Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190?, May 06, 1898, Image 1
The Hemingford Herald. VOLUME IV HEMINGFORD, BOX BUTTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1808. NUMBER 12. X a Uf f 7 BLOWN SKY HIGH. SPANIARDS' WESTERN FLEET MEETS AN AWFUL FATE. GREAT AMERICAN VICTORY. TVO FIERCE ENGAGEMENTS END THE AFFAIR. The Austria Blown Up Spanish Captain Shot Down on Flag Ship Two Crack Cruisers Burned Desert Their Flag Ship Scuttle Their Own War Vessels Details of the Battle. Madrid, May 3. The American squad ron, under Commodore Dewey, appear ed off the bay of Munila at 5 o'clock Sunday morning' and opened a strong cannonade against the Spanish squad 1011 and forts protecting the harbor. The Spanish second-class cruiser, Don Juan de Austria, was severely dam aged and her commander killed. An other Spanish vessel was burned. The American squadron retired, hav ing also sustained severe damage. A second naval engagement followed, In which the American squadron again suffered considerable loss and the Span ish warships Mindano and Ullia were slightly damaged. During this engagement the Cavlte torts maintained a steadier and stronger tire upon the American squad ion than in the llrst engagement. Admiral Bermejo, the minister of ma rine, expressed himself as highly pleas ed with the heroism of the Spanish ma rines, and telegraphed congratulations to Admiral Montijo and the valorous crews of the Spanish squadron under tiro of superior warships. Manila, May a. Saturday night the batteries at the entrance to the port announced the arrival of the enemy's squadron, forcing a passage under the obscurity of the night. At daybreak the enemy took up positions, opening with a strong tire against Fort Cavite and the arsenal. The Spanish fleet engaged the enemy in a brilliant combat, protected by the Cavlte and Manila forts. They obliged the enemy, with heavy los, to maneu ver repeatedly. At 9 o'clock the Amer ican squadron took refuge behind the foreign merchant shipping on Hip east side of the bay. The Spanish fleet, considering the en emy's superiority, naturally suffered a , severe loss. Tito Maria Christina is on lire and another ship, believed to he the Don Juan de Austria, was blown up. There was considerable loss of life. Captain Cudorzo, commanding the Ma ria Christina, is among the killed. The spirit of the army, navy and volunteers Is excellent. SPANISH ADMIRAL EXPLAINS Why He Deserted the Burning Flag Ship. Madrid, May 3. The Americans re main in the harbor, but the forts and what remains of the Spanish fleet are keeping up a resistance." The insurgents have attacked from the land side of the city, but have been held in check. The ministry admits severe Spanish losses in the fleet, but claims virtual victory, as the city of Manila has not capitulated. It Is insisted that the Americans were forced to take refuge in the foreign shipping, and that this accounts for the failure to drive It out to sea. El Heraldo declares that the losses of the Spanish fleet, though severe, were honorable. It excuses the desertion of the flagship Maria Christina by Ad miral Montejo by saying that he trans ferred his flag to the transport Ilsa de Cuba in order to better direct Hie maneuvers. The killing of the captain of the Maria Christina, and the loss of the ship, are greatly deplored, as she was the most powerful of Spain's warships In Pacific waters, and the captain had a record for distinguished gallantry. It seems that the American squadron was sighted off Subic last evening. Ap parently Its commander expected to tlnd the Spanish fleet there, but Ad miral Montejo had retired to Manila and the protection of the forts of the bay. So Admiral Dewey kept on and passed the forts at the entrance to the bay Just before dawn. There was some tiring from the butteries, but the squad ron did not reply, and there has been no leport whether the shots took effect. OLYMPIA'S RETORT. With the dawn, Cavlte opened lire from her heaviest guns, and at once the Olympla tired her eight-Inch forward cannon In reply. From this the firing became general. Admiral Montejo, in the Maria Chris tina, went boldly to meet the foe. He wna soon engaged with the Olympla, a cruiser of much superior force, and though he Inflicted much Injury, his ship was set on fire and crippled by the Olympla's heavy guns. Admiral Montejo was urged to leave the ship, which was In a sinking oon- dltlon, ami was at last forced to do so. and transfer his Hag. The captain was shot dead by the admiral's side ns'lu was leaving his doomed tlngshlp. and devoted men Were falling ail around him. The transfer of the Hag was n deed of desperate daring, for all the ships .f the Spanish Heet were under n terrible lire. The admiral was forced to seek the armed transport Isla de Cuba, which had suffered less damage than the others. Meantime some of the American ships withdrew to the west of the bay, and the Olympla and Baltimore fol lowed. Wounded were- sent ashore in a position out of range of the Spanish lire, and the Americans returned to the attack. With the Maria Christina destroyed and many of his other ships shattered, gallant Admiral Montejo was hard put to It for a defence. He forced the Amer icans to maneuver and got them into positions of great danger from the lire of the forts. In the second attack the Baltimore. Olympla, Concord anil Boston made straight for the crippled Spanish ships, llrlng their heavy guns with great ra pidity. The Spanish gunners stood nobly to their guns and answered shot for shot as best they might. But weight was on the American side and soon the large wooden cruiser Cus tllla was on lire and all the efforts of the crew to extinguish the blaze were unavailing. The Americans continued to pour their lire upon the devoted vessel, and to prevent the magazine from exploding she was scuttled and the crew made for the shore in their1 boats or upon pieces of the shattered spars. The Don Juan de Austria was less fortunate. She, too, was crippled by the shots of the Americans, and In bet helpless condition could not escape the storm of shot and shell. Suddenly her magazine exploded. A great cloud of smoke, from which llame seemed to leap, was seen to rise above the faithful ship and she was seen no more. The little gunboat Mlndanoa and the cruiser Don Antonio de Ulloa were in the thick of the combat and sustained a heavy lire for an hour. Then they were able to draw away under the forts, though suffering serious Injury. SINK BOATS IX DESPAIR. Xo ureuter show of courage was made by any of the heroes of Spain than by those on the smaller gunboats. Seeing that they weie apt to fall Into tin hnnds of the enemy they sunk their vessels or set them on flte. and risked their lives in the wnters of the bay. All the time the guns in the forts were llring at the American warships, the gunners showing great patriotism and cool courage. Great damage must have been done the attacking ileet, though the effect iveness of the lire was somewhat In terfered with by fear of damaging the foreign met chant ships in the bay. The governor general had given or ders that under no circumstances was any Injury to be inflicted on the foreign shipping, so when the American squad ron moved into the vicinity of the mer chantmen the guns of the forts wore forced to silence. The American squadron remains in the harbor of Manila, but the forces of Spain are undismayed and will resist to the hitter end. It is believed that the Invades are not in a condition to resume the bom bardment tomorrow, and as they have no port in which to repair for coal or obtain supplies of ammunition the na val experts here insist that they must retire, and consequently are proclaim ing a victory for Spunlsh valor. Admiral Montejo has been congratu lated by the minister of marine, Ad miral Bermejo, but there is much sor row over the death of Captain Cadarso of the Maria Christina, and public masses will be said for the repose of his The Maine's Hulk Destroyed. Washington, D. C, May 3. The state department has learned, through its secret agents, that the wreck of the battleship Maine, lying in Havana har bor, has been destroyed by the bpanlsii authorities. It Is supposed by otiiclals of the administration that this action on the part of the Spanish authorities had been taken to prevent the raising of the wreck after the capture of Ha vana. This Information has intensified the desire to "avenge the Maine." Plans have been mapped out, and it is the in tention of the government Just ns soon as Havana Is in possession of the Unit ed States troops to start an investiga tion that will end In several hangings. All the port officials who were on duty at the time the Maine was an chored to the fatal buoy, and ngaln on the day when she blew up, will be placed under arrest for complicity In this crime. They will be forced to piove their innocence. A cabinet minister is nuthorlt for the following statement: "We shall make it part of our first business ns soon as we take possession of Havana to find out who were the perpetrators of that bloody crime of the night of February 15. We will ascer tain who was In charge of the harbor that night, and we will find everybody who possibly could have been connected with the affair, if they are still in Cuba. When we put hands on those who were responsible for blowing up the Maine we will punish them as they deserve, by stringing them up. "If we find that they have escaped from tile island and have gone back to Spain we will follow them there nnd tell Spain that the war shall not stop until they have been delivered up to us for punishment. Those men will not escape. They have got to suffer for their in famous and cowardly murder of sleep ing sailors, and if they are yet alive they will hang for it." "American labor," exclaims Senator Chandler, "now has a protective tar iff." And much good it Is doing Amert can labor, isn't it. Senator Chandler? The wholesale reduction of the wages of ew England cotton operatives lmme diately following the increase of 8 per cent in the "protection" accorded to the cotton industry tells the story. There are affected by the cut In wages 125,000 operatives whose wages average only $C per week. Every corporation enterprise that re quires a public franchise In Its opera tion Is an enterprise that should be owned nnd operated by the public, and not by private speculators. BLANGO FORTIFYING HAVANA DIE LIKE DOGS WHILE DIGGING IN THE TRENCHES. The Fever's Awful Work Officers Curse anil Urge Them OnDe serted Houses -Blnck Wattled Vultures on the Fencos, Havana, May 3. Ten thousand Span ish soldiers are In the ditches around Havana and Matanzas preparing for a despetate defense. Bare to the waist, sweating like bullocks under the yoke, they are digging a series or ditches about the city to which the passage of Weyler's trocha would be mere child's play. These earthwoiks encompass Havana In the segment of a great circle from a point near Chorrea, back of the ceme tery, where repose the bodies of some of the dead heroes of the Maine, half a mile beyond the bend of the harbor and around the heights of Regla, down to the shoie some live miles east of the Morro castle. Banks of enrth are thrown up and on the Inner side of the resulting ditches an placed sharp stakes, and along the top of the entire works are lines of barbed wire fence. These can be seen in a black band like a mourning border around the city. Day and night the regular soldiers have been kept at work in rain and shine, In sunlight nnd shadow, until scores of them have dropped dead In the terrllllc heat. Those have been carted out and buried alongside the ditches they have died in. Others lie down dogwise and loll under the torrid shadows of the palms and under the mule carts, which are used to carry their Implements. Up and down the trenches ride the ofllcers, cursing the men nnd urging them on. These men have not been paid in months, but they wont on dumbly and herlocnlly, knowing us they do that the time will come when every soudeful of earth will crow Into an ad ditional chance against the American Invaders. OBSTACLES TO INVADERS Xobody but the experienced soldier can realize the difficulty that our sol diers will encounter in this ling of earthwoiks and natural obstacles. The battery at Punta Brava has been strengthened into a position that will lequlre some hard battering from the warships. After Punta Biava and the ditches about it are curried, as carried they must be, the stlffest kind of a military water jump will be found In Castle del Principe, half a mile to the rear. Although this battery is on a hill, It is surrounded by a ditch, which the heavy rains have half filled with dirty yellow water. Next comes the series of works be yond Penalver in the low, swampy grounds from which arise daily the white death fogs of fever. There is- a battery at Castle de Atores, upon which work was begun a week ago, looking to defense from a land assault. Here four rapid llring guns have been mounted and here the Insurgents, under Gomez and Garcia, will probably make a point of attack. Twelve men died In two days last week toiling at the awful nbattls work around Jesus del Monte. The heights beyond Regla, steep as those stormed at Gettysburg, are the choice vantage points for the half dead Spanish troops. BLANCO MORE XERVOUS. Heie the trade winds from the north east have a full fc.veep and the fevered lungs of the muddy nippers may oc coslonallv catch a. breath of God's fresh air from the ocean beyond. Three times hns General Blanco and his staff driven around this line of fortifications from Regla to Punta Brava and three times has he ridden back to Havana and sent out fresh detachments of shov elers to sweat and die. He Is worried. He evidently believes that he cannot llnlsh his preparations for defense In time for the rumored onslaught of the American army next week. Xso addi tional defensive preparations have been made In Morro castle, the Cubanas or the Puntn. Through Cuban sources In Havana comes the rumor that General Blanco does not depend so much on the big guns of the forts ns on the hand to hand lighting to be done afterward. The volunteers do absolutely no work at all. They loaf and swagger around the streets, Insult women, till cafes with discord and threaten. "Blanco has to humor us If he wishes us to fight. His regulars are only lit to dig ditches; we will do the lighting." This is their motto. Their uniforms are still spick and span, while the regulars may only be recognized by their pri meval dirt and wretchedness. But when It comes to the cool, steady fight ing that heeds not the rush of bullets or the plunge of cannon balls, those same regulars, scarred by the stiff cam paigns along the ennto und torn by the swamp thorns of the Clenaga, will prove Spain's strongest hope. PALL HANGS OVER HAVANA. To venture into Havana now requires, for an American, much caution und a thorough knowledge of the city. It also requires a host of Cuban friends, a quantity of grease paint such as act ors use und some knowledge of the Spanish language. The streets are de serted save for the negroes nnd soldiers. The stores are closed. The quick clang of a church bell is startling. The street venders do not exist. The bullock enrts that used to roll down the Prado loaded with heavy loads of beef are now no more. The bullocks themselves have been killed. The drivers have been driven to the musket. The baried lattices from which the Cuban beauties used to gaze and flirt with passers-by are closed. The occupants of the houses have fled. Santa Clara Is full of them; so Is Batabano and Clenfuegos. Eight days ago two special trains wera sent south to Batabano loaded with refugees who intended to sail from Clenfuegos for Spain. Although pro visions nre exceedingly scarce In Ha vana, actual starvation is out of the question so long as the south coast Is not guarded. Last week the big Montserrat landed several hundred reg ular troops, a great quantity of pro visions and $1,000,000 for the soldiers at Clenfuegos. The last of the reconcentrados have disappeared from Havana. They have either starved to death or been driven to the country and murdered. Some days ago two of the unfortunate crea tures, a woman nnd a boy, were found stnived to death and lying in a de serted place on Calle del Betilente Roy. They were probably the sole remaining teconcentrndos In the city. Out In the country surrounding 1 lu nula and Matanzan the soldiers have other things to think of than iccon centrndos. Blanco Is slowly drawing them Into the defense of the principal cities and they aie being slowly fol lowed by the guerrillas of the Insuig ents. The reconccntrados who have survived are back In the fields trying to scrape together enough food to keep body and soul from separating. SANTIAGO PANIC STRICKEN. Fronzlod Population Throntonod on all Sldos. Santiago de Cuba, May 3.-Uon Ar seno Llnnres I'ombo, commaudaute general of this division of Cuba, pro claimed four days ago that every man between 15 nnd 50 yenrs of age must en roll with the volunteers for military service, under penalty of arrest and military trial and death. Honor Chucho Mtiudutey, magistrate of the high court of Santiago, and known as an Intense Spanish sympathizer, one of the most prominent men In the city, left for the camp of the Cuban brigadier general, Chavelios. He was accompanied by several kinsmen anil his going produced a vivid Impression. The exodus from the city continued by night, the Span iards making no opposition except that a few men have been arrested as exam ples. Five thousand persons have left for the country since the proclama tion, four-llftlis being women and chil dren. The Spanish soldiery now assume a bullying attitude and threaten to kill every Cubnn woman left In the city when the blockade begins. When the American fleet appears, as It Is dally expected, all the non-combatants will be expelled. Though the governor of the city, En rique Caprllles, lias seized for the gov ernment all the large stores of food In private hands, many shops still do bus iness with small stocks, the prices dou bling day by day. Monday meat was 40 cents a pound, Tuesday 70 cents, nnd Wednesday It was $1 a pound. Other prices In gold are: Rye, 24 cents a pound; beans. 21 cents; flour, 1!) cents, and lard 32 cents. Chickens are $2.50 apiece. The governor announced, to quiet public alarm, that a ship loaded with provisions was expected, but when where from und what Its name nobody knows. The story Is not believed. The Stmnlsh soldiers, and especially the sick, are also abominably fed. About 1,400 sick in the military hospitals acre get nothing except bean soup three times a day, with an ounce iff meat to a plate. Two thousand soldiers in San Luis hospital have had only salt tlsh this week, nnd conditions aie now so bad that the Spaniards would almost rejoice to surrender after one good light. The preparations for defense go forward, however. A new battery has been erected at the west harbor entrance, with four rapid-fire guns, nnd ten or twelve more rapid-fire small caliber guns will be mounted on Morro and the east side battery. The Morro fort has at least lifty ancient brass ennon. marked 1704. There are reports about torpedoes in the channel and harbor, but they are confusing. Preparations have certainly been made to lay torpedoes, but wheth er It has actually been done Is not known. Strong floating mines are ready to be placed. The Spaniards assemble nightly in the chief streets yelling "Long live Spain!" and "Death to the Yankees!" The military authorities seem to have little control of the sol diery und the disorderly element. Spanish silver Is at 45 per cent pre mium. The bank notes Issued by the government bank at Havana are pruc tlcally worthless and sometimes pass for .'! to 5 cents on the dollar. JEWS PRAY FOR UNCLE SAM. Impressive Ceremonies In Chicago Jewish Tabernacle. Chicago, May 3. Three thousand Jew ish residents of Chicago took part In probably the most unique demonstra tion of patriotism in the United States since the war with Spain began. In the language of the most ancient of nations and according to the forms of the re ligion of Moses, prayers were offered in the Jewish tabernacle of Anshe Knesseth Israel for the protection and guidance of President McKlnley, for the success of our arms In the wnrfare with Spain, and for the continued wel fare nnd prosperity of the United States government. Rev Israel Upfer, the rabbi of the congregation, conducted the services, which took the place of the principal Sabbath celebration. A large number of thus in attendance nre still unacquainted with the English language, being chiefly Russjun refu gees. The men had their shoulders draped with the scarf and gown pie scribed by their religious rites. William Zolotkoff delivered the prin cipal address. He declared It was a peculiar and providential happening that In a lnnd of liberty the Jews as sembled as respected citizens of n great nation to pray for the success of the armies of their country as against the armies of a nation that had persecuted and oppressed their ancestors. "The persecution of the Jews," he said, "was tile beginning of the decline of Spain. Today Spain is tottering to extinction, while the people It sought to destroy ure hopeful und strong. The Jew who njoys, the freedom of this country Is willing to give his life to extend that freedom to the possessions of Spain In tills hemisphere, and lie will rejoice in the downfall of the nation that once drove his people from its shores." How Spain Raises Revenue. Madrid, May 3. The greatest efforts are being made here and throughout the country to Increase the national war fund. It Is proposed, for instance, to have tables, ornamented with the national colors, at all the Madrid churches throughout the month of May. These tables will be attended by soci ety leaders, whose names and the amounts they collect will lie published In the newspapers. The traditional fes tival of May 2 was celebrated by a pro cession of veterans to the monument In the Prado, where oen air masses will be celebrated, accompanied by artil lery salutes. The Spanish colony In Mexico telegraphs that, besides con tributing a warship, a subscription In aid of the national fund to Increase the strength of the Spanish navy has been opened In Mexico, and that 1,800,000 pe setas have already been collected. $500,000,000.00 BONDS AT THREE PER CENT INTEREST PER ANNUM HOUSE HURRIEDLY PASSED THE BILL WITHOUT ANY OF THE SILVER AMENDMENTS Parllmontary Tricking won the Day Tho Gold Bugs Stood Togothor --What Moneyed Classes Have Longed for Rushod UndorjClonk of n War Measure A Dirty Job. Washington, D. C, May 2. The house has passed the war revenue bill, with only the amendments agreed upon by the republican mcuibers of the ways and means committee added. In order to accomplish this a par liamentary maneuver was necessary, as the whole time for amendments wns exhausted by the minority In trying to amend the bond feature of the bill. Mr. Dlngley offered as a substitute an entirely new bill containing these amendments after the bill had been reported to the house. This was nn old parliamentary trick resorted to freely years ago. The Mor rill tariff law was passed in this way In Its original form after It had been loaded down with amendments In com mittee of the whole. Many amendments were offered to the bond feature of the bill, ranging from a proposition for the substitution of an Income tax provision to an au thorization for an Issue of $150,000,000 greenbacks, but all were voted down. At the Inst minute the democrats decided to offer to recommit the meas ure, with Instructions to report back the Income tax provision as an amendment itistend of a substitute to the bond provision. Tills was duo to tho fact that a num ber of democrats had declined to vote to strike out the bond provision. Tho motion was defeated. Four republi cans voted with the democrats and populists on this vote, but on the llnal passage of the bill, which was carried 181 to 131 the democrats and popu lists, with six exceptions, voted solidly agalns tthe bill. The democrats who voted for the bill were Messrs. Cummlngs, McClellan and Griggs of New York, Fitzgerald (Mass.), McAleen (Peiin.), Wheeler (Ala.). Two republicans, Messrs. Lln ney of North Carolina and Thorp of Virginia, voted with the opposition. Quite a number of democrats declined to vote. The house convened at 10 o'clock to allow two hours more of general debate on the war revenue bill before the bill was taken up at noon for amendment under the live minute rule. Mr. Bland (dem., Mo.) discussed the bond feature of the bill, to which he said the democrats could never agree. They could not agree to the Issue of any more "coin" bonds which would be construed under a republican ad ministration to mean nothing but gold. So long as the mints were closed to the coinage of one-half the money metal of tho world, the democrats only under circumstances of great stress could consent to the Issue of such bonds. He argued the advisability of the immediate coinage of the sllxer seigniorage. The house continued its debate on the war revenue bill. The debate was slow and uninteresting. On behalf of the minority Mr. McMillan offered an amendment to strike out the bond pro vision and Insert nn Income tax pro vision. Mr. Walker (Mass.) offered an amendment to make the bonds redeem able after one yeur and payable after three years, but It was defeated. Mr. Xewlunds (sll. rep., Xev.) argued that the war would be confined to the navies of Spain and the United States, and that its duration would depend upon how long Spain could maintain upon the sea the guerrilla warfare she had been accustomed to wage on lunu. He thought the war should be vigor ously prosecuted, and apparent extrav agance now might prove economy In the end. Mr. Grosvenor (rep., O.) said at such a crisis as this there were, us Stephen A. Douglas had said, but two classes In the country, patriots and traitors. He was willing to accept the suggestions emanating from the democratic side, however wild or Impracticable, In good faith. He would not Impugn or even suspect a lack of patriotism. Speuking of the bond feature, he declared that the bonds would be taken by the people of the country not only ns a profitable Investment, but as evidence to the world that this country proposes to free Cuba In the face of Spain, Austria, or an yother nation that saw lit to fn terfere. The other speakers before noon were Messrs. Curtis (rep., Kan.), Shafroth (sol. rep., Colo.) and Brown (rep., O.). At noon the house went through the formality of udjournlg and reconven ing. Then, under the order, the bill was tnken up for amendment under the live minute rule. Mr. McMIIHn (dem.. Tenn.) offerad, on behulf of the minority, the amendment to strike out section 27, the bond provision, and Insert in lieu thereof the Income tax provision of the Wilson tar iff law, with the taxable Income re duced from $4,000 to $2,000 per annum nnd the per cent Increased from 2 to 3 per cent. WALKER'S AMENDMENT. Mr. Walker (rep., Mass.) offered ns an amendment to the original section a proposition to change the terms of the bonds so as to make them redeemable one year after the date of their Issue, and payable after three years, or due on a certain day within three yenrs. as the secretary of the treasury may elect. Mr. Walker declared that his amend ment would save the people from $20, 000,000 to $50,000,000. Mr. Walker declared that the bill should be recommitted und every re publican should vote for the motion. Mr. Berry (doui., Ky.) called atten tion to the remarkable coincidences that by this bill It was proposed to Issue $500,000,000, the amount which Sec retary Gage had recommended for the purpose of ledectnlug the greenbacks There was no necessity for such an) cnotinoiis loan. The fortifications on Matanzas hud been reduced In tliirUt minutes. Havana could be reduced iiA two hours, and the war would he at mil ..nil 'Plwt ,,.,(. ulwml.1 lu. ..,alw.1 II... ..!.... " j.n- ..in riii'ii.. .,.- iiii.iii;i nil- I turn should be loosened. Havana would fall before Sampson, the Philippines before Dewey, and the Spanish licet, crowding across the Atlantic, before the onset or the flying squadron. The seriousness of the situation was thoroughly exaggerated. While our fleet was being held In leash, the population of Havana were starving and the end for which we aimed, the relief of hu manity, wns being defeated. In ninety days, In his opinion, t til ling would be flying over Porto Rico and the Philippines. Mr. Walkers amendment was lost without division Many llve-mlmite speeches on the In come tax amendment followed. Mr. Brumm (rep., Pa.), in the cours of Ills remarks, advocated an Issue of $150,000,000 of greenbacks. CUMMIXGS SUPPORTS liONDS. Mr. Cummlngs (dem., X. Y.) aroused considerable enthusiasm on the repub llcnn side by announcing his purpose to support the bond proposition, be cause it was a popular loan. Mr. Bland gave notice of a substitute for the section authorizing a bond Issui providing for an Issue of $150,000,000 treasury notes, Mr. Henry (dem., Del.) offered nn amendment, which wns voted down, to reduce the bond authorization from five to one hundred million. On Mr. Dlngley's motion, the lowest denomination of bonds to be Issued Un der the section was reduced from $50 to $25. A motion by Mr. Lewis (dem., Wash.) to make bonds payable specifically In gold or sliver coin at the option of the government, wiih defeated, 100 to 13(1. Another by Mr. Shnfroth, to make the botisd redeemable one-half In gold and one-half In silver, met a similar fate. Several other propositions of the same tenor were voted down. The vote was then taken on the McMillan Income tax substitute, and it was defeated, 123 to 143. Mr. Bland (dem., Mo.) offered a sub stitute, a provision to Ibsuc $150,000,000 treasury notes. It was lost, 100 to 147 Mr. Brumm voted with the democrats on this proposition nnd Messrs. Mc Clellan and Handy with the republi cans. Mr, Ianham (dem., Tex.) moved to strike out the bond section and It was lost, 103 to 131. -Messrs. McMillan, Griggs and Culn mlngB (democrats) voted with the re publicans. Mr. Robinson (dem., La.) offeron it other of the amendments prepared by the minority members of the ways and means committee. It provided for the coinage of the sliver selgnorage. It was ruled out on a point of order. '. o'clock the bill, under the order, was reported to the house. As Chair man Dlngley hnd no opportunity to offer the amendments agreed on by the majority of tho ways and means com mittee, he offered as a substitute a bill containing these amendments. There wns some question us to the regularity of this proceeding, but the speaker held It wns In order. There were many protests from the demo cratic side against this parliamentary move and Mr. Bland Insisted upon the reading of the substitute In full. The reading occupied almost an hour. Mr. Dlngley briefly explained the com mittee amendments nnd demanded the previous question. The substitute was then adopted without division. Mr. McMillan moved to recommit the bill with instructions to strike out the bond provision and Insert In lieu thereof the Income tax provision, but withdrew It and allowed Mr. Bailey to modify the motion to Instruct the committee to add the Income tax provision to the bill, the bond feature being retained. The motion wns defeated, 134 to 173. The motion to recommit was defeated, 134 to 173. The democrats, populists and four re publicans, Messrs Bartholdt (Mo.), Bromwell (O.). Johnson (Ind.) and White (111.) voted for tho motion. The vote was then taken on the tlnal passage of the bill, and It was passed, 181 to 131. PORTO RICO IN AWFIJL SHAPE Internal Strife, Starvation, nnd Disease Worse Than War. St. Thomas, West Indies, May 3. Famine and smallpox are killing men, women and children In Porto Rico. The conditions in the Interior ure horrible. Children nre perishing of starvation und tho villages are petitioning the gov ernment for succor. Smallpox is epi demic. Draught animals are dying and the desperate, starving peasants are killing beeves In the hlghwnys, cutting them up and distributing the portions among the hungry. The mayors of municipalities insist upon an extensive cultivation of veg etables In anticipation of a siege. Tho prohibition of the exportation of cattle is ugitatlng the people. Their Indig nation has been excited by the rapacity of the merchants, who have decreased the pound weight by one-third and In creased prices. Rajlrond rates upon provisional freight into the interior have aggravated the situation. The mad rush of frightened Porto Rlcans to the interior upon learning of the declaration of war has raised to ex orbitance the rents of houses. Tem porary palm huts have been thrown up and freight cars have been converted into human habitations. The asylum near the castle was vacated by Its in mates, who fled Into the interior. La borers throughout the island hav struck for higher wuges because of the advance of the prices of food. Disor der and discontent nre great. The political situation is critical. The hanks are suspending. Bankers refuse to sell drafts. Paper Is discounted 90 per cent. The colonial bank refuses Spanish paper. Spanish exporters in New York exact prepayment on the shipment of provisions. It Is reported that Canadian merchants offer supplies at current rates. Twenty-five thousand troops ure ex pected from Spain. Bakers are hurry ing orders for 100,000 pounds of biscuits for them. The militia is organizing in all the towns. Captain General Maclas has accepted the offer of an escort com posed of natives. A subscription to help defray the cost of the war and the augmenting of the navy has been raised. The tug Borquln hus been de tailed to lay new mines. The Manu ella towed two schooner laden with coal to Maygles. Jt -v JTr rf, -A--