The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-29
w. T. SAMPSON,
Captain U. S. N, President.
MARK,
MESSAGE IN THE HOUSE
Read. Appiauded, and Immediately
Referred without Comment.

Referred w EGnOuD comment.
Washington, March 2S.-The reading of
the presidents message in the house to-
day was listened to with breathless inter
est by the members and the spectators
in the galleries, which were crowded in
like sardines in a box. Just one wave
of applause swept from floor to ceiling,
and then the death of Representative
Simpkns of Massachusetts was announc-
ed. and the house adjourned.
Except on the occasion of the Inaugural
ton of a president, no such crowds as
surged through the corridors and stOrmed
the galleries for admission have been seen
at the capitol in a quarter of a century.
Public interest in the findings of the
board Of inquiry appointed to investigate
the disaster which sent one Of Uncle
Sans noblest vessels to the bottom of
Havana harbor and sacrificed the lives
OF 250 brave American Sailors was at
white heat. At daylight this morning peo-
pie were already seeking entrance to the
ca pitol and hours before noon, when the
houses convened, the marble stairWays
were choked with pushing, jostling people
pressing toward the galleries. Not an
inch Of space remained in the public gal
leries at o'clock, though long lines of
people stretching down the stairways to
ward Within a few minutes the reserved
galleries were thrown open and complete
~ filed with the exception of those re-
served for the diplomatic corps and
the families of the president and cabinet.
Admission to these galleries was strictly
by card Many distinguished personages
were in the galleries. The hall buZZed like
a beehive with the sound Of myriads of
voices. On the floor there was almost as
much excitement as in the galleries, al
though the full synopsis of the report
which was printed by the Associated
Press this morning had taken the keen
edge off the anxiety with which the mem
bers awaited the reading Of the official
finding of the board.
Upon the desk of the late Representa-
tive Simpkins of Massachusetts, who died
suddenly on Saturday night, a wreath of
Easter lities, interviewer with tulips, GRO
Gus and lilies of the valley cast an air of
sadness over the vast assemblage.
Fifteen minutes before the house con-
Yened the floor was cleared. The diplo-
matte and executive galleries shortly af-
terward were opened and before the gavel
fell at noon. not a seat was vacant. AL
together, there were an unusually large
number Of ladies in the galleries and their
gay spring costumes added much to the
brilliancy of the notable scene. Chair
man Dingley and Mr.. Bailey and the
other leaders entered the hall without de-
monstration. At exactly Y O'Clock the
speaker assembled the rostrum and called
the house to order. Amid the impressive
silence that followed the blind chaplain
delivered a solemn prayer which rang
through the hall like a warning. He refer
red to the storm clouds that hung above
the country, threatening to break at any
time. He prayed God TO interpose his pow
err that those clouds might pass away,
leaving us in peace and tranquility.
Yet. if war must come" he prayed, 'in
vindication of the truth and justice, mercy
and right, help US to be prepared with
brain and heart and Drawn to meet it.
To this end be with the president and
the cabinet, our counsellors and all Off
cially connected with the affairs of
state
There were no preliminaries.
While the journal was being read,
Chief Executive Clerk Pruden appeared
with the message. which was announced
as soon as the reading of the journal was
concluded. The thronged galleries were
hushed as the clerk carried the document
down tho main aisle and placed it on the
speakers table. Speaker Reed himself
broke the large red seal of the envelope
and without so much as looking at the
message, handed il 10 the clerk, at the
same time announcing in a clear. distinct
voice: "A message from the president
of the United States"
No presidential message was ever lis
tened to with such breathless interest
Members sat with intense faces strained
to catch every word.
When the reading % the message was
concluded, a wave Of applause swept over