The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-16
SPEAKER REED SARCASTIC
He Debates the Rules
From the Chair.
QUESTION TO POSTPONE

That Measure Under FurtneH U1ocuDs
sion-sepator Vests Protest Against
Railroadlng Private Pension Rills.
The Lodge Immigration Bill Again
Postponed.
SENATE.
Washington, December 1.-THE Mic
aragua canal bill held it's place as the
principal subject before the senate
again today, the pending question be-
ing Senator Turpie's motion to post
pone until January 10th. Speeches
were made by Senators Harris,
Money, Stewart and Morgan.
Senator Harris spoke upon the gen.
eral features of the bill. He said that
as boy he was attached to sur
veying party in the isthmus in 1859,
and ever since that time he had been
the Jealous advocate of the general
proposition that a canal should be
built across the isthmus. Still he did
not consider it practicable for pri-
vate corporation to construct the canal
and he urged government ownership.
He said he considered the Panama
canal as entirely impracticable. IIe
supported Senator Berry's amendment
relieving the bill of it's bond provis-
ions, saying it would greatly improve
the measure.
The Clayton-Bulwar treaty formed
the basis of a brief speech Oy Senator
Money He advocated delay in order
to afford opportunity for negotiation
Of the treaty. He said we should at
least notify Great Britain that we de-
sire a modification of the treaty as
first STEP In this connection he referr-
ed to the entente cOrdiale existing be-
tween this country and England, say
ing that he wanted to see the two ma
tions brought even closer together
than now. Hence the Importance and
propriety Of dealing fairly and cour-
teously with Great Britain in this i'm
pOrtant matter.
Senator Bacon gave notice of an
amendment to the bill providing that
work should not he begun on the canal
under the bill until the government o.
t ..icaragua should consent to modi-
fication CT the treaty granting title to
the, United States in perpetufty to the
canals right of way and also elimi-
mating articles So and 81 Of the con-
cession from that document.
Senator Stewart advocated the bill
as a most important step In the pro-
gress Of the commerce of the world
and urged senators to accept it as 1t
stands.
Replying to Senator Money, Sena-
tor Morgan said he never claimed that
the Clayton n-Bulwur treaty was not in
full force, denying the assertion i'm
puted to him that that treaty had van
ished into the air. He had been Of the
opinion that the treaty had been abro-
gaed by the acts of Great Britain and
would still hold that opinion but for
President Cleveland's recognition OF
| the treaty, recognition which had
| given it a vitality that it did not pre-
| viously possess.
| At the conclusion of Senator Nor
| gan's remarks, a. agreement was
| reached to vote upon Senator Turpie' s
! postponement tomorrow after the SEN
| ate wenf<into executive session.
| During the early part Of the session
Senator Vest called attention to pri-
| vate pension bills and entered pro-
test against their passage without due
| consideration, as he said the senate
was falling into the habit Of Going. He
did not want to deprive any honest ap.
plicant of his pension, but he wanted
the abuses stopped.
The senate adjourned at SIS O'Clock
p. m.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
l Inc mouse IOOdy IOT LIE SCCoIiu tiAA'
! during this congress refused to COZ
slider the Lodge immigration bill. A
| the last session an attempt was mad
to take it from the speakers table
| but it was defeated by large MAORI
ty. Mr.. Danford, of Ohio, chairman o
/ / the immigration committee. though
the bill would be stronger at this ses
= sion after the elections were over, bu
, | today when he tried again to secur
1 ho 6ePlinQd-lOO
. 103-to take it up.
An interesting, but brief, debate o
t | the rules was precipitated during tn
D! session by Mr.. Grow, Of Pennsylvania
during which Mr.. Dearmond made
!. speech on decadence of the privileg
! of debate in the house. He was ex
{ ceedingly ironical in his reference I
s the decadence of the old time priv
K 1ege of full debate. 1t had become tn
e fashion, he said, to bring in repressiv
q | rules to cut off debate upon every i'm
o portant question, and asserted that tn
rules under which the house was no
| operating, which could not have bee
adopted permanently. had become pei
= Inanent by the attitude OF the speake
!. Mr. Dearmond was literally applaud
ed by his side of the house when
r concluded
The speaker from the chair, replie
: TO his critics as follows:
n | The gentleman from Missouri Ia
! permitted himself to make statement
| in regard to the speaker and the otht
members of the committee on rule
THAI / am happy to state are not Just
-. fled by the facts. The house must ne
feel itself to have been treated to a
unusual discourse upon the lack Of lit
: erty given to the citizen. It SO haI
pens that in the house of representa-
tives there are many members and tha
e while in the theory every man can o6
cCpy all the time in discourse. in actu
, al practice, he has to occupy II in sub
ordination to the rights OF every othe
member. to the rights OF the body ii
self anC to the prosecution Of publ
. business. in actual practice, also, th