The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-13
DENIED HE WISHES TO
COMPEL AUTONOMY.
Not Line in Message TO Indicate Any
thing Of Sort.
INTIMATION OF SUCH A POLICY is
sCOUNDRELISM.

So Declared Member Hepburn in Reply to
Charges Made by the Democrats-No
Chance to misunderstood the Message
he said-Mr. Bailey Said the President
Who Attempted to Coerce Cubans
Would Not Live to Survive the Odium.
Washington, April 12-Gen. Grosvenor
of Ohio, now generally, regarded as the
spokesman of the President on the floor
of the House, late this afternoon in re-
ply to an attack upon the policy of the
administration, interpreted the recon-
mendations in the Presidents message
to mean a request for authority to use
the army and navy to establish in Cuba
o government independent of Spain. 1t
was regarded as an exceedingly impor-
tant and significant announcement. In
the brief debate today. the opening guns
of the contest that begins tomorrow
were fired Broadsides ware exchanged
and then the House adjourned. Mr..
Lentz, an Ohio Democrat, who drew the
fire of Gen. Grosvenor last Thursday,
today attacked what he termed the
"yaccillating policy of the President, J"
the midnight conferences" at the
White House with Senator Elkins and
John J. McCook, and asserted that the
Presidents recommendations really
meant that the United States should CO.
cree the Cuban insurgents into IN accep-
tance of Spain's scheme of autonomy.
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa, made splr-
tied and indignant reply denouncing
the intimation of such policy as little
short of scoundrelism. Then came Gen.
Grosvenor's announcement, upon which
MIR. Bailey. the Democratic leader,
countered, taking the position that If
the President had meant to declare the
independence Of Cuba he would have said
SO in special words. The message was
clear and lucid, he said, except as to the
all the ingenuity of Gen. GroSvenor to
torture such an Interpretation from them.
In conclusion, he declared that the Pre-
sident who would coerce the Cuban pa
triots would not live to survive the odlum
of the American people.
Washington. April l2.-The galleries of
the House were crowded again today in
anticipation of the opening Of the debate
upon the Spanish crisis, but when the
House convened at noon the word was
passed around on the floor that the COM
mittee has been unable to agree and that
there would be no report until tomorrow.
Immediately after the reading of the
Journal, the Speaker recognized Mr.. Hill
born, Republican of California, to call
mp on behalf of the navel committee, the
Senate bill for the organization of a
naval battalion in the District of Column
bia.
Mr.. Bailey indicated his purpose to OBJ
ject unless an amendment were offered
to organize this battalion under existing
law.
Mr.. Dingley appealed to Mr.. Bailey to
allow the consideration Of the bill.
docs not the gentleman from Texas
think" said he, THAT in the present sit.
uation we should be considering bills of
this character?"
II suggest the bill be withheld until
we see what the report of the committee
on foreign affairs is to be so that we can
determine exact what the condition in the
country is, replied Mr. Bailey.
'sIf the fear he entertains has no more
foundation than the report TT that the
Presidents message last Wednesday
might created riot in Havana the gen
tleman need not be exercised. The Presi-
DENTS message might have created riot
in Cuba, but it would have not been
among the Spanish in Havana. 1t
would have been among the Insurgents
in the interior" (Laug liter and applause
on the Democratic side.)
Mr.. Ridgeley, Populist OF Kansas, then
objected.
Mr.. Adams Republican of Pennsylya-
MIA acting chairman of the foreign
affairs committee, then obtained unant-
NOUS consent for the committee f. sit
during the sessions of the House.
The House then went into committee
of the whole on a bill relating to the Dis
trict OF Columbia.
Representative William Alden Smith
OF Michigan, a nlemter OF the foreign
affairs committee of the House, today
introduced T., solution, the preamble OF
which consists almost entirely OF quota
lions from the message and constituted
o. scathing Indictment of Spain. 1t holds
Spain criminally and negl1gently respon-
sible for the blowing up of the Maine
and then proceeds;
gWhereas, the freedom of Cuba from
Spanish rule is absolutely essential for
permanent peace in the island, therefore
Resolved, That the President is hereby
directed to intervene at once to secure
peace aud order in Cuba.
Resolved, That upon the restoration OF
peace and good order, the people OF CuDa
shall be permitted to establish their own
government, independent in character
and republican in form.
Resolved, That the President is hereby
and empowered to use the land and naval
forces to accomplish the purposes herein
set forth and that Congress will support
him by all necessary legislation.
During the debate. Mr.. Botkin, Repub-
lican of Kansas, Mr.. Green, Republican
of Nebraska took occasion 10 press the