The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-09
YESTERDAY IN CONGRESS.
and the Flood Sufferers Occupy.Time
of the senate->enaior Morgan ContInu.
es His Speech-Approrriation Of eco,
Ooo for Aid OF Flood >uf.rers-Mr. sinp.
sons Attack on Speaker Reed.


WV - A1 h~1s al
sons Attack on Speaker Reed.
SENATE.
Washington, April Cuba and the
flood sufferers divided in the
senate today. The reading Of the pres
dents message urging congressional
relief for the devastated regions OF the
Mississippi river was followed by the
introduction of d joint resolution, ap-
propriating $50, 600 to be Immediately
available for the flood sufferers. After
brief debate the resolution was passed
by the unanimous vote of the sixty
changed, however, when the house
resolution appropriating 5000, 900 for the
Mississippi river and Red river of the
Northwest was received. This was &C
cepted in lieu of the former resolution
and was passed unanimously. 1t was
quickly enrolled and dispatched to the
president.
The resolution of Senator Earle, DEM
ocrat, of South Carolina, for the reor-
ganizatiOn of senate committees went
over without losing its place.
This cleared the way for the Cuban
question:, Senator Morgan continuing
his speech begun yesterday in support
of his resolution. He referred to Gen.
eral Weyler's orders herding together
people in the towns and villages Of
Cuba, for the purpose of starving them.
How long he asked was this captain
general to continue in power, issuing
new orders day after day a. his whim
or caprice might dictate, resulting in
the utmost harshness against Ameri-
can citizens in Cuba? No such out
RACES has ever been attempted by one
civilized nation toward another as that
which now held up it's naughty head
and enforced these personal DEGREES
against American citizens. He reiter-
ated his statement that the Spanish
prisons were filled with Americans and
showed a message from the president
some time since, giving a detailed re-
port from the state department as to
the imprisonment of seventy-four
American citizens in Cuba, and yet, in
spite of this communication from the
president the senator from Maine
(Hale) had denied the truth of the
statement that the Cuban prisons We're
filled with Americans.
Here Senator Hale interposed. Il
did not deny that there were cases of
Americans in prison in Cuba said he.
What l denied was that the prisons
were filled with Americans. Since yes
terday | have called at the state de-
partment and have found that there
are just twelve Americans in prison in
Cuba. Of these the secretary Of state
expects that three or four will be liber-
ated very soon; three were captured
with arms in hand. The others are
the Competitor prisoners"
AS Senator Hale closed the presiding
officer announced that the hour of 2
o'clock having arrived, the bankruptcy
bill was before the senate.
Senate Hale moved an executive
session.
Senator Morgan had not heard the
announcement and was disposed to
hold the floor. He finally yielded, say
ing he would go on tomorrow.
/ AT 2 o'clock the senate went into ex-
! ecutive session and at 2:2O o'clock d. M,
| adjourned.
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Two sessions of the house of repre-
| sentatives are to constitute the record
of that body this week while it is wait
ing for the senate to consider the tariff
bill. The first session was held today,
! the second will be held Saturday. The
only business transacted today was the
adoption Of the joint resolution author
izing the secretary of war to expend
| $500, 900 for relief of the flood sufferers
of the Mississippi valley.
! The flood resolution. in addition to
| apprOpriating 5000, 900 authorizes the
secretary Of war to employ the govern
ment steamers and other boats on the
| Mississippi in transporting and dis
t%ributing the supplies M also such
T! other means as he might deem neces-
| sary for the purpose of ~stributin
| supplies contributed by the govern
ment or individuals. During the de-
bate on this question the presidents
message on the same subject was re-
| ceived and read.
| The most interesting feature Of the
| session was a passage between Repre-
| sentative Simpson, the Kansas popu-
list and Speaker Reed.
Mr.. Simpson gave voice to the op-
| position to the speakers temporary
policy Of inaction, which has been
smouldering in some quarters, by
| speaking to a question of privilege.
! He finished a fiery denunciation Of the
| speaker by demanding that he appoint
! the committees Of the house at once
and gave notice that he would prevent
| any more attempts to do business by
| unanimous consent. Several republi-
! can members attempted to stem the
| tide of Mr.. Simpsons attack, but Mr..
| Reed seemed to desire to hear it and
! declined to interfere. He listened
! calmly to the speech and then with his
usual GOODNESS and lucidity replied, CIV
| ing his reasons for not appointing the
| committees
The house then ook a recess Of twen-
| ty minutes to wait for the return of
the flood resolution from the senate. In
twenty minutes it was delivered by the
senate clerk and the speaker an
nexed his signature to it.
Then at 1:2O o'clock p. m, the house
adjourned until Saturday..