Evening star., 1898-12-20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

AT the opening Of the session of the
House OF Representatives today Mr. Can
non called UP the conference report of the
army and navy deficiency hill and moved
it's adoption
Mr.. DeArmond (MoD asked whether the
reappropriation of the balance of the $50
eoo.oo0 to be expended under the direction
OF the President would in any way sane
ton or authorize the payment out of that
fund of 100000 each to Whltelaw Reid and
Judge Day for services as peace commits
sioners. Some of the newspapers had re-
ported that such payment was to be made.
Mr.. DeArmond said.
Mr.. Cannon said he knew nothing about
it.. He had seen the statement and also its
denial. but he called attention to the fact
that the original $J0000.000 was appro-
priated for the national defense.
This reappropriation makes no changer
No change"
Nothing in it to authorize such an ex-
penditure?"
Nothing"
The report was adopted
Apropos of the fact that this was the
last conference report to be signed by Mr..
Sayers of Texas, who retires from Con-
gress to become governor of his state Mr.
Cannon. chairman of the committee, paid
high tribute to his long and faithful scrv-
Ice on the appropriations committee. He
tuioSiLeu HIS lIuuStTy, tact ana integrity,
and said that Mr.. Sayers bore away with
him the affection of every member on the
floor. The members vigorously applauded
Mr.. Cannons expressions.
Mr.. Dockery fMo.) also paid a feeling
tribute to Mr.. Sayers.
Agricultural Bill.
The House then went into committee of
the whole and took up the consideration
of the agricultural appropriation bill. An
arrangement was made by which there
should be four hours Of general debate, two
hours on a side.
Mr.. Wadsworth On ", who was in
charge of the bill, explained its provisions
briefly. 1t carried 1896, 800, or an increase
of s1Sl 100 over the amount carried by the
current law.
Williams Against Philippine Annexa-
ton.
Mr. Williams (Miss) took advantage of
the latitude on the debate while in commit
tee of the whole to make an argument
against the annexation OF the Philippines
Physically, he said. the islands would prove
a great disappointment. They were thickly
populated with peoples of heterogeneous
races. They could never afford home or
opportunity for American citizens In the
annexation of territory for the past the
area annexed had been always coterminous
except in the case of Alaska, and we had in
each case increased our population and our
power OF national defense. These had been
the tests in the past. The Philippines full
hlied none of these tests. In the case of
Cuba, II Cuba should be willing in the fu-
ture to throw in her lot with US, the case
would be different. Sixty-six per cent of Gu
ba population was Caucasian-a fact not
generally known. Her people could easily
be assimilated. Cuba was practically con-
tiguous She lay directly within the sphere
OF American influence.
I'VE want no unwilling subjects" said
Mr.. Williams. we want no opportunity
LOT the exercise Of tyranny; We want no
career in the west. The south is especially
hostile TO the absorption of a great popula-
ton alien in race, blood, color and Gus
toms" He summed up the objections to
the annexation of the Philippines They
lay 1000 miles from our coast Not a single
geographical defensive or racial test could
be applied. Annexation would project US
1890 miles into the melee of the orient We
would have to hold in subsection 1900 600
Fflipinos at cost of $40, ,OO0, 600 annually
Hauling Down the Flag.
Mr.. Williams declared that he did not
believe in baiderdash. What had those
who asked loudly, who would pull down
the American flag?" to say of the flag
that noated over the ramparts of Mon
terey and the Cathedral of Mexico? 1t
was hauled down because it was patriotic
and sensible to haul it down.
Inc nag was mere piece of bunting
aside from what it represented and a man
who would appeal to the prejudices of the
people with a senseless cry about hauling
down the flag said something unworthy of
himself, no matter how hign his station
might be. The American people should
haul down the flag in the Philippines, he
argued, and leave the islands where they
We're the day after the glorious victory at
Manila.