Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-06
COMMENT on THE MESSAGE
Territorial Expansion and Finances
Chief Features Which COngress-
men Approve or DisapprOve OF.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Many senators
excused themselves from expression Of opin-
ions at length upon the message on the
ground that they had not been able to give
careful attention to all the details. Repub-
lscan senators were, however, willing to ex-
press themselves in a few general words
Of cOmmendation Senator Cullom regarded
1t as "a painstaking entertaining and &C.
curate historical review"
Senator Platt Of New York commended
the expression Of determination to in
crease the standing army and to maintain
order In Cuba until the Cubans can take
care Of themselves.
Senator Wolcott said: 1T is an admira-
ble document"
Senator Lodge said: cable and excel
lent"
Senator Foraker: "a good presentation OF
facts generally. but little indefinite on
the question Of Cuban independence
Senator Proctor: "A good American
paper"
Senator Perkins: IAN able resume of the
situation and Of facts leading up to the
war"
The democrats were even more averse
than the republicans to discussing the paper
Senator Jones OF Arkansas was an excep-
tion "Some Of us do not favor the increase
OF the standing army he said land the
president has no right to assume that q
majority stands with him ON that PROPOSE
ton. There Is no war in existence and none
Is imminent The law requires one or the
other condition and the threat of the presi-
dent to hold the volunteers in the service
until the standing army Is increased be.
yond what the consciences of senators and
members dictate looks to me like menace
and an effort to dictate which / consider an
outrage and objectionable"
Senator Jones considers the expression on
finances as pronouncement for the gold
standard and for the retirement OF the
greenbacks and said that he did not be
lieve that anything like a majority of the
American people would endorse him in this
respect. The senator Also announced him.
self as opposed to subsidy to vessels con.
Meeting the United States with Porto Rico
Cuba and the Philippines, as opposed to
legislation for the construction of the Mica
ragua canal as at present outlined, and
expressed the opinion that the presiden,
was inclined to 60 further In the matter OF
the government Of Cuba than the resolu-
tion Of Intervention called for.
"The question Of the government of the
Philippines Is attracting much attention -
uc ouuCu, anu tue IdCt tudt the president
utterly ignores 1t strikes me as very singu-
lar"
Senator Pasco also commented on the alb
sence Of any reference to points con-
cerning which We desire more informa-
tion."
Senator Teller said: There will be some
disappointment In this, for I think the un-
derstanding has been that the president
would indicate what form OF government
should be provided for these new posses
sions But it is wise for the president not
to indicate his views on that object, for
that is purely and properly a legislative
question and one that should be left to
congress- The friends Of bimetallism
either national or International. will nnd
no encouragement from anything that the
president says In his message. The So
called silver republicans who remain In the
republican party and contend that the re-
publican psrty is friendly to silver will find
no encouragement in the presidents mes
sage and 1t will strike all as somewhat sin
gular that II the republican party, a. It II