The record-union., 1897-01-14
To Reconsider the Argentine and Or
ange Free State Treaties.
Bacon of Georgia Speaks at Length
on the Mills Bill for Recognition of
Cubans - Bill Introduced in the
Senate Appointing the Secretary
of the Treasury, the Secretary OF
the Interior and the Attorney
General a Commission to Settle
the Railroads Debt.

General a Commission to settle
the Railroads Debt.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-The Senate
spent the first two hours of to-day $
session behind closed doors in the con-
sideration of executive session-the eX-
tradition treaties with Argentine and
Orange republic-and the remainder OF
the day was occupied in the delivery
of a speech by Bacon Cd of Georgia
on the question whether the recognition
of a new power was an executive or
legislative Act.
After an executive session of a little
more than two hours, the Senate re-
fused to reconsider the treaties as re-
quested by Secretary Olney. Mr.. Olney
had called attention to the fact that the
clause preventing the eXtradition of the
citizens of the country from which the
eXtradition was asked had been omit
ted. 1t was contended that each Gov
ernment was in charge of its own SUBJ
jects on the question of their extradi-
ton, and the explicit language sug-
gested by Mr.. Olney would create an
unnecessary innovation, for which no
good reason could be given. A resolu-
tion was passed removing the injunc-
tion of secrecy from the general treaty
of arbitration between this country and
Great Britain.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal of yesterday the Senate, on mo-
ton of Sherman (R) of Ohio, Chair
man of the Committee on Foreign Re-
1,+ IA i1a,~1 ion,
of the executive business. The execu-
tive session lasted until 2:20 p. m. and
then the doors We're reopened and legis-
lative business was resumed, with Hill
D) of New York in the chair.
On motion of Pettigrew (Sil) of South
Dakota, it was ordered that the House
bin for free homesteads on lands ac-
quired from Indians shall be voted on
al o'clock tomorrow.
Merrill (R.) of Vermont, from the Lii
brary Committee, reported concurrent
resolution that the library building
should not be used or occupied for any
purpose other than those legitimately
connected with the library
Hale objected to the immediate con-
sideration Of the resolution, and it went
over until tomorrow.
Stewart (Pop) of Nevada offered
resolution, which was agreed to, in
structi1g the Committee on Mines and
Mining to examine report as to the
best method of gathering statistics OF
the products of mines in the United
States.
The asking Of permission by Allen
Pop) of Nebraska to correct a sub
head in his speech as published in the
Record" afforded the presiding officer
NIilD the chance of putting the ques-
tion in these words: Is there objec-
ton to striking out the successes and
failures of Mark Hanna ?'
There was a laugh, but no objection.
The resolutions offered last week by
Mills CD of Texas, asserting the au-
thority of Congress in the recognition
of foreign Governments and recogniz-
ing the independence of the republic OF
Cuba, were taken up, and Bacon Cd
of Georgia addressed the Senate. He
said that in December last he had in
troduced a concurrent resolution. which
had been referred to the Judiciary
Committee. declaring that the question
of the recognition by this Government
OF any people as a free and independ-
ent nation is one exclusively for the de-
termination of Congress. As he could
not call up his own resolution, he would
make Mills resolution the text of his
remarks.
When the act of recognition was by
the President 1t derived its validity
from the assent of Congress either di-
rect or implied His proposition was
this: That the ultimate power TO de-
terrnine whether a nation should or
should not be recognized was in the
law-rnaking branch Of the Government
and that when that branch, in full
knowledge of what is going on. permits
the Executive TO act in the matter, it
is a confirmation of the Presidents act
White ODD of California put the case
of the recognition by the President of a
Minister representing a new Govern
ment. and asked Bacon whether recog-
milton was final and bound Congress
and the country.
Bacon gave a decidedly negative re-
sponse. and when Hale (R.) of Maine
followed up Whites question by asking
whether Congress might order such
Minister to be sent home, Bacon's re-
sponse in the affirmative was equally
positive.
The Secretary of State Bacon con-
tinued, has denied the power of Con-
gress. has defied its authority and has
proclaimed through the press TO for
eign nations that even If such proposed
action shall be placed on the statute
books In due form of law the Presi-
dent will not obey it He has prac-
tically threatened Congress with the
veto of the President. and has added
that If passed over the veto 1t will be
thrown back in the face of Congress as
so much waste paper. Never was chal-
lenge of power more sharply made. New
er was defiance of authority more boldly
given"
Bacon spoke for nearly three hours,
most of the speech being delivered from
manuscript. The resolutions remain on
the table.
Gear (R9 OF Iowa. Chairman of the
Pacific Railroad Committee, introduced
a BILL which was referred to that COM
mittee, appointing the Secretary of the
Treasury, the Secretary of the Interior
and the Attorney General a committee