The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-13
House Proceedings.

hOubt
Washington, May 1.-THE considera
ton Of the senate amendments to tn
sundry civil appropriation bill was finish
ed by the house today and the bill sen
TO conference. President Cleveland
forest reservation order was the subjec
of much debate, and the house voted no
to concur in the senate amendment t
annul the order with the understanding
the conferees should have an arrange
ment which would have the same effect
The debate on this subject followed close
y the lines of that Of yesterday. 1t wal
participated in almost exclusively by
western members, who pointed out the
injury to present settlers that would re
suit If President Cleveland's order
should become operative. Several amend
ments were offered but withdrawn.
Short speeches criticising President
Cleveands order were made by Messrs
Underwood (dem) of Alabama, Ellis
TepJ of Oregon. Knowles (pop) OF
South Dakota, Lacey rep of Iowa
Brucker (dem) Of Michigan, DeVries
(dem) of California, Bailey (dem) OF
Texas, and Hartman silver rep OF
Montana.
Mr.. Lacey remarked that Mr.. Hart.
man assumed that President Mckinley
would repeat the mistakes Of President
Cleveland.
~ do not think there is any man on
the face of the earth such blunderhead
that he could make one-thOusandth part
Of the mistakes made by President
Cleveland" retorted Mr.. Hartman.
II did not support President Mckinley,
but, thank God, he is an American presi-
dent and the first we have had in four
years"
Mr.. Lacey withdrew the amendment
proposed by him yesterday. Other pend
ing amendments were withdrawn and the
house voted, 100 to 30, to non-concur in
the senate amendment with the under
standing that instruction be made to the
conferees later.
The senate amendment providing that
the mineral land commissioners be APP
pointed by the president with the adj
vice and consent of the senate" was OPP
posed by Mr.. Dockery (dem.) of Mis-
souri,, who asserted its only effect was
to take the officials out of the classified
service. He used this as text to
taunt the republicans on their civil SER
vice record. 1t was contended by Mr.
Lacey that land commissioners were
democrats appointed by Mr.. Cleveland,
who endeavOred by his order to continue
them in office.
Mr.. McRae (dem) of Arkansas re-
piled that one member out of four on
each board was republican. The house
in the amendment
Mr.. Cannon offered an amendment to
make available $2,563,333 for improve
ments of the Mississippi river in the
fiscal year 1898, of which 100000
should be deducted from the appropria-
ton for 1S9S-99 The effect of the
was to eXpend half n million
Il year before it would otherwise be
available, and it was agreed to.
The house voted not to concur in the
appropriating $4,000 for the
continuation by the secretary of agricul-
Iure of an investigation of the beet sugar
industry and another requiring the secre-
tary of war to appoint superintend-
nnt Of the traffic through the locks
Of M0nongahela river rs soon as the gov
prpment comes into possession of the
works of the Monongahela Navigation
company.
Mr.. Lewis (dem.) of Washington made
I plea for the senate amendment for
$1,000 for a survey of the improvements
proposed from Salmon bay to Smiths
cove, explaining that warships might be
anchored in Lakes Union and Washing
ton when the project was completed.
The house voted to non-concur.
The most interesting debate was on
appropriation of $4,000 to improve Pearl
harbor in the Hawaiian islands, which
was rejected by u vote of So to 80.
Mr.. Hit of Illinois, past and prospec-
i've chairman of the committee on for
ign affairs, earnestly urged the i'm
Dortance of taking steps to confirm the
title of this government to the harbor
N view of the senate proposal to abro-
yatc the Hawaiian trpaty
Mr.. Hit said in part:
THE senate has now before it bill
which will abrogate the reciprocity
treaty. There is u contention on the
part of the Hawaiian government, and
hat 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 supple
mental 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 reci-
,rocity, says expressly that it shall con-
tinue while that treaty is in force. That
was the absolute exclusion
IF all other governments in the world of
my right to lease or hold any part of
he territory of Hawaiian islands. | do
not wish to discuss the question of an
leXation, for | think it has nothing
whatever to do with this question.
IF the Hawaiian islands were annexed
tomorrow the necessity for the adoption
If this amendment would remain as use
Jul as ever. We have tried for thirty
years to secure naval stations in many
parts of the world, and not one have we
oday. The navy of Great Britain, which
S so powerful, can be placed in any part
If the globe and be within reach of sup
,lies as well as facilities for repair. Our
nation, in case of war, would be help
ess as soon as its coal ran out. In the
Pacific ocean the great powers of the
France, Germany,
Spain-all possess one, two, ten, twenty
spots from which to fit out ships that
'an devastate our coats. How import
INT England deems this advantage when
she has poured such millions upon these
title reefs and peaks and hills of the
Bermudas. For what has all that been
Not to fight with France; not
lpon the possibility of a struggle with
Russia. her great rival. 1t is because
hose ships carry guns that may come
nto our ports; it is because they will be
he most terrible weapon against us in
he contingency of war.
Nov, if that treaty fails-if it is
lbrogated-Great Britain will instantly
,ress for new relations with Hawaii. In
'tantly Japan will be pressing and fiercely
PRESSING. In the kilograms of this morn
ny | read that the cruiser Ninevah has
llready arrived at Hawaii to press
claims upon that feeble gov
I'VE shall hold it only with our guns
IN in1A