Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-27

I'm April lin the president committed
the entire Cuban question to Congress,
and just one week later the Congress
sional resolution became a law declar-
ing Cuba free and independent; de-
handing that Spain withdraw its land
and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban
waters, and directing the use of our
| land and naval forces to enforce the
resolutions. Within another week, viz
April "a, the declaration of war was
passed by Congress and approved.
Then came the rush OF war legislation
on a stupendous scale, the work pro-
ceeding while actual hostilities were I'M
der way and the Dewey victory was
achieved.
The act creating the volunteer army
had been approved three days before
THE DECLARATION OF WAR,
and under it the President was enabled
to call into service the 100000 men aug
menting the regular forces. The latter,
also, had been expanded and improved
by the act establishing the three battal-
ion formations in time Of war. A fur
Their force was provided by authorizing
the enlistment of 10000 men adapted
to tropical climate, since known as
''immunes." Another act added two ad-
ditional artillery regiments to the reg
ular army, with total of 1,614 men.
These and many lesser army measures
were speedily enacted.
With these war measures were the
important acts raising revenue ade-
quate to meet the vast war expendi-
lures. The first of these was the war
revenue act, designed to raise $3.50, 0OO,-
900 and in this connection Congress
authorized bond issue of 5000, 900 900
known as the war loan" After news
of the Dewey victory was received,
resolutions of thanks to the victor were
passed, and Congress authorized the
presentation of a sword to him and
medals to his officers.
Although the second session was alb
sorbed with the war there was time for
much important general legislation.
The treaty of annexation of Hawaii
was accomplished by a resolution, the
treaty of annexation not having been
ratified in the Senate. A general BANK
ruptcy law was enacted, providing for
both voluntary and involuntary bank
ruptcy. The total appropriation of the
5000, 900, 900, of which upward of $780,
100000 was for purely war purposes.
The present, or third, session of the
Fifty-fifth Congress, dealt with those
FAR-REACHING RESULTS
growing out Of the war. Most import
ant of these was the consideration of
the peace treaty in the Senate. The
treaty was transmitted to the Senate.
by the President on the 4th of Janu-
airy. 1t was then referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, and after
being held for just a week by the
committee was reported back to the
Senate on the 18th of January. The
Senate had the treaty under considera-
ton for less than a month, the vote on
ratification being taken on the 9Th of
February. There was intense interest
in the progress of the question from the
beginning of the discussion until the
close, and this interest was intensified
by the doubt felt as to the result of
the vote. When the Senate went into
executive session on the 9Th of Febru-
airy, half an hour before the time set
for the final vote, the friends of the
treaty were certain of only 55 of the Sc
votes necessary to insure the adoption
of the resolution of ratification. Soon
afterwards they secured promises from
Senators Jones, of Nevada, and Nc
Emery, of Louisiana, and when the
vote was taken the result stood 81 ayes
to 81 nays, or one vote more than was
necessary under the requirement of
two-thirds majority.
While the treaty was exclusively be-
fore the Senate. the House had some
indirect participation with subjects COW
cred by the treaty. AS the branch orig
mating all revenue measures, it pro-
viding an appropriation of $4,000 900
to pay Spain according to the terms OF
the treaty. This was first proposed as
an amendment to the sundry civil bill.
but was ruled out on technical grounds.
Later it passed as
AN INDEPENDENT MEASURE.
Efforts were made to add to it a decla-
ration of the policy of the government
as to the Philippines, but this was de-
feated by the overwhelming vote of
231 to 81. The resolution of Senator
McEnery, declaring the policy toward
the Philippines, came to the House and
was referred to the Committee on For
eign Affairs, but no final action is prob
able
Another important measure resulting
from the war is that known as the Hull
bill, or the Hull-Hawley bill, for the
increase and reorganization of the reg
ular army. Following the new condi-