Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1899 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

Senator Mason of Illinois occupied the attention of the Senate for nearly an hou/ and a half on Tuesday with a speech ii support of his resolution declaring tha\ 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, and when adjournment was had all but ten pages of the bill had been disposed of. In the Senate on Wednesday a sharp debate was precipitated by Mr. Allen (Neb.) by some remarks he made upon a resolution he had introduced. Mr. Hoar (Mass.) and Mr. Gray (Do!.) wore 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 be an act of war unwarranted on the part of the President and the exercise of constitutional powers vested exclusively in Congress. Mr. Foraker of Ohio was recognized after a 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 in charge of the treaty of peace, went into executive session. Senator Davis reported the peace 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, and the motion to remove the injunction of secrecy prevailed without division. The House completed and passed the bill for the codification of the criminal laws of Alaska. The supporters and opponents of the peace treaty in the Senate had their first contest over that document on. Thursday in executive session. The debate was upon a motion by Senator Berry to consider the rosolndonof ratification in open session. The discussion continued from a few minutes past 1 o’clock until about 5, when the Senate adjourned for the day, without reaching a vote. There were no set speeches in the usual acceptance of that phrase. It was a running debate, in which Senators Berry, White, Hale, Hoar, Vest and others in opposition to the treaty met Senators Davis, Frye. Teller, Gray and others in advocacy of it. The House passed the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill without amendment. During the general debate two set speeches were made against imperialism by Messrs. Carmack and Gaines of Tennessee. The diplomatic and consular is the sixth of the regular appropriation bills to pass the House. The bill as passed carries $1,705,533. A bill was passed authorizing the Little River Railroad Company to construct a railroad through the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian reservations. In the Senate on Friday Mr. McLaurin (Dem.) of South Carolina made a strong appeal in a carefully prepared speech against a policy of expansion by this nation. Mr. Sullivan (Dem.) of Mississippi and Mr. Pasco (Dorn.) of Florida discussed the pending Nicaragua canal bill, the former supporting it and the latter opposing it. The Indian appropriation bill was taken up, but its consideration was not concluded before the hour of adjournment. The House entered upon the consideration of the naval personnel bill. The speeches on the bill were filled with glowing allusions to the glories of naval victories in the late Mar. The bill was supported by Messrs. Foss (Rep.) of Illinois, Dayton (Rep.) of West Virginia, Berry (Dem.) of Kentucky, Driggs (Dem.) of New York and Dinsmore (Dem.) of Arkansas, and u'as opposed by Messrs,. Lowe (Rep.) of New York and Simpson (Pop.) of Kansas. The session of the Senate was brief on, Saturday, early adjournment being taken, out of respect to the memory of Congressman Dingiey. A resolution asking independence for the Philippine Islanders, introduced by Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts, was put over. The resolution of Mr. Allen for the appointment of a committee of five Senators to investigate the conduct of the late war u-as then laid before the Senate, and Mr. Allen made a speech in advocacy of it. The death of Mr. Dingiey occupied the entire attention of the House. A state funeral almost majestic in its. Impressiveness Mas given the late Representative Nelson Dingiey at noon Monday in the House of Representatives. Speaker Reed called tho House to orderand immediately thereafter the Vice-Pres-ident and the Senate entered the chamber in a body and w’ere follon-ed by the diplomatic corps, u’ith whom came the members of the Anglo-American commission, of which Mr. Dingiey had been a member. Then folloMed the chief justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court in their somber robes, and they in turn were followed by the President with his cabinet. The services were conducted by the Rev. S. M. Neu-mnn of the First Congregational Church of Washington, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Couden, chaplain of the House. As soon as the services, were over the House adjourned. The Senate held no session for the transaction of’ business on Monday.