The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1896-03-11
Foreign Representatives Are
to Let Our Politics Alone.
A HOT DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Spanish Minister. Lodge Set the
Ball Rolling.

WASHINGTON, Marcn lO.-AS soon dS
the senate journal had been read, Lodge
rose to question of personal privilege.
He sent to the desk and had read the
Spanish minister's reference in an inter-
view to Lodges utterances, calling in
question the translation of statement
attributed to General Weyler, in which
the latter declared he would "exter-
minate'' the insurgents. Lodge said the
literal rendering of Weyler's language
would be that he would "clean out" the
large insurgent bands and "extermi-
nate the small ones. Lodge said he
did not wonder at the extreme sensitive
ness of the Spanish people, but he did
not think this offered an excuse for the
Spanish minister adopting the course he
had. 1t was pretty well established
that the debates in the senate and house
were purely domestic matters, and it
was not proper for representative of a
foreign country to communicate with
them except through the state depart
ment. If an American minister in Eu-
rope discussed political affairs there, he
would be sent home.
Lodge then read from a letter of Daniel
Webster's, when secretary of state, pro-
testing against the statement by an AUS
trian minister as to domestic matter.
The senator added most emphatic pro-
test against public comment by any dip
Iomatic representative on the debates of
congress. The constitution protected
the senators in language used in the de-
I@.A@ "a 1E IL, 6
free speech.
Gray said the United States should
proceed according to the judgment of
self-reEpecting nation, unmoved by eme-
utes at Valcenia or Madrid, and without
being turned aside to discuss the ques-
tion of translation between senator
and minister. Gray said he would be
quick to resent an attack on the privi-
leges of senator, but in all fairness
he thought it hardly worth while to
stretch senatorial prerogatives and privi-
leges in order to question gentleman
who had no power to reply in beh alf of
Spain. There should be some conces-
sion to the stress of the situation.
Teller said the rule was unvarying
against communications by a foreign
minister except through the state de-
partment. Twice had foreign minis
ter been sent home for statements of
less Importance than this.
"But considering the circumstan ces."
added Teller, chad been in authority 1
would not have sent him home for this
ofense, but I would have had the secre-
tary of state in a most kindly way sug-
gest that repetition of the offense would
lead to his going home.'
There was no probability that Spain
would dissent in an offensive way to the
passage of the pending resolutions. Tel
Ter said Spain knew we had right to
recognize the belligerents. Spain would
naturally show some feeling, but she
would not go to war. There was rip
pie of applause, which the vice president
checked when Teller referred to his SYM
pathy with the Cubans.
81 would be delighted if the iIsur-
gents had run the Spanish soldiers into
the sea-" But, the senator added, he
felt no irritation over the student ebulll-
tions in Spain. In conclusion Teller
vigorously asserted that the American
people would not tolerate any dictation
or criticism from foreign representatives
accredited here.
The Cuban discussion ended and Tur-
pie took the floor on the Dupont case.
HIGHEST of all IN 7 ea1,ar;ro, d.