The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-27


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
stupendous scale, the work proceeding
while actual hostilities were under 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 1T
the President was enabled to call into
service the 900 men augmenting the
regular forces. The latter. also. had
been expanded and improved by the
act establishing the three battalion
formation in time of war. further
force was provided by authorizing the
enlistment of 10000 men adapted to
tropical climate since known as i'm
munes." Another act added two addi-'
tional artillery regiments to the regu-
lar army, with total of 1910 men,
These and many lesser army measures
were speedily enacted.
With these war measures were the
important acts for raising revenue ade-
quate to meet the vast war expendl-
lures The first of these was the war
revenue act, designed to raise $15OO00.-
600, and in this connection Congress au-
thorized a bond issue of $2OO,00O.o00,
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 annexation of Hawaii was accom-
plished by a resolution. the treaty Of
annexation not having been ratified in
the Senate. A general bankruptcy law
was enacted, providing for both Volun-
tary and involuntary bankruptcy.
Other general measures enacted We're:
Prohibiting the killing of seals in the
North Pacific and Importation of seal
skins into this country; appropriating
S473171 to settle the Bering Sea arbi-
tration; relieving suffering miners in
the Yukon; establishment Of an indus
trial commission.
The total appropriation Of the sec
ond or war session footed almost $780,
600 900, of which upward Of $3.50, 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. The most important of these was
the consideration of the peace treaty in
the Senate. The treaty was transmit
ted to the Senate by the President on
the 4th of January. 1t was then re-
ferred to the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations, and after being held for just a
week by the committee was reported
back to the Senate on the 18th of Janu-
airy. The Senate had the treaty under
consideration for less than 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 February, half an hour before the
time set for the final vote, the friends
of the treaty We're certain Of only fifty
five of the fifty-siX votes necessary to
insure the adoption Of the resolution
of ratification. Soon afterward they
secured promises from Senators Jones
of Nevada and McEnery Of Louisiana,
and when the vote was taken the result
stood 81 ayes to q noes, or one vote
more than was necessary under the re-
quirements of two thirds majority.
While the treaty was exclusively be-
fore the Senate the House had some in
direct participation with subjects coV-
cred by the treaty. AS the branch
originating all revenue measures it pro-
vided an appropriation of $40, 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
measure. Efforts were made to add to
1t a declaration of the policy of the
Government as to the Philippines, but
this was defeated by the overwhelming
vote of 213 to "a. The resolution of
Senator McEnery, declaring the policy
toward the Philippines, came to the
House and was referred to the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs, but no final ac-
tion is probable.
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 regular army. Following the
new conditions arising, two plans of
army increase were presented to Con-
gress. The House Military Committee
first took up tt subject, and after elab-
crate hearings presented through Chair
man Hull a bill having the approval Of
the War Department. 1t increased the
army to approximately 100000 men,
When considered in the House the
grade of lieutenant general was
struck out, discretion was given
the President to reduce the size of COM
panies so that the total force would
be about 10000 men, and some other
amendments were made, but the bill