Evening star., 1897-01-20
INSENATE ANDHOUSE
Mr.. Pettigrew Speaks on the Vene-
zuela Question.
Mr.. SHERMANPR0POSES CLOSED DOORS
The Yost- Tucker Contested EIec-
ton Case in the House.
SPEECHES ON BOTH SIDES

In the Senate today the House resolution
directing the Attorney General to print as
an appendix to his report all letters, cor
respondence, etc. relative to the Chicago
strike was agreed to.
Mr.. Perkins (Cal) offered a joint resolu-
ton, which was referred for a commission
to consider the establishment of bureau
of mines or other means of collecting min
ing Information
AT the request of Mr.. Hill On W the
reported for a new custom house building
IN New York city, was put on its passage.
Mr.. Pettgrew Is. d. interposed the sug-
eestlon that 1t was bad precedent to
name commissioners to Superintend the
construction of building, as provided in
this bill
Mr.; Hill and Mr. Quay said this was the
usual course. The bill thereupon passed
ing to cost not over $5,OOO.OO0 to be erected
on the present custom house site and
names Messrs. Post, Kilbreth, Taintor.
Hugh j. Grant and e. F. Brown, as COM
mlssloners, to oversee the construction.
The Venezuela Question.
Attention to the Venezuela question was
renewed when Mr.. Pettigrew addressed the
Senate in support of his resolution. intro
duced on Monday, calling on the Secretary
Oh State for report the work of the
venezuelan commission, and for a copy of
the agreement entered into between the
United States and Great Britain. MIR. Pet
tigrew spoke of the tedious diploma tic
struggle over this question. covering many
years. Last year. he said, the President
sent 10 congress message that startled
the world. Acting on this Congress provid-
cd Tor the Venezuela commission. But ,ip
10 the present time Congress and the
pubic was in ignorance as to what had
peen done, although it was well under
stood that an agreement had been made
between the executive authorities and the
representatives of Great Britain: that a
treaty had been made. This treaty. or
' asieeliIeht' was, MI Pettigrew asserted. a
surrender of the entire contention of the
United States. Instead of securing arbi-
trat1on of the territory claimed by Ven
ezuela, 1t established a fifty year limit.
winch, in effect. gave to Great Britain ali
the territory within the Schomburgk line.
1T was complete abandonment of Venez-
uela and a surrender of all that the United
States had claimed. Venezuela is a weak
@ .ia.ioh ana mad reason to expect that the
strength of the United States would be in
terposed In her behalf. But this agree
ment gave to Great Britain al that Venez-
Iela had protested against 1t was time.
mr.. Pettisrew declared. that the public was
taken Tito the confidence OF the administra-
tion on this subject, as the original posi-
tion on the Venezuela question was about
the only thing done by the President which
commended itself to the people
At this point Mr.. Sherman interposed.
saying he felt it to be his duty to move that
the Senate doors be closed. as this was a
question concerning a treaty which should
be properly considered in executive session.
Mr.. Pettigrew insisted that he could snea k
concerning the Presidents message on the
subject and he proceeded on that line
On the question of agreeing to the reso-
luton, Mr.. Sherman asked that it first go
to the committee on foreign relations, and,
on Mr.. Pettigrew's assent, this disposition
was made.
The Electric Light Fight
The Senate then resumed and considerel
the controversy over the laying of electric
conduits in Washington, D. c., full ac-
count of which will be found elsewhere in
The Star
Mr. Quay presented the report of the con.
ference committee on the army appropria.
ton bill. stating that the confcrees had
been able to reach an agreement OF all
differences except the last, for The hospita
at Hot Springs Ark. The report was ac.
cepted and further conference asked on
the Hot Springs provision.
Nicaragua Canal Bill.
AT O'Clock Mr.. Turpie 0nd) resumed his
speech in opposition to the Nicarag1 IN
canal bill. He So id the so-called rights of
the Nicaragua Canal Company were not
worth acquiring. 1t had no title to the
land traversed by the canal They had
merely an easement or license to do certain
work.