The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-07-21
KNOWN AS The
WAR SESSION,
The Fifsy-hish Congress Will b.
Conspicuous in History -kgis-
lstiou Since December.
S82, ,572,ssl is TIE TOTAL

Amount of Appropriation. ., IaI. -.
.i.a N,'ii... K.i.~d O. w.s. w.. " a.
sp.in- >.t..i~ p-s.,~s ia a.a.~ sd
>~a.t.-I"I..rt.at ts.. ...s
Washington rosi.
The passage OF the second session
Of the aj.h Congress marks the eloss
OF the hrst var Congress 10 + quarter
OF century. Associated vith the
drst hostile conflict With . nation o!
another coniins Mt since 1872. the An
nexation OF Hawai-. and cosiempo-
rAneous with Q further movement for
territorial expansion, though With
few important changes in the domes
tic scheme, the press Mt Congress out.
ranks almost any other that has ever
assembled. II began with . vide
spread clAmor for sympathetic action
for suffering Cuba. but there Vas ap-
parently then no expectation Of
armed con fiict. but when the trend
OF events eliminated the emergency
was quickly met and necessary leg
islation enacted. The first few but
Dik otuC0oN WI WCoDuISbs 0ouOeuly
needed, we're framed and made Law,
but with the issue made clear. there
Was . flood Of bills and resol utions
that fairly submerged the tvo
branches Of Congress.
Hawaiian annexation, Spain and
Cuba war appropriations and war
revenue legislation, organization OF
the vast volunteer army and expau-
sion OF the navy, . new bankruptcy
laval these we're features OF the
session. Notable speeches and dra-
matte scenes over foreign issues were
comparatively frequent in both leg
islative chambers. Urgent dsfcisn-
cy bills. carrying millions of dollars.
were rushed through With far less
delay than marked the course Of an
ordinary measure Of little import
auce. The total appropi iations footed
almost 800. .OOO, 900. and upward OF
$3.50, 600 600 Of this was. for purely
war purposes.
Debates On Cuba and Hs~ sis.
Cuba and Hawaii were the i'm Dor
tant matters Of debate, and provoke
the most widespread interest. HA
waiian annexation anAlly passed a'
the close, WAS agitated Throughout
the session, first in treaty 'orm in ex
ecutive session, last in on~- -e~siol
by resolutions accepting the ~ : o'''
an government cessiou Of the Isl
ands. There were . number of mes
saRes from President Mckinley bear
ing on the Cuban situation, ranginl
from the submission Of report upoI
the Maine disaster. and the Consula
reports to the call for . declaration
Of war.
| The first real war legislation va
when Congress placed, without limi
tation, fifty million dollars in ia
President hands as an emergenc
fund for national defense. Part
lines were swept away, and bOtl
Houses unanimously voted its cor
fidence in the Administrations
Soon afterwards Q bill reimbursiu
, the survivors Of the Maine disast<
for their losses not to exceed . year
pay, with . similar amount to thos
Who perished, became Law. On Apr
} IL the President, in . message lei
the Cuban issue In the hands Of Cor
gress. Resolutions were soon enacte
. and became . Law April -, dsclarin
that the people Of Cuba ought TO I
and are free aud independent, an
: demanding that Spain relipquish i
authority and withdraw its land On
naval forces frem Cuba and Cubs
I waters, and directing the use Of OF
land and naval forces to enforce Il
resolutions.
) Approval 81 the Volunteer Act.
The declaration Of war Was pass<
: by Congress and approved on ApI
25. Subsequent legislation gave fr'
! admission to all military and nav
Q supplies purchased abroad by th
): government; allowed temporary 10
q tifcations to be constructed on d
written consent Of owners OF land
n taken. and prohibited under eIec
}. tive discretion the export OF coal
J. other war material. and three da
q before the declaration Of var Pre-
dent Mckinley had approved the "
i. unteer act. Under il all the soldie
msssed against Spain mustered