The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-21
SENATOR WOLCOTf.
DELIVERS Els LONG PROMISED
SPEECH ON BIMETALLISM

He Contrasts the Positions of tn Presi-
! dent and Secretary Gage on the Fiuan
cial Question-Seoator Hanna Presents
His Commission and is Sworn fn-Tbe
Senate Passes the Immigration Bill
Conditions of the Army Discussed in tn.
House.
SENATE.
Washington, January 1.-THE fea-
lures Of today's proceedings in the
senate were the speech delivered by
Senator Wolcott, of Colorado, chair
man of the bimetallic commission,
| upon the negotiations of the commits
sion with European countries relative
to international bimetallism, and the
passage of the Lodge bill restricting
immigration into the United States.
The proceedings were the most inter-
esting and important that have char
acterized any single days work of the
senate during the present session
Quite Unexpectedly Senator Hanna
appeared at the opening of today's
session. Senator Foraker presented
Senator Hanna's credentials for the
remainder of Senator Sherman's term,
which will expire on March 4th, 1899,
and asked that the oath of office be ad-
ministered to him. Senator Foraker
escorted his colleague to the desk
where Vice President Hobart admins
tered the oath.
At 1880 O'CLOCK Senator Wolcott
was recognized. By this time the gal
leries and the floor were crowded.
Senator Wolcott was in fine voice and
J spoke with only occasional references
to his manuscript which he had be-
fore him, He was accorded the closest
attention by his auditors.
Senator Wolcott referred to the at
titude of Secretary Gage on the fnan-
cial question contrasting it with the
presidents position. Their positions,
he said, are contradictory. He criti-
cised the secretary's bill for which he
predicted defeat. He closed with a
strong plea for International bimetal-
lism.
Senator Wolcott concluded his
speech at 2:O5 o'clock p. M, having
spoken for an hour and fifteen min
utes. AS he sat down there was a
burst of applause throughout the
chamber and for several minutes he
was surrounded by his colleagues who
| desired to tender to him their congrat-
ulations.
At the conclusion of Senator VOL
| colts speech the immigration bill was
taken up and discussed until 3 o'clock,
the hour at which, by previous agree
ment, it was arranged to vote finally
upon the amendments and the bill.
After the adoption of two amendments
| proposed by Senator Spooner, of Wis
consin, the bill was passed by a vote
| of As to %.
The bill as passed provides that all
immigrants physically capable and
over 16 years of age shall be able to
read or write the English language or
some other language; but a person
not able to read or write, who is over
SO years of age and is the parent or
| grand parent of a qualified immigrant
Ove q years of age and capable of
supporting such a parent or grand
parent, may accompany the immigrant
| or the parent or grand parent may be
sent for and come to join the family
of the child Or grand child over Il
years of age, qualified under the law;
and a wife or minor child not able to
read or write may accompany or be
sent for and come to join the husband
or parent who is qualified. The act
does not apply to persons coming to
the United States from the island of
Cuba during the continuance of pre-
sent disorders there who have hereto
fore been inhabitants of that island.
After the immigration bill was dis
posed of the senate devoted some
time in the consideration Of bills on
the calendar.
The joint resolution providing for
participation by the United States in
the fisheries exposition to be held this
year in Bergen, Norway, which had
been passed by the house with an
amendment providing that the com
missioner of the United States should
have a salary of $500, was called UP
by Senator Nelson, Of Minnesota. The
amendment of the house was agreed
to and the resolution passed.
The senate then ct Ais O'Clock p
m &, went into executive session and al
500 o'clock adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
This was District of Columbia day
in the house, but only three bills OF
local Importance were passed. The re.
mainder of the session was devoted
to further consideration Of the army
appropriation bill. The debate was
particularly notable for a vigorous
speech by Mr.. Mcclellan, democrat Of
New York, attacking the present army
organization as obsolete and inefi-
cient. The army today, Mr.. McClel'
Ian declared, was little better than
: clumsily organized national police