The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-12
DEBATE IN CONGRESS
UNUSUALLY SPIRITED SPEECHES IL
BOTH HOUSE M SENATE.
Latter's FOrest-Reserve Amendment
to the s=ndry Civil Bill Not Com
Cured in by Representatives.
NO MONEY FOR PEARL HARBOR
NOTWITHSTANDING A STRONG PLEA
BY MIR. HIT, Or ILLINOIS.
Cuban Resolution Opposed
and JiDROes Criticised by the Ven
cradle Senator Morrill,.

of the Senate amendments to the sundry
civil appropriation bill was finished by the
House to-day and the bill sent to a con-
ference. President Cleveland's forest reser-
walton order was the subject of much de-
bate and the House voted not TO concur in
the Senate amendment to annul the order
with the understanding that the conferees
should arrange an amendment which would
have the same effect. The debate on this
subject followed closely the lines of that of
yesterday. 1t was participated in almost
exclusively by Western members, who
pointed out the injury to present settlers
that would result if President Cleveland's
orders should become operative. Several
amendments were offered but withdrawn.
Short speeches criticising President Cleve-
lands order were made by Messrs. Under
wood dem, Ala.), Ellis (Rep., Ore.),
Knowles pop, S. ID, Lacey (Rep.. Lao,
Brucker CDem., Mich.), De Vries Dem.,
CALI. Bailey Dem. Texas, and Hartman
Is. r., Mont.)
Mr.. Lacey remarked that Mr.. Hartman
assumed that President Mckinley would re-
peat the mistakes of President Cleveland.
Il don't think there is any man on the
face of the earth such a blunderhead that
he could make one-thousandth part of the
mistakes made by President Cleveland, re-
" NIL. IldlL lac l. III ~ odDpOlI
President Mckinley, but thank God, he is
an American President and the first one we
nave had in four years"
Mr.. Lacey withdrew the amendment pro-
posed by him yesterday, other pending
amendments were Withdrawn and the
House voted 100 to 80 to non concur in the
Senate amendment with the understanding
that instructions be made to the conferees
later.
The Senate amendment providing that the
mineral land commissioners be appointed
by the President with the advice and con-
Dockery (Dem., MOI, who asserted that it's
only effect was to take officials out of the
classified service. He used this as a text
to taunt the Republicans on their c1Vll-serV-
ice record.
1t was contended by Mr.. Lacey that the
twelve commissioners were Democrats APP
pointed by Mr.. Cleveland who endeavored
by his order to continue them in office.
Mr.; McRae (Dem:s Ark replied that one
a Republican. The House concurred in the
amendment.
SPEECH BY MR.. HIT
The most interesting debate was on the
appropriation of $4,000 to Improve Pearl
harbor in the Hawaiian islands. which was
rejected by a vote of IS to SO. Mr.. Hit, of
Illinois, past and prospective chairman of
the committee on foreign affairs, earnestly
urged the Importance of taking steps to
confirm the title of this government to the
harbor in view OF the Senate proposal to
abrogate 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 con-
tention would be supported with the utmost
support that could be given by the gov
ernments 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 that treaty is in force. That
consideration was the absolute exclusion or
all other governments in the world from
any right to lease or hold any part of the
territory of the Hawaiian islands. | do not
wish to discuss the question of annexation
for l think it has nothing Whatever to DO
with this question. If the Hawaiian ISL
ands are annexed tomorrow the necessity
for the adoption or this amendment Would
remain as urgent as ever. We have tried
for thirty years to secure naval stations In
many parts of the world and not one have
we to-day. 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 we'll as facilities for repair; Our
Nation, in case Of war, would be helpless
as soon as it's coal ran out. In the Pacific
ocean the great powers of the world-Eng-
land, France, Germany. Spain-all possess
one, two, ten, twenty spots from which to
fit out ships thar would devastate our coast
How important does England deem inns al
vantage when she has poured out such mil
lions Upon these little reefs and peaks and
hills of the Bermudans? For what has al
France-not upon the possibility OF a strug-
gle with Russia, her great rival. 1t Is be-
cause those ships carry guns that may come
into our ports: it is because they will be
the most terrible weapon against us IN the
contingency Of war. NOW, II 5nat .Iea{X
Instantly press for new relations with
Hawaii. Instantly Japan Will be pressing
and fiercely pressing. IN , {ne 'e tSs crSise er
Naniwa has already arrived at HaWah 10
press the threatened claims upon lhdt iesoie
government. We will only hold 1t with our
guns in position, and this very treaty IN
diplomatic discussion has been construed TO
give us authority to erect 1ortlncauohs
Mr.. M~cMinin-Then. the g%entleman's pur,
pose is first to improve the harpor ana
Mr.. Hitt|AH that belongs to the gentle
man who will follow us on TINS moor,
speak of the policy and of the wisdom or
q government like ours. of a great repub-
lie. of a great nation, looking 70 the Iact
that the sea is the test or rank ana SUE
cess of the nations in the future. We nave
here a moment in which. by this small eX-
penditure, we can put our toot Gown ana
to have something more than a contention
in a diplomatic discussion, TO plant our
flag at the entrance of that river: ana II
will not come down in a thousand years.
(Arplause.}
XIdag s.NoNNvo HN
Mr.. Cannon replied to MIR. Hit, saying
that this government was in no great dam
ger if Congress did not make the appro-
priation at this session. The harbor had
been granted to the United States absolute
~ for all time. he said, and was as much
our property as any harbor on the Pacific
coast. He believed the government should
improve Pearl harbor as it would any other
harbor it owned when it needed improve
ment. 1t was within five miles of Hon
oulu harbcr, where the vessels of the
United States had always been able to coal
and always would be while they had the
money to pay for the coal. The appropria-
tion would not suffice to dredgc the sand
from the harbor. The inhabitants would
raise the price of their corner lots as soon
as improvements were commenced on the
harbor. The appropriation was not sufi-
cienr 10 buy a foot OF land or begin a naval
station. Mr.. Cannon did not believe in mag
nifying the Importance of these internal
tional matters and becoming frightened at
this or that nation.
Mr.. Cummings IDem., New York; spoke
earnestly in favor of the appropriation. Il
have faith enough in the patriotism OF
President Mckinley. he said, TO believe
that before ne leaves Che White House the
Hawaiian Islands will be an integral part
Mr.. Hilborn rep. California; said the
United States has bought a sheet Of water
al Pearl harbOr, but not a foot of land. All
che land at pearl harbor has been bought
by speculRtois, who held IL in expectation
that the United States must buy. When
the United states was so badly of for
naval stations 81 home II was folly 10 build