The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-18

| sions Claim the Attention of the House
| Again-A Bill Passes So Days
Ahead Of the Last Two Sessions-OtheI
Matters.
| Washington, January 1.-THE Senate
committee on foreign relations met at
1915 this morning for the purpose OF con-
sidering the Monroe doctrine resolution
now before that committee. All the
| members were present but one.
| Senator Gray made an elaborate argu-
ment against the adoption of a resolution
affirming the Monroe, but his argument
fell upon deaf ears. The committee was
overwhelmingly in favor OF such resoln.
tion. 1t was proposed by Mr.. Davis, OF
Minnesota, chairman of the b-commit
tee, and was. after prolonged discussion,
made still stronger in one or two particu.
lars. The application Of the doctrine by
various secretaries of state, has led te
contradictory positions and as one mem.
ber of the committee maintained, tc
dangerous admissions. This committee
intends to obyiate by enacting into Law
a resolution of such broad and general
character that those hereafter charged
with the diplomatic correspondence OF
the government need only cite it's pro.
visions. The resolution to be reported
into the Senate will be sufficient to cover
any and all cases. Z
The committee adjourned at 10. 45 after
voting to adopt the resolution submitted
| by MIR. Davis. The committee voted not
to give out the text till it is reported to
the Senate on Monday.
The Senate committee on foreign rela-
! lions discussed for two hours today the
Monroe doctrine and finally. by q vote.
ordered a report on the resolution su b.
nitted by Mr.. Davis of Minnesota. the
chairman of the sub committee. Mr..
Turple made an argument against the
affirmation of Congress Of the doctrine
as q general principle. He believed it was
sufficient for the doctrine to be applied
when the specific case arose. He favored
Its application to the pending diff Guilty
between Venezuela and Great Britain.
but thought it should rest there for the
present.
Mr.. Gray of Delaware, was opposed to
any action whatever that had for it's OBJ
ject the affirmation of the doctrine by
legislative action. He believed the whole
subject was one on which the executive
department alone should act, and that
upon that branch OF the government
rested the responsibility of enforcing or
not enforcing the doctrine laid dow n by
Monroe. These arguments had no weight
with the committee. They were combat
ted by Senators Sherman, Lodge, Nor
gan and others.
Mr.. Mills, one of the new members OF
the committee, an ardent admirer of
.IAtfar9nn pf 10 ONT 4, e;o
tic supporters of the affirmation of the
doctrine.
The motion to adopt the Davis resolu-
tlon which was drawn along the lines OF
the Lodge resolution, was agreed to after
one or two alterations.
The committee. decided by one vote,
upon the motion of Mr. Sherman, that
the text OF the resolution should not be
given out until it was reported to the
Senate next Monday. Mr.. Davis was
l 90 uested to give notice that when he
reported the resolution, he would call 1t
up at the earliest posi- BILE moment. This
resolution goes even further than did the
Presidents message to Congress on the
Venezuelan question. 1t will. If passed,
commiS Congress to policy from which
there can be no back down, and there
appears to be no doubt as to the ultu-
mate action on the resolution. 1t is said
the resolution reaffirms and confirms the
Monroe doctrine, and declares that the
United States will assert and maintain
it. 1t states specifically that this govern
ment will regard as infringement of
this doctrine, any attempt on the
part of any European power to acquire
new or additional territory on this con-
tinent or islands ad djacent thereto, as dan
gerous to the safety and peace Of the
United States. The United States denies
the right of any European power to ao-
quire any such territory, either by force,
purchase. cession, occupation, pledge,
colonization or protection, whether under
unfounded pretensions of right, or under
the guise OF boundary disputes or other
wise, and declares Enthusiastically that
such an attempt will be regarded as a
manifestation of an unfriend lily disposit-
ion upon which this government cannot
look with Indifference.
IN The HOUSE.
Applause following the delivery Of a
prayer in the House, is an unusual,
probably an unprecedented, incident in
its proceeding. but when Chaplain
Couden today offered the following inyo-
cation, there was a lively outbreak of
hand olapping all over the flour:
sour Heavenly Father, We thank Thee
for the degree CT special liberty which we
as people enjoy, and our hearts go out
for those in other lands who are
struggling for a wider liberty Especially
do we pray for the Cubans, and ask that
if they be right their efforts may be
crowned with success And we pray that
our country may do for them all that it
can without compromising its dignity or
in disregard OF its sacred obligations and
duties to other nations
A joint resolution proposed by Mr..
Moody providing for the distribution of
undistrlbuted sets of the naval records OF
the rebellion by members of the 54th
Congress instead Of disposing OF them at
was agreed to-
A message from the President was laid
before the House asking prompt leglsla
tion to further extend the time in which
litigation in relations to the forfeiture OF