Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-12-20
TO-DAY IN CONGRESS.
THE SENATE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-In the SEN
ate the house resolution providing to
adjourn congress December 81 to Janu-
ary 4, was adopted without division.
Gallinger of New Hampshire, favor
ably reported Proctor's resolution pro-
viding for committee of senators to
visit Cuba aud Puerto Rico with a
view ascertalning the conditions
and reporting them with recommends
tions to the senate, but on Hale's OBJ
lection to the present consideration of.
the resolution it was placed on the cal
endar.
The bill authorizing General A. E,
Bates to accept the decoration of the
Legion of Honor conferred. upon him
by the president of the French repub-
lie was passed.
Senator Teller in his remarks before
the senate today said the purchase of
territory from Mexico after the Mexi-
can war was parallel with the present
purchase from Spain. In this case
Mexico was PROSTATE at our feet, and
we said we want some of your territory
and will pay you for it; we held it first
by conquest then by purchase"
No matter what was the provocation
of war that was the case. 1t was a
grand acquisition, he said, second only
TO the Louisiana purchase, which made
the Mexican purchase possible. We
have conquered Spain and now 1t is
proposed to purchase some of her terri
tory and pay her S20,000,000, more
bagatelle, Teller said he would ask
the people Of the Philippines what they
wanted in the way of government and
give it to them. The sooner the people
governed thcmselyer the better; he be-
lieved the people of Luzon capable of
self government. In answer to a ques-
tion by Tillman he said we would not
permit revolutions like those which oc-
Cured in South America. Teller read
letter from Admiral Dewey saying
the people of the Philippines can be
easily governed. He also read a por-
tion of letter from an army officer to
the same effect. In Dewey's letter he
said there was not the slightest difficult
ty in dealing with the Filiplnos.
Teller said he weuld have the people
given all the encouragement possible
and If they developed qualities of state
hood would grant them that.
At 2 o'clock the Nicaragnan bill was
taken up and Caffery addressed the
senate.
THE HOUSE.
Congressman Cannon called up the
conference report of the army and navy
deficiency bill and moved Its adoption.
DE Almond. of Missouri, asked wheth-
er the re-appropriation of the balance
of s50,OO0.000 to be expended under
the direction Of the president, would
sanction or authorize the payment of
100000 each to Whitelaw Reid and
Judge Day for services as peace COM
missioners. Cannon said the re-appro-
priation made no change authorizing
such expenditure and the report adopt.
cd.
The debate en- the agricultural bill
was the signal for the first speech
in the house on the question Of annexa-
tion Of the Philippines. Williams. Of
Missiastfp. submitted = general argu-
ment against their annexation. He
declared that he did not believe in
balderdash. What had those who ask.
ed loudly who would pull down the
American flag to say Of the flag that
floated over the ramparts Of Monterey
and the Cathedral of Mexico. It was
hsuled down because It was patriotic
and sensible . haul It down. The flag
uaa mere piece of busting aside from
what It represented. and a man who
would appeal 70 the prsiudicen Of : pso-
pie with the asnae|eaa cry about haul.
10 down The rs sald something M.