The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-05-03
FIFTY,THIRD CONGRESS.
PACIFIC COAST MEMBERS ATTACK
THE CHINESE POLICY.
Representative Herman Moves to Reduce
the Salaries of Chinese Consuls ana
Cut Of Their Fees PETER TO the
Front With Paternal Bill.
THE HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, ApIll a. i' f
burn, Republican, Iowa, alter the
reading of the journal in the mousse
TODAY. interposed an objection to Its
approval and forced the yeas ana
NAYS on Mr.. Dockery'5 motion for lis
approval. Mr.. Hepburn adhered 10
his determination to allow absolutely
no business to be transacted by unanl-
NOUS consent until terms were made
for the consideration of Fraday pen
sion bills
The Journal was approved, 243 to D.
The house went into committee OF
the whole, Dir. Bailey of Texas in the
chair, and resumed the consideration
of the diplomatic and consular appro'
priation bill.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois continued the
role of economist, insisting upon an
explanation of every small increase In
the bill and offered amendments to re-
duce the appropriations with every
opportunity.
Mr., Warner moved to increase the
rank of consul at Barcelona TO that OF
consul general. The motion was
agreed to.
Mr.. Herman of Oregon offered an
amendment to reduce the salaries OF
consuls at Annoy, Canton and zen
Tien. China, from $500 to 5000.
Speaking OF the amendment he SO.
verely criticised the treaty recently
negotiated by Yang va and Secretary
Gresham. That treaty, he said, was
designed to reverse the American
policy of excluding Chinese, entered
into in 1880. 1t would permit Chlnese
laborers TO come in direct contraVen-
tion of the exclusion laws passed by
congress.
Mr.. Wilson, Republican, OF Wash
ington, asserted emphatically that at
the precise time when the house was
debating the bill to extend these pro-
visions of the Geary exclusion law,
the president, in company with the
chief Monaghan, was in the state de-
partment, signing treaty with the
chinese minister to nullity the act OF
Congress.
The Herman amendment was de-
feated, 20 to &c.
Mr.. Hepburn, Republican of Iowa,
offered an amendment providing that
all fees of every character, official or
Unofficial. collected or received by the
consuls at Liverpool, Hong Kong,
Annoy, Canton, Tien Tien, Havre,
Calloa, Prague, Antwerp, Valparaiso,
Colon, Dhin Kiap, Flu Chan, HankoW,
Bordeaux, Belfast, Bradford, elias
cow, Kingston, Manchester, Vera |
Cruz, Matanzas and Montevideo |
should be turned into the treasury !
and their salaries should be their sole
CONDENSATION Mr.. Hit said he was
in favor of the amendment to correct |
the abuse of the fee system, but he
wa not in favor of legislating any |
appropriation bill.
Mr.. Walker OF Massachusetts char
acterized the fee system as thevery
and appealed to the Democrats to
stand by their pledges to retrench
and reform and vote for them. Mr..
Dlnsmore of Arkansas, eX-minister of
Corea opposed the amendment as
likely to strip the consular service OF
its most valued members. 1t would
nor reform the service but would de-
mOraliZe commerce.
:" Mr.. Hooker, Democrat, Mississippi,
declared that the amendment was de-
signed TO break down the diplomatic
and consular appropriation Dill.
There might he q mess in the fee sys
tenn, there might be plumber in it for
the cOnsuls abroad, but the Republic
cans have had their plumber for 30
years. Their spasm of virtue and
economy i'll. became them. AS mat
ter of tact the abuses, if there were
any. should be corrected by general
law, not hy rider on an appropria-
ton bill.
Mr.. Hodges eff Illinois, who had
been consul. general at Vienna under
Grants administration, opposed the
amendment, The amendment was
defeated by 80 to l27.
An amendment offered by Mr..
Coombs, Democrat, New York, to in
crease the salary of the consul at st.
Thomas from 81, 500 to 81, 800, was lost.
At $50 the house adjourned.
THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-The sen.
ate presented an appearance of calm
after the storm when the vice presi-
dent took the chair today. The gal
leries were only bali filled, while the
Democratic senator's gave evidence of
sense of relief that the first step in
the :arif debate was concluded,
coupled with determination to carry