Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1900 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

I* the Senate on Friday an effort by Senator Pettigrew to discuss the Philippine question was of no avail, as he was met by a point of order which took him from the floor. He had gotten only so far as to ebarge that the great journals of the country would not publish the facts concerning the Philippine war. Subsequently he offered another resolution on which he will speak next week. Senator Allen concluded his speech in arraignment of Secretary Gage because of his transactions with the National City Bank of New York. He had previously introduced a resolution providing for an investigation by the Senate of the Treasury Department, but objection to its consideration sent it over until next week. Adjourned until Monday. In the House the day was devoted to tbe Indian appropriation bill. When the appropriation for Indian schools was reached an effort was inaugurated by Mr. Fitzgerald of New York to permit the Secretary of the In terior to contract with schools for the education of Indian children where the Government lacks facilities. No appropriation is made for contract schools in this bill. It is claimed that present Indian school facilities are inadequate. No session of the Senate was held on Saturday. The House passed the Indian appropriation bill. It was slightly amended in unimportant particulars. An attempt to revive the policy of making contracts with religious schools for the education of Indian children, which has been gradually abandoned by the governmen during the last five years, failed on the ruling of the chair that the amendment offered was out of order. The latter part of the session was devoted .to eulogies upon the life and public services of the late Representative Ermentrout of Pennsylvania.

In the Senate on Monday Mr. Foraker, chairman of the committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico, reported a bill providing a form of government’ for Porto Rico. Senator Caffery in a discussion of the Philippine question broke new ground in developing his position as an anti-expansionist. In response to a question as to what in tbe present circumstances he would do with the Filipinos, he said: “Turn them loose as soon as we can get rid of them. That would be better for them and infinitely better for us.” Mr. Caffery’s argument was mainly a discussion of the constitutional questions. He maintained that the constitution extends absolutely over the Filipinos, and that they were entitled to all the rights and privileges of citizens of the I'nited States guaranteed by the constitution. The House refused by a vote of to 87 to pass a bill looking to the appointment of an expert commission to examine into the questions of the pollution of the wafer supply of cities. The Chicago members considered that it was aimed especially at the Chicago drainage canal. Speeches were made by two Democratic members of the foreign affairs committee, Mr. Dinsmore of Arkansas and Champ Clark of Missouri, opposing the retention of the Philippines. Mr. Sibley Of Pennsylvania, who was elected as a Democrat, but who made a speech the previous week defending expansion, was goaded into the announcement that the Democrats could consider his seat constructively on the Republican side.

On Tuesday the Senate received from Mr. Aldrich amendment to pending financial bill providing that its passage shall not stand in the way of united action for international bimetallism at any future time. Also an amendment from Mr. Jones of Arkansas providing for an emergency treasury note fund of $50,UU0,000, which may be issued to any citizen at 10 per cent, discount in exchange for United States bonds. Heard Senator Caffery in opposition to retention of the Philippines and Senator Butler in opposition to North Carolina’s suffrage amendment. Adopted conference report on the urgent deficiency bill. The House adopted the conference report on the urgency deficiency bill and resumed debate on diplomatic and consular bill, Messrs. Gibson of Tennessee, Morris of Minnesota and 'William Alden Smith of Michigan speaking for expansion, and Williams of Mississippi, Neville of Nebraska and Cockran of Missouri against it, while H. C. Smith of Michigan championed the cause of the Boers. Mr. Williams held that the absorption of the Philippines by the United States would be ruinous to the American producers of cotton, rice, tobacco, hemp and sugar.

The feature of Wednesday in the Senate was a tilt between Messrs. Depew and Pettigrew over a letter from President Schurman of the Philippine commission, read by the New Yorker, flatly denying a statement made by the South Dakota Senator during debate some time ago that he (Schurman) "had tried to bribe the insurgents and failed.” Senators Bate, Turner and Allen spoke against the financial bill and Mr. Vest offered an amendment providing that the Secretary of the Treasury shall have prepared $200,000,000 of trea'sury notes, to be known as “bond treasury notes,” which shall be full legal tender for all debts and which shall be loaned by the Secretary of the Treasury to anybody who may deposit United States bonds for them, the note to bear the same interest as the bonds deposited. The House passed diplomatic and consular appropriation bill, carrying $3,743,908, substantially as it came from committee. Indulged in desultory discussion of Philippine question and war in South Africa, principal feature being speech by Mr. Sha froth in favor of mediation in South Africa under provisions of The Hague treaty.