The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-10
MOSTLY WAR MEASURES
In the House. Beginning With tn
Act to Honor Eewey.

|
| Washington. May 9-The greater part
! of today in the house was consumed by
war measures The recommendation OF
| the president that a tvote OF thanks De
rendered Commodore Dewey and his as
sociate officers and men was followed
quickly with unanimous vote. and with
equal concert the house passed the bin
| creating an additional rear admiralship
The bin providing for the organization
for the hero of Manila.
of volunteer engineer brigade and the
enlistment of 10000 volunteer troops I'm
mune to tropical diseases was passed af-
ter two hours debate The principal
ground of opposition presented was in
the future giving to the president the ap-
pontment of all officers.
The senate bill authorizing the army to
distribute food among the suffering Gu
bans and to arm the Cuban people was
passed.
So soon as the journal had been read the
presidents message was presented and
read. The closest attention was given by
every one in the chamber. The reading
was not interrupted by applause. but at
the conclusion demonstration on the
floor and in the galleries followed, which
continued several minutes.
Mr.. Hull called up the immune vofun-
teer and engineer bill. An hour of Donate
on each side was agreed upon.
Mr.. Hull said the bill was wanted by the
president and the secretary Of war and
Its immediate passage was urged because
the time for the use Of troops in Cuba
was at hand and the utmost haste should
be made to prepare the troops contem-
plated In the bill.
Mr.. Wilcox (Tenn.) opposed the bill,
principally because it took out OF the
hand of the volunteer the appointment of
officers. He contended that the immnues
would come from two or three southern
states and they should name their colo
nels, lieutenants. majors, captains and
fell officers. To deny them that privilege
would be unfair and would be discrim-
nation between the volunteers called out
under the previous act and those to be
called out under the proposed bill.
Mr.. King CUtah, asserted that the bill
was unnecessary. that 1t discredited the
bravery and power of troops in doubling
that 10000 men already organized, aided
by our feet was Inadequate to subJugate
the island and establish peace.
eff we had landed % 600 men on the soil
Of Cuba two weeks ago." he declared with
vehemence, land had taken adequate
arms to the insurgents and had deployed
our fleet before Havana, Havana long
since would have fallen and the stars and
stripes long ere this would have fioated
over MORO Castle
Mr.. Hawley CTex.) said the bravery of
the bravest men could not cope with the
hidden and insidious foe. yellow fever, be-
fore which armies bowed. The organiza-
ton of immunes was imperative under
the conditions in Cuba
Mr.. Brow CPa). the veteran member of
the house, took occasion to criticise those
members of the house who assumed to
know better how to conduct the war than
the president and his secretary of war and
navy. He said he had seen a similar ex-
hfbition during the civil war.
Mr.. Steel Qnd.) approved the bill.
Mr.. Sayers CTexas) said while he pre-
ferred to have the bill amended so as to
leave the naming of the officers with the
volunteers he would support It without
such amendment, in the event IT could not
be secured.
Mr.. Leads CWash) opposed the feature
of the bin which placed with the presi-
dent the appointment of the officers, and
further opposed the bill because it was
indef1nitae as to the termination Of the
question OF volunteers immunity.
Mr.. Lentz (Ohio) opposed the bill, and
Mr.. Bailey argued for the naming Of the
officers by the troops to be appointed by
the governors OF the states, In accord gen
orally with the volunteer bill formerly
passed.
After number Of amendments intended
to take from the president the appoint
ment Of the officers OF the immune voIun-
teers had been voted down, an additional
section offered by Mr.. Grosvenor was
adopted 1t declared specifically that the
provisions relative to appointment of vol
unteers to the several state under call by
proclamation and to the appointment of
officers as made in the recent act proVid-
ing for $4,000 volunteers, shall not apply
to the present act
motion 10 recommit offered by Mr..
Cox Of Tennessee was voted down and
the BILL as amended, was passed
While District OF Columbia bill was
under consideration, Mr.. Bailey raised a
point o. no quorum and at $50 D. m. the
house adjourned.