Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1899 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

Immediately after the Senate convened on Friday the resolution offered the previous day by Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts, calling on the President for information as to the instructions of the commissioners who negotiated the treaty of Paris, together with all correspondence and reports relating to their work, was laid before the Senate. Chairman Davis, one of the commissioners, desired that it be referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, but Mr. Hoar insisted that the Senate had as much right to such information as the members of the Foreign Relations Committee, and that the President should determine whether the Sqnate should have it. The resolution was adopted in secret session. In support of the resolution offered by Mr. Vest of Missouri, in opposition to expansion, Mr. Caffery of Louisiana delivered an extended speech.. The anti-civil service reformers scored a victory in the House. The legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bilL was taken up for consideration and ytom the appropriation for the civil servicnHnmission was reached Mr. Evans (RepT of Kentucky made a motion to strike it out. The motion to strike out carried by a narrow majority, 67 to 61. During general debate on the bill Mr. Swanson (Dem.) of Virginia delivered a speech on anti-imperialism. On Saturday the House, in committee of the whole, resumed consideration of the bill making appropriation for the legislative, executive and judicial expenses of the Government for the year ending June 30, 1900. On a point of order made by Mr. Dockery (Dem.. Mo.) a paragraph appropriating $12,000 for making a series of charts of the coasts and harbors of the Philippines was stricken from the bill. In the Senate the District of Columbia appropriation bill was taken up. As passed by the House, the bill appropriated $6,360,000, as against estimates of $9,230.000. As reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, it appropriates $7,251,905. The appropriation for the current fiscal year was $C,426,550. The House bill granting extra pay upon tuus-, ter-out to officers and enlisted men of the United States volunteers was taken up and passed without amendment. The Senate then went iuto executive session, and afterward adjourned. In the Senate on Monday Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts made a strong speech agaiust territorial expansion, MiyPlatt of New York replied. The Nicaragua Canal bill was then taken up and Mr. Caffery continued his speech in opposition to it. Messrs. Bacon, Money and Chilton engnged in a general discussion of the binding power of treaties in general. The House reversed the decision of the committee of the whole last Friday, when the appropriation for ihe support of the civil service commission was stricken out of the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill. The House by special order decided to proceed with the consideration of the naval personnel bill as soon as the bill for the codification of the laws Of Alaska was out of the way. About seventy additional pages of the latter bill were covered. Senator Mason of Illinois occupied the attention of the Senate for nearly on hour nnd a half on Tuesday with a speech in support of his resolution declaring that the United States will never attempt to govern the people of any country without their consent. Mr. Turley was then recognized to speak on the Nicaragua canal bill. He announced himself as an advocate of the canal, but said he was opposed to the pending bill. At the conclusion of Mr. Turley’s speech a bill was passed directing the President to appoint Paymaster General T. H. Stanton a major general and retire him at that grade. The House devoted its undivided attention to the bill for the codification of the criminal laws of Alaska, nnd when adjournment was had all but ten pages of the bill had been disposed of. In the Senate on Wednesday n sharp debate was precipitated by Mr. Allen (Neb.) by some remarks he made upon a resolution he had introduced. Mr. Hoar (Mass.) nnd Mr. Gray (Del.) were drawn into it. The resolution stated that any aggressive action by army or navy on the part of the United States against the Philippines would bo an act of war unwarranted on the part of the President and the exercise of constitutional powers vested exclusively in Congress. Mr. Fornker of Ohio was recognized a(ter n short debate and proceeded to deliver his set speech on the general question of the power to extend our territory. At 3:10 p. m. the Senate, on motion of Mr. Davis, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and iu charge of the treaty of peace, went into executive session. Senator Davis reported the pence treaty and moved that the treaty and the proceedings of the peace commission be made public. This motion led to debate. The discussion was brief, however, nnd the motion to remove the injunction of secreey prevailed without division. The House completed and passed the bill for the codification of the criminal laws of Alaska.