The record-union., 1895-02-08
IN THE SENATE

WASHINGTON. Feb. THE laying of
cable TO Hawaii was further discussed IN
the Senate to-day, but no conclusion was
reached, and the item remains as a
stumbling block to the diplomatic and
consular appropriation bill. The cable
project has been we'll nigh lost sight OF in
the wide range OF the Hawaiian debate
1t IS expected, however, that the cable
item Will be voted on tomorrow, and
from the tendencies shown by the
speeches the belief prevails that the item
will be adopted. All the Republican
speeches have been favorable to the cable
and il is expected that the entire Repub-
lican vote will be given TO the appropria-
ton of 500, 900 TO begin the work. Sew
eral Democrats. including AIessrs. White,
Morgan and Black burn, and other Dem
Ocrats OF the Foreign Relations Commit
tee, are favorable to the cable plan, al
though some OF the Democratic Senators
oppose 1t as antagOnistic 10 the Admins
tratIOn policy against Hawaii.
The sequel OF the spirited incident the
other day between MitcheIt (Oregon) and
Harris Tennessee occurred when the
former presented an explanation of the
sugar bounty claims.
Harris, looking rather serious, said he
would not renew his objection.
Mitchell said he was glad to hear the
Senator admit that he made mistake
Harris rose, then sat down, evidently
ready to let the personal incident close.
Mitchell said the sugar bounty claims
had brought a difference of opinion in
the Claims Committee. There were two
propositions submitted. One was to paw
in full the balance Of the bounty earned
up to the passing of the new Tariff AC:
which repealed the bounty, the other was
to pay one-haIt OF the bounty for the year
1898, since the passage OF the Act. The
majority of the committee believed in
paying the amount of bounty earned
prior to the passage of the Act, and made
recommendation to that effect not to
the Senate, but to the appropriations
Committee,
Mitchell said his personal view was
that these claims were a legal obligation
as we'll as an equitable one. The aggre-
gate OF the claims for the bounty earned
prior TO the passage OF the Tariff Act was
5000, 900. The Commissioner of Internal
Revenue suggested S250,0O0 for meeting
those claims: but the main claim was for
one-half OF the bounty after the Tariff Act
was passed. The total bounty would be
about Sl5.000,O00, and the claims for one
half would be S1,50O,0O0. The total OF
claims before and after the Tariff Act
would thus aggregate about $, 900, 900.
Blanchard (Dem.l of Louisiana said
these estimates were mere conjectures.
The sugar producers questioned their
correctness.
Cockrell (Dem.) of Missouri, Chairman
of the Appropriations Committee, pro-
tested against having these bounty claims
| dumped on the appropriations Com-
mIttee. This was question involving
millions, he said, and yet ,the Claims
Committee were afraid TO assume re-
sponsiDility and report to the Senate.
Instead OF that they tried TO unload the
responsibility for this big bounty ques-
ton on the Appropriations Committee.
Mitchell and Pascoe declared there was
no disposition to shlrk responsibility or
10 dump the question on the Appropria-
tions Committee without action. The
claims were finally referred To the Ap-
preparations Committee.
The Senate then passed the bill relating
| to the navigation and commerce of iu-
land waters OF the United States not in
cluding the great lakes and connecting
waters.
The debate on the proposition for a
cable 10 Hawaii was then resumed. Min
lister Thurston of Hawaii, accompanied
by Mrs. Ihurston, were interested LISTEN
ers in the diplomatic gallery.
Teller (Rep.l OF Colorado called atten-
ton to the latest dispatches from Hawaii
showing that the British authorities were
asserting their purpose OF protecting
! British citizens under any and all cir
/ cumstances. The Senator compared this
| with Secretary Herberl's orders that
American citizens in Hawaii would re-
/ ceiye no naval protection ii they assisted
I in maintaining the existing Government.
/ Gray (Dem.) OF Delaware stated as
/ legal proposition that in the recent up
/ rlsngs IN hawaii the American citizens
/ who participated on one side or the other
/ could not be callei To account by this
/ Government, but added that they for