Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-12-29
WORK OF CONGRESS

Washington, Dec 18-The bill to in
corporate the International American
bank was buried under an over
whelming adverse majority of the
house yesterday. The debate upon
the measure was concluded at 3
o'clock. Mr.. Dingley, the floor leader
of the majority, made IN argument in
it's support. The other speakers were
Hill Of Connecticut, in its support,
and Messrs. Bell, Sulzer, Maxwell,
Maddox and Swanson in opposition.
The vote by which the bill was de-
feated stood 1O3 ayes to 148 noes. The
bill to extend the customs and revenue
laws Of the United States over the
Hawaiian islands was passed without
opposition. The bill, Mr.. Dingley eX-
planned, carried with it the civil laws
relating to appointments in the GUS
toms and revenue service in Hawaii.
AS this bill simply sought to do what
he believed had in fact been done by
the act Of annexation, it was proper
that it should pass and pass promptly.
Mr.. McMillin Den., TENN used the
| bill as a text for some remarks upon
| claimed that the revenue provided by
it was insufficient to meet the ex-
pei Sc of the government. Mr.. McRae
| Dem., Ark.) offered an amendment
| designed to extend all the general laws
Of the United States over the islands.
He said there were other laws In
Hawaii which should be abrogated be-
sides the customs and revenue laws.
! Among them were the labor and the
land laws. Mr.. Dingley begged Mr..
Mc1tae not to complicate the question
involved in the bill. The bill was then
passed without division. The house
then, at 90 p. M, adjourned.
Washington, Dec. 20. - The house
gave the day to the Indian appropria-
ton bill, passing it substantially as re-
ported. This is the third of the aD-
preparation bills to pass and it clears
the calendar of the bigs upply bills.
although another, the agricultural, will
be ready and knocking for attention by
to-day. Mr.. Sherman (Rep., N. w., ex.
planning the Indian bill, said that
the appropriation had been approved
by the executive authorities. He said
the principal increase was for the In
dian schools, more than $2,50OOOO go
ing for that purpose. This amount did
not include contract schools, as the
question of sectarianism was complete
ly eliminated. Nor did this figure in
clude the New York and Indian Ter
ritory Indians, whose education Is
paid for out of their own funds.
Washington, Dec. 20. - The senate
had busy day and there We're several
important speeches. Mr.. Platt Of
Connecticut spoke against the Vest
resolution which declares that the
United States has no power to acquire
territory. He said that the power of a
nation to acquire territory was as in
herent as It's sovereignty. The United
States had the right to govern them in
the best possible manner until the peo-
pie Of the acquired lands We're capable
Of government. Mr.. Proctor OF
Vermont and Mr.. Hale of Maine eX-
changed divergent views upon COM
mission Of senators to visit Cuba. MI.
Proctor thought such q commission
was necessary, while Mr.. Hale thought
it would be in extremely bad taste and
useless. The Nicaragua canal bill was
up during the last part of the day and
Senators Berry, Allen, Hoar, Gallery
and Morgan discussed the measure.
In the House.
It was suspension day in the house
and several bills were passed. the
most important of which was the bill
appropriating $350,OO0 for the Phil'l-
delphia exposition of 1899. The vote
was exceedingly close. 1t had but two
votes more than the necessary two
thirds. Bills were passed under the
suspension Of the rules to authorize the
distribution of the assets of the Freed
mans bank; to enlarge the scope Of
the fish commission to include birds;
for the relief of the Fourth mounted
Arkansas infantry, and for the relief
Of John w. Lewis of Oregon. Mr..
Bailey of Texas introduced resolu-
ton in open house directing the jul
dietary committee to investigate and
report on the question whether men,
bers Of the house who accepted COM
missions in the army had forfeited
their seats in the house. He made the
resolution the text for some remarks,
in the course of which he took oc-
casion to bitterly denounce news
paper statement to the effect that IN
his attitude on this question he had
been made catspaw of by certain Re-
publican members. He denounced the
Republican who had instituted the
statement as an infamous liar and
challenged him to father it. There was
no reply. to Mr.. Bailey's statement and
the resolution was referred to the COM
mittee on rules.
Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Ieller
occupied the first half OF YESTERDAY
session Of the senate with speech ID
advocacy of the theory that there are
no restrictions upon the right of the
United States to expand it's borders so
as to include far distant territory. He
went quite thoroughly into the legal
points bearing upon the question, and
also incidentally discussed at some
length the form of government for the