Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-07-21
WORK OF CONGRESS
NOTABLE ENACTMENTS MADE
DURING SESSION JUST CLOSED,
MANY MoMENTouS ACTS
One Of the Most Significant Sittings
Of the Peoples Representatives
Since the War Of 1Sl9--Declaration
of War and Acquisition OF Terri
tory Occur.

Associated with the first hostile con-
tiict with nation Of another con-
tinent since 1872, the annexation OF
Hawaii and contemporaneous with u
further movement for territorial eN-
pansion, though with few important
changes in the domestic scheme, the
second session of the tifty-ifth con-
gress, which closed July s, outranks
almost any other that has ever as
sembled.
1t began with widespread clamor
for sympathetic action for suffering
Cuba, but there was apparently then
no expectation OF armed conflict, But
when the trend of events eliminated
the emergency was quickly met and
necessary legislation enacted. Thu
first few but significant war measures,
suddenly needed, were framed and
made law, but with the issue made
clear there was a food Of bills and
resolutions that fairly submerged the
two branches of congress.
Hawaiian annexation, Spain and
Cuba, war appropriations and war
revenue legislation, organization of
the vast volunteer army and expan-
sion Of the navy, new bankruptcy
laval these were features of the
session. Notable speeches and
dramatic scenes over foreign issues
were comparatively frequent in both
legislative chambers. Urgent de-
ftciency bills, carrying millions Of
dollars, were rushed through with
fnr less delay than marked the course
of an extraordinary measure OF COM
paratively little Importance. The
total appropriations footed almost
5000, 900, 900, and upward OF $S50,000.-
600 of this was for purely war pur-
poses. 1t was the largest aggregate
appropriation made by any session
since the civil war, and the general
deficiency was the largest separate
measure since the 750,000,000 single
appropriation in 1863
The navy appropriation bill pro-
vided for three new battle ships, four
stroyers. twelve torpedo boats and
one gunboat. The urgent deficiency
bills all carried provisions for agrees
sive work in the prosecution OF the
war. The general deficiency, enacted
In the last days, carried a provision
for refunding the Indebtedness Of the
Central and Western Pacific railroads
70 the government.
Cuba and Hawaii,
Cuba and Hawaii were the i'm
portant matters Of debate and pro-
voked the most widespread interest.
Hawaiian annexation finally passed
at the close, was agitated throughout
the session, first in treaty form, In
executive session, last in open session,
by resolutions accepting the Hawaii An
government cession Of the Islands.
There were a number of messages
from President Mckinley bearing on
the Cuban situation, ranging from the
submission Of report upon the
Maine disaster and the consular re-
ports to the call for declaration Of
war.
The first real war legislation was
when congress placed, without limita-
tions, $50,000,000 In the President 3
hands as an emergency fund for ma
tIonal defense. Party lines were swept
away and both houses unanimously
voted their confidence in the admin
istration. Soon afterward a bill
reimbursing the survivors Of the
Maine disaster for their losses, not
to exceed years pay, with similar
amount to those who persisted, became
law. April II the president In mes
sage left the Cuban Issue in the hands
Of congress. Resolutions were soon
enacted and became a law April 10
declaring that the people OF Cuba
ought to be and are free and indie
pendent and demanding that Spain
relinquish its authority and with
draw its land and naval forces from
Cuba and Cuban waters, and direct
ing the use OF our land and naval
forces to enforce the resolutions.
The declaration Of war was passed
by congress and approved April 25
Subsequent legislation gave free ad-
mission to all military and naval sup
plies bought abroad by this govern
ment; allowed temporary Notifications
to be constructed upon the written
consent OF owners OF land 80 taken
and prohibited under executive dis
erection the export OF coal or other
war material; and three days before
the declaration Of war President Nc
Kinley had approved the volunteer
act. Under II all the soldiers mass
ed against Spain mustered In the en-
tire volunteer army have been raised,
$4,000 men under the
first and $4,000 under the second call.
A month previous legislation had been
enacted recognizing the line OF the
army, effecting modern three-bat-
TALON war formation. II designated
the peace organization OF these regi-
ments with two battalions OF four
companies each, or two skeleton or
unnamed companies, and supplied
the third battalion In war time by
the skeleton company and
organizing two additional ones, and