The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-14
AUTHORITY DEFIED.
Senator Bacon Gives Secretary
OIney a Scoring.
DISCUSSES HIS THEORY OF RECOG-
NITION OF GOVERNMENTS.
Declares That No Monarch ON Earth
Yields Such Absolute Power as Secre-
tary of State Claims for This Admins
tration-Routine Business in House.

YIELDS Sucn Absolute ROVER as ooOio-
tary of State Claims for This Admins
tration-Routine Business in House.
Washington, January 13. The House
started in today on routine business. The
following bills were passed: Senate bill
withdrawing from the Supreme court of
the United States the Jurisdiction of
criminal cases not capital. 1t confers
Jurisdiction in cases of this character up
on the Circuit Court of Appeals.
To prevent the purchasing Of or speou-
lating i'll claims against the federal
government by United States officers.
Mr.. Wadsworth, Republican of New
oleomargarine and all other imitation
dairy products subject to the laws of the
state or territory into which they are
transported.
Mr.. Grout, Republican of Vermont.
maintained the passage Of the bill would
only make into law what they United
States Supreme court had decided.
MIR. Cook, Republican of Illinois,
maintained that the bill contemplated
sweeping and serious changes in the law.
He held the matter was subject for q
general law and should not be left to the
states.
Mr.. Boatner, Democrat of ] on siana,
and Mr. Tucker, Democrat of Virginia,
opposed the bill on constitutional
grounds. A wrangle ensued over the
division of time, and in order TO stop it
Mr.. Grout, in charge of the bill moved
the previous question. On rising vote
this was lost, 62 to 60. Mr.. Grout de-
manded tellers. The poll developed 70
ayes and 70 nays. A point of no quorum
was made and the ayes and nays were
ordered. They resulted, ayes, 90i nays,
80. Mr. Grout moved to reconsider and
Mr.. Williams, Democrat OF Mississippi,
to lay that motion on the table. Pending
which, on the motion of MIR. Grout the
House adjourned.
IN THE SENATE.
After an executive session. on the
motion of Mr.. Pettigrew, it was ordered
that thy House bill for homesteads on
lands acquired from Indians be voted OF
at four O'Clock tomorrow.
MIR. Morrill,. Republican Of Vermont,
from the library committee reported a
concurrent resolution that the new
library building shall not be used or oc-
cupied for any purpose other than those
legitimauely connected with the library.
He explained. in reply to a question by
Mr Hale, that the purpose was not only
to prevent the use OF the library building
for inauguration purposes but fer all but
library purposes
MIR. Hale objected to the immediate
consideration, and it went over till TO-
morrow. He spoke of 1T as magnificent
building credit to tie designers, to the
officers who had charge of Its construc-
tion, to Congress, which furnished the
funds and to the country; but, he said,
there were immense spaces IN 1T, divided
by partition, which would not be nesded
for library purposes for years to come,
and might meanwhile be used for govern
ment purposes.
The resolutions offered last week by
Mr.. Mills, Democrat of Texas, asserting
the authority of Congress in the recog-
milton of foreign govern ments and recog-
nizing the independence OF the republic
of Cuba WAS taken up and Mr. bacon,
Democrat of Georgia, addressed the Sen
ate.
Ii was undeniable he said that all
legislative power was vested by the Con-
stitution in Congress, except as modified
by the Presideut's right of veto, there-
fore the test Of whether the recognition
of a government belonged to the ex3cu-
tive or to Congress was would such
recognition make that law which was
NOT law before9" II it did. then the
power lay in Congress and not in the ex-
eoutive He argued that the recognition
of a new power created a new legal status
and was therefore exclusively within the
province Of the Law making power.
Mr.. White, Democrat of California, put
the case of the recognition By the Presi-
dent OF minister representing new
government and asked Mr.. Bacon
whether that recognition bound Congress
and the country
Mr.. Bacon gave a decidedly negative
response; when Mr.. Hale, Repu blioan of
Maine, asked whether Congress might
order such minister to be sent home,
Mr.. Baeon's response In the affirmative
was equally positive.
MIR, Bacon argued that If the President
had exclusive power of recognizing or re-
fusing to recognize a new government,
no monarch ever welded more absolute
poyyer There WINS not on earth today
constitutional monarch that welded such
power.
1.-THE Secretary of State" Mr. Bncon
continued, "has denied the power of
Congress, has defied it's authority and
has proclaimed through the press to for
eisn nations that even il such proposed
action shall be placed ON the statue books
in due form of law, the President will
not obey it. He has practically threatened
Congress with the veto of the President, E,
has added that if passed over the veto it
will be thrown back in the face of Con-
eress as so much waste paper. Never was
challenge Of power more sharply made.
Never was defiance of authority more
boldly given.
Mr.. Bacon spoke nearly three hours.
The resolutions remain on the table.
Mr.. Gear, Republican of Iowa, chair
man of the Pacific railrcad COMMITTEES.
introduced a bill, which was referred to
that committee, appointing the Secretary
of the treasury, Secretary of the interior
and Attorney General a committee to
settle the indebtedness Of the bond-aided
Pacific railroads by she government. The
a