The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-12
.LAUDS M'KINLEY.
Hartman, Silver Republican
From Montana,
RejOices That the Country is
Blessed With An
AMERICAN PRESIDENT.
Finds a New Pet Name for
Cleveland.
Calls the Ex-President a Blum
derhead.
AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

4 ny the mouse yesterday ana the Dll
! sent TO conference. President CleVe-
/ lands forest reservation order was the
/ subject of much debate and the house
/ voted not to concur in the senate
amendment to annul the order. The
DEBATE on this subject was participate
( ed in almost exclusively by western
/ members, who pointed out the injury tc
present settlers that would result if
President Cleveland's order should be-
come operative. Several amendments
were offered but Withdrawn. Several
speeches criticising CIeveland's order
We're made by Messrs. Underwood
| (Dem., Ala-), Ellis (Rep., Ore.) Knowles
! crop, ,. ID. Lacey (Rep., Ia.), Bruck-
| er 6Dem., Mich.), Devries CDem., CaI),
| Bailey (Dem., Tex.) and Hartman
| (SiIver Rep. MONTH.
Mr.. Lacey remarked that Mr. Hart
man assumed that President Mckinley
would repeat the mistakes of President
Cleveland.
Il do not think there is any man on
the face of the earth such a blunder-
head that he could make one thOus-
andth part of the mistakes made by
! President Cleveland retOrted Mr..
Hartman Il did not support Presi-
dent Mckinley, but, thank God, he is
an American president and the first
one we have had in four years.
Mr.. Lacey withdrew the amendment
proposed by him yesterday. Other
pending amendments were withdrawn.
The senate amendment providing
that the mineral land commissioners
be appointed by the president, with
the advice and consent of the senate, .
was opposed by Mr.. DOckery (Dem.,
MOD, who asserted that its only effect
was to take the officials out of the
classified service. He used this as a
text to taunt the Republicans on their
civil service record.
1t was cOntended by Mr.. Lacey that
the l. commissioners We're Democrats
appointed by Mr.. Cleveland, who en-
deaVored by his order to continue them
in office.
Mr. McRae dem, Ark.1 replied that
one member of each of the four boards
was a Republican. The house CON
CURED in the amendment.
Mr. Cannon offered an amendment
to make available $2,563, 1923 for i'm
prOvement of the Mississippi river in
the fiscal year 1875 of which $500 600
should be deducted from the appropria-
ton for 1883. The effect of the
amendment was to spend half a mill
he available, and it was agreed to-
The house voted not to concur in the
amendment appropriating $4,000 for the
continuation of an investigation OF the
beet sugar industry and another re-
quiring the secretary of war to appoint
a superintendent of traffic through the
Monongahela waterways.
The most interesting debate was on
the appropriation of $50 600 to improve
Pearl harbor, in the Hawaiian islands,
which was rejected by a vote of 50 to
So Mr.. Hit of Illinois, past and pros
pectiVe chairman of the committee on
foreign affairs, earnestly urged the i'm
portance of taking steps to confirm the
title of this government to the harbOr,
in view of the senate proposal to abro-
gate the Hawaiian treaty Mr.. Hit
said in part:
The senate has now before it a bill
which will abrOgate the reciprocity
treaty. There is a contention on the
part of the Hawaiian gOvernment-and
that contention would be supported
with the utmost support that could be
given by the governments of Great
Britain and Japan-that the grant in
the SUPPLEMENTAL convention would fall
with the original treaty, and thus We
would lose Pearl harbOr.
THE treaty. in which is expressed
the consideration granted to the United
States for the favor of reciprocity, says
expressly that it shall continue while
the treaty is in force. The cOnSidera-
ton was the absolute exclusion of all
other governments in the world from
any right to lease or hold any part OF
the territory of the Hawaiian islands.
I do not wish to disturb the ques-
ton of annexation, for [ think that it
has nothing to do with this question.
If the islands were annexed the neceS-
sitv for the acceptance of this amend
ment would be as urgent as ever
THE navy of Great Britain, which IS
so powerful, can be placed IN any
part of the globe and be within reach
Of supplies as well as facilities for re
pair. Our navy, in case of war, would
be helpless as soon as its coal ran out
In the Pacific ocean the great powers
of the wOrld-England, France, Ger
many. Spain-all possess one, two, ten
twenty spots from which to tit out
ships that would devastate our coasts
Now if that treaty fails, if it is abro-
gated, Great Britain will instantly press
for new relations with Hawaii In
sta ally Japan will be pressing and
fercely pressing. In the kilograms Of
this morning L read that the cruiser
NineVah has already arrived at Hawaii
to press the threatening claims on that
government.
I'VE will only hold it with our guns in
position and this very treaty in diplo-
matte discussion has been construed to
give US authority to erect Qualifications
Mr.. McMinin-Then the gentleman's
purpose is first to improve the harbor
and then fortify it?
Mr. Hitt-Ali that belongs to the
gentleman who will follow US on the
floor / speak of the policy and Of the
wisdom of a government like ours, of
great republic, of a great nation, look
ing to the fact that the sea power is the
test of rank and success of the nations
in the future. We have here a moment
in which by this small expenditure, we
can put our foot down and do more than
have Il hypothetical right to have some
thing more than a contention in dip
lOmatic discussion, to plant our flag at
the entrance of that river, and ii Will
not come down in a thousand years.
Cloud applauSe-)
The item was opposed by Mr.. SayerS
because as soon as Pearl harbOr had
been improved the government would
be called on to eXpend several millions
to fortify it.
Instead of looking abroad for objects
} of legislation congress should look to
the relief of its own people.
Mr. Cummings (Dem- N. W spoke in
| favor of the appropriation.
| Mr. Hilborn 6Rep. Gal) said:
The United States has bought sheet