Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-04-16
CONGRESS- DETERMINED
Both Houses Will Demand Promp
Action on Cuba.
ISLAND MUST BE INDEPENDENT

Favor Recognition VIII Not Pres |
Their Demands-An Enthusiastic Re
ception TO General Lee. who Declare |
SpanIards Allotted wreck OF Maine |
Washington. April 1s.-The burden O
responsibility for the next move in thu !
Spanish crisis having been shifted by
the presidents message upon tn,
shoulders of congress. the Capitol yester.
day became the storm center. with tn,
foreign affairs committees Of the two
houses as the foci. The struggle IN
each committee was long and bitter
with this marked difference between
that at the senate wing and that at tn,
house end of the Capitol-in the sen
ate committee the Democrats as wei
as the Republicans participated, while
at the house end the task was to Sc
cure harmonious action among the Re
publicans so as to present. if possible
solid front when the Democrats wer,
finally called in for action.
The senate committees resolution
will be the more radical of the two. Il
will declare for immediate intervention
a general recognition Of the rights o.
the Cuban people TO freedom and indie
pendence. and will demand the with
drawal OF the Spanish forces from tn,
island.
BY practically unanimous vote. tn
Cuban conference Of Republican repre-
sentatives decided last night to wor'
in harmony with the house foreign af
fairs committee on representations OF
the latter's firm position to be incor-
porated i'm a report to the house ex
pected today. This is the most signif-
cant step yet taken by the body O.
about three score aggressive Repuhl-
can members whose course has BEEF
towards radical action. They were Il
session for an hour yesterday at tn,
adjournment Of the house. and afte
some vigorous speeches and the sub
mission Of a report on how the foreigi
affairs committee stood decided thai
they would be satisfied with the report
from the foreign affairs committee If il
made no change in the position II al
nounced to the steering committee, sub
stantially as follows:
A preamble reciting the conditions in
Cuba. consisting largely Of quotations
from the presidents message, which
constitutes a scathing arrangement OF
Spanish misrule and the barbsrities OF
the war, a vigorous reference to the
blowing up of the Maine and resolu-
ton authorizing. empowering and d.
recting the president 70 intervene at
once for the purpose of restoring peace
and order and the establishing Of a
firm, stable and independent govern
ment on the Island Of Cuba, with the
free consent OF the people OF the island
and empowering the president to en-
ploy the army and navy forces of the
United States for this purpose.
AS prepared by the committee the
resolution provided for the establish
ment OF a stable government" in Cuba
but the radicals steering committee
insisted that IL read 'sstable and indie
pendent governmentr' and the house
committee yielded.
There is a general feeling in Wash
ington among public men that the ac
! ton OF congress. as syoreshadowed in TIT
resolutions. renders the situation ex
-S1ScssSAy vr'ntrvsil. aid conservative lead
ers OF both parties consider war In
evitable as a result OF their adoption
unless Spain makes a final and com
plete surrender by giving UP the Isl
and Of Cuba. The situation is regarde,
as so critical that the Republicans o
the ways and means committee. as
result of private conferences, hav
reached an agreement as to the metho,
OF raising 500, GOO. 900 additional reve
nue. annually for the prosecution of tn
war by increasing the tax on beer an,
tobacco and placing a tax on tea an,
coffee. They also agreed to authoriz
the issue OF popular loan of $500. 900,
900 and the issue Of certificates OF in
debtedness to meet emergencies.
The diplomatic phase of the Spanis
situation is in statu quo. 1t is the ex
pectation that this status will continu
for the present at least, while congress
considers the subject. A definite under
standing has been reached by the REP
resentatives of the six great powers {
Europe that no additional action froI
that quarter would be opportune at thi
time.
The armistice has gone into effect :
Cuba, but no word has come as to III
attitude of the insurgents. If the
do not accept it the expectation Of tn
Spanish government is that this wi
be made manifest within the next fe
days of continued hostiiities by II
forces Of Gomez and others. II IL
Spanish troops are attacked while
garrison they will defend themselv,
and thereafter will feel free to tai
the offensive.
Word reached here yesterday that Il
Spanish consul at Kew West had +
tired from the consulate there becau
OF threats said to have been ma,
against his life. This is the first r
movaI of a Spanish official in the Ur
ted States as a result of the prese
trouble.
It was stated this morning on hi
authority that an arrangement h
been practically effected by which I
senate Cuban resolution may pass DO
houses today 1t is understood tn
the foreign affairs committee of I
house and senate will confer for I
purpose OF perfecting an agreeme
whereby the Foraker resolution will
substituted for the other resolution
1t viii be modified by the eliminate
of the second paragraph, which recc
nizes Cuban independence, and otf
slight changes made.
The ovation that has followed Cons
General Lee since he set foot on Anne
can soil on his return from Hava
eliminated last night in Washingt
in what was in many ways one Of I
most remarkable demonstrations
city has ever seen. From the mom'
he alighted in the railroad station
the afternoon he was surrounded b.
cheering crowd that followed him
the state department, and the specta
OF army and navy officers and COVE
ment employees cheering outside
very door of the secretary of state '
wholly unprecedented in the history
that staid department. At night
city turned out in thousands, wheI
eerenade was given General Lee at
hotel, and stood for hours In the ST.
waiting for a glimpse OF him. A la
party came from New York, and II
were fireworks and bands OF mu
General Lee was obliged to max
speech. in which he declared tina
war comes IN a few days or few "
New York and Virginia would st
shoulder to shoulder.
The popular official arrivedat 2:SO
terrday afternoon, and it was with
fculty that he reached the carr1ag
waiting. The enthusiasm was un'
trollable and the crush tremendous.
the state department the clerks desc
their desks and cheered him to the
of Secretary Sher1nan's room. His
seouent trip to the White House W