Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-29
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.

/ Washington, Dec. 20-In the senate
Mr.. Plat (rep., Comm spoke against
the Vest resolution which declares that
the United States has no power to ac-
quire territory. He said that the
power of the nation to acquire terri
tory was inherent The United States
had the right to govern such territory
in the best possible manner until the
people of the acquired lands were cap
able Of self government Mr.. Proctor
| rep., Vt.) and Mr.. Hale rep, Me-
exchanged divergent views upon the
subject of the commission of senators
to visit Cuba Mr.. Proctor thought
| that such commission was necessary
while Mr.. Hale said he thought ii
would be in extremely bad taste and
useless.
The conference report on the urgent
deficiency bill was agreed to. Mr..
! Berry (dem., Ark spoke upon his
amendments to the Nicaragua canal
bill. He did not commit himself to
vote for the bill, even if his amend
ments were adopted, but would deter
mine the question when the vote was
reached. Mr.. Allen (rep., Neb) said
that he was not opposed to the canal
scheme, because he antagonized GER
tain features of the bill. One of its
most pernicious features would be
eliminated by the adoption of the Ber-
ry amendments, namely the bond
feature. He was opposed to the provi-
| sion for an adjustment Of the claims
of the Maritime Canal company. He
wanted the government to be protected
from all loss and possible fraud by
the company.
Mr.. Mason (rep., Ill.) introduced a
resolution directing the committee on
agriculture to inquire into certain leg
islatiOn pending before the German
reichstag calculated to prohibit the
| importation into Germany of Ameri-
| can sausages and other meat products,
and directing the committee, should
the legislation become a law, to report
| Immediately bill to require the in
tspectiOn of sugars, meats, wines and
other food products which are i'm
ported into this country from Ger
many. The resolution went over.
Mr. Hanna (rep., o. introduced a
| bill to grant subsidies for American
| shipping.
the company.
Washington, Dec. 20.-Several bills
were passed in the house, the most
important of WHICH was bill appropri-
ating $3.50, 900 for the Philadelphia ex-
position Of 1899. Mr. Bailey (dem.,
Tex introduced a resolution directing
| the Judiciary committee to investigate
| and report on the question whether
members of the house who accepted
commissions in the army forfeited
| their seats in the house The reso-
luton was referred to the committee
on rules.
Washington, Dec. 21.-Mr. Teller
rep, COLI in the senate made a
! lengthy speech in advocacy of the the
DRY that there are no restrictions upon
the right Of the United States to ex-
pand its borders so as to include far
distant territory. He went quite thor
| oughly into the legal points bearing
upon the question and incidentally dis
cussed a form Of government for the
| Fflipinos, saying that he would en-
courage elf-government among the
| islanders and give them the most
| liberal government but would not
! haul down the American flag
when once it was placed. The senate
adopted resolution to adjourn until
January a. Mr.. Proctor (rep, VII here
interrupted to read an extract from a
letter from Dewey concerning the
character of the Filipinos as follows:
These people can be governed without
| the slightest difficulty. They readily
give in to reason and 1 have not had
the slightest difficulty in dealing with
them Mr.. Caffery spoke in opposi-
ton to the Nicaragua canal bill. A
message was received from the
house announcing that a settlement
on the final question in controversy
on the war and navy deficiency bill
was agreed to. This passes the meas
ure. Former Queen Liliuokalani of the
Hawaiian islands sent to the senate a
| protest against the appropriation of
| the crown lands of Hawaii, amounting
to 100000 acres.
! Washington, Dec. 21-In the house
Mr.. Williams (dem., Miss.), a demo-
cratic member of the foreign affairs
committee, made a speech in opposi-
ton to policy which would bring the
Philippine islands under the sphere of
United States influence. The confer
ence report on the army and navy de-
ficiency bill was adopted. The house
then went into a committee of the
whole on the agricultural appropria-
ton bill. 1t carries 1885, 1892, an in
crease of $1S7, 120 over the current law.
A provision was inserted to be used as
means of retaliating against Ger
many and other countries. When the
committee of the whole arose the bill
was passed. Resolutions were adopted
directing the secretary of war to fur
nish estimates for improving the har-
Dor at Racine, and dredging the harbor
of Kenosha. A provision was inserted
to be used as a means of retaliating
against Germany and other countries.
When the committee of the whole
arose the bill was passed.
HERO WORSHIP.
Il Go