The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-19
PLATT WILL REPLY TO VEST
WILL OPEN THE SENATE WITH A
SPEECH ON EXPANSION.

A General Debate ON the Subject
May BE Precipitated-The Treaty
to Re Taken Up for Discussion
Early in January-MemOriaIs
which Have Reached the Senate
Against Annexation, Are Small.
Morgan VIII Press the Nicaragua
Canal Bill at Once.
Washington, Dec. 1S.-The week In the
Senate will be opened with a speech by
Senator Platt of Connecticut, on the ques-
tion of expansion.
Mr.. Platt has given notice of an address
to begin Immediately after the conclusion
Of the routine morning business Monday.
He will reply to the speech of Senator
Vest, made Monday and he has given
careful attention to the extension of our
territorial area. No little interest is man
ifested among senators in his presentation
of the matter, and it is not improbable
unless the Nicaragua canal bill prevents,
that the speech will precipitate a more
or less general debate upon this question.
Whether it does or not, a number of
speeches Oh tliS SaliiC SNDJNSN NAAA ~ iAiN'N'S
after the Christmas holidays preparatory
to the consideration of the peace treaty.
1t is hoped that the treaty will be taken
up for discussion early in January AL
ready there is talk of the probability of
disposing of the treaty during the present
session, and the impression favorable to
this result is growing. A few senators
manifest disposition to debate the treaty
at length and some profess unalterable
opposition, but the feeling is so strong
against an extra session and in favor of
the postponement of the settlement of the
disposition of the Philippines after they
come into our possession, that it now
seems that even the minority will consent
to the treatys ratification without mate
rial delay.
The friends of the treaty, who are CIV
ing attention to the closest details of op-
position as they develop themselves, have
taken the pains to have enumerated the
names of the signers to the memorials
against annexation which have reached
the Senate, and they find that there are
fewer than 1000 of them, distributed
among the states as follows: Massachu-
setts, 1,435; West Virginia, 101; Indiana,
a; Ohio. 50; Florida, AZ; New York, As;
Virginia, SO; Vermont, 90 Maryland, 16;
Pennsylvania and Illinois, Is each; Rhode
Island, 12; New Hampshire, 6; California
and Missouri, each; Wisconsin and Ten
nessee, 2 each, and Maine, Colorado Iowa
and Nevada. l each.
Senator Morgan said to-day that he
meant to press the Nicaragua canal bill
as vigorously as possible, and he expressed
the hope that he might get a vote before
next Wednesday, the probable date of the
Christmas adjournment
The indications are, however, against
such an early disposal of the subject, and
1t may be accepted as quite certain that
even if Senator Turpies motion for post
ponement until Jan. 10 should not prevail,
the bill will be naturally thrown over be-
yond the holidays. 1t is evidently the
purpose of the opposition to prevent ac-
ton during the few remaining days prior
to adjournment.
Mr.. Morgan to-day indicated his will
ingness to accept the Berry amendments
IN modified form. and the bill as the Ar,
kansas senator proposes to change it has
been printed for information.
The bill concerning the registry of for
elgn built vessels wrecked on the Ameri-
can coast, is still on the calendar as a
special order and Senator Elkins will
probably make another effort to secure
consideration. Senator Cullom has also
expressed a desire to get up the anti
scalplng bill. Both these measures will
be antagonized and most probably thrown
over to January.
Ihere will be no effort to get up any
more appropriation bills until after the
resumption of business in January.
WORK FOR THE PRMSENrr NNEHI,