Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-12-22
WORK OF CONGRESS

washington, Dec. 13.-Discussion or
two questions, each OF interest and I'M
portance at this time, was begun by
the senate at its session yesterday.
Territorial expansion and the construc-
ton OF the Nicaragua canal occupied
the attention of the body during the
greater part of the afternoon. AS
@ as the routine business had been
disposed Of Mr.. Vest called up his res
olution offered last week declaring 1t
70 be unconstitutional for this govern
inent ( o acquire foreign territory ex-
cept for coaling stations or for some
like purpose unless its intention was TO
confer statehood upon the territory
and citizenship upon its Inhabitants.
nr. Vest declared that 1t was a basic
principle OF this government that the
powers of the government were de-
rived from the consent of the gov
erned, and maintained that the federal
government had no authority either In
morals or in the constitution to go be-
yond that principle. He held that the
principle had been sustained by the
supreme court in various decisions and
that no public IA of prominence and
10 recognized tribunal had ever been
reckless enough TO controvert II. MT.
Plat Of Connecticut took issue with
Mr.. Vest and announced that at some
convenient time In the near future he
would offer some remarks upon the
resolution, in the course OF which he
would endeavor to show that the Mis-
souri, senator was wrong in his inter
probation of the constitution and mac
curate in his deductions from the law.
Mr.. Morgan opened the debate on the
canal bill with a three-hour appeal FOR
action at this session. The whole
country be said would be disappointed
IL did moi act. He was will
ing to take any measure which would
result in the building Of the canal. In
the course of his remarks he agreed TO
accept an amendment specifically ex-
cepting the canal from neutrality with
regard to any country with which the
United States might be at war.
In the House. y
The house spent the larger part of
the day on District of Columbia bust
ness. The bill TO relieve the condition
of American seamen was taken up but
nothing was accomplished
washington, Dec. IA. - Yesterdays
session OF the senate was largely con-
srmed in discussion of the Nicaragua
canal bill. Mr.. Turpie made the prin-
cipal speech in opposition to the bill,
attacking 1t on the ground that 1t Is In
the interest of the Maritime company,
which he characterized as a fraud and
bankrupt. He moved a postpOnement
of the matter until after the holiday
recess. Mr.. Morgan defended the bill
and the Maritime company and OPP
posed the motion to postpone. Messrs.
Berry and Rawlins both offered
amendments materially affecting the
bill. Previous to the proceedings upon
the canal bill Mr.. Morrill, made an adj
dress in support Of the bill authoriz-
ing the purchase of a site for a SUI
preme court building. and this and
several other bills were passed.
In the House.
The house passed the District OF
Columbia appropriation bill without a
single amendment. The bill carries
S6,359,950, which is less than the esti-
mates. The house also passed the SEN
ate bill to amend the laws relating to
seamen All the amendments were re-
Jected.
Washington, Dec. 10. - The house
yesterday, for the second time during
this congress, refused to consider the
Lodge immigration bill. At the last
session an attempt was made to take
it from the speakers table, but 1t was
defeated by a large majority. Mr..
Danford of Ohio. chairman of the i'm
migration committee, thought the bill
would be stronger after the elections
were over, but yesterday when he tried
again to secure consideration the
house declined-100 to 103-to take it
up. An interesting but brief debate on
the rules was preclpitated during the
session by Mr.. Grow Of Pennsylvania,
during which Mr.. Dearmond made a
speech on the decadence of the priv
ilege OF debate in the house. and held
Speaker Reed responsible for the fact
that the house had had no opportunity
to adopt a new system Of rules at this
session. The speaker replied with n
sarcastic speech in which he referred
W LlC COLupiuintS VI JOuD hduuOlpu III
the early days Of the century to show
that the same circumstances were
made then that were being heard now.
I'm the Senate.
The Nicaraguan canal bill held its
place as the principal subject before
the senate again yesterday. Speeches
were made by Messrs. Harris, Money,
stewart and Morgan. Mr.. Money
urged postponement Of the question In
order to permit an opportunity for ne
gotiations with Great Britain for a
modification Of the Clayton-B ulwer
treaty, and Mr.. Morgan a~ntagonized
the proposition. An agreement was
reached to vote on the Turpie post
ponement motion to-day. Other ques.
tions before the senate were: The gov
ernment's pension policy and the bill
regarding the registry of foreign-built
veSSels wrecked on the American
coast. The pension discussion was
prscipitated by Mr.. Vest. The regis.
try bill went over until to-day.
The urgency deficiency appropriation
bill making provision for the army and
navy for the next six months displaced
the N%icaraguan canal bill In the sem
ate, preventing ven the taking of a
vote on the question of postponement
until after the vc oS hod baan IN