a quieting
and cautionary semi-official statement
was made that the squadron would so
out for practice cruise of As hours
At first Secretary Long would neither
affirm nor deny that the squadron was
about to move, stating that a positive
rule had been made not to mention any
projected naval movements.
There were intimationS, however,
that the movement was not significant
as a prospective war measure, and was
more IN the line of giving the restless
officers and men of this squadron some
thing to do for few days.
Moreover, the brief practice cruise
probably will take the squadron out
side the capes, where they can be
reached easily by dispatch boat, if it
becomes evident that they are needed
for offensive or defensive purposes
The flying squadron is made up of
the pick of our naval vessels in point Of
speed and effectiveness