Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-02-04
Congressional.

Jan 2s.-The House continued the
consideration of the army reorganiza-
ton bill until o'clock. when the
members paid their tributes to the
memory of the late Representative
Simpkins, of Massachusetts,. The
time before the eulogies began was
chiefly devoted to a continuation
OF the debate on the advisabi1ity
of retaining the Philippines A
spirited debate was precipitated
in the Senate while the dip
lomatic and consular appropriation
bill was under consideration. The
appropriations committee was sharply
criticised for not providing adequate
salaries for some of the consular Off
GERS and secretaries of legations of
this government in foreign countries
and the parsimony of the government
in this respect was denounced as a dis
grace. Mr.. Hale OF Maine was in
charge of the bill. and, despite his
protests, several amendments were in
corporated in the measure. The bill
was passed, carrying nearly 81. 500, 900.
was further debated
Jan. 27.-House; The army bill was
debated all day. Dockery, Cochran
and Vandiver of Missouri were among
the speakers against the bill An
amendment was adopted eliminating
from the bill the title of lieu
tenant general The Senate con-
tinued the consideration of the peace
treaty in executive session, the
doors being closed for almost three
hours. Senator Frye, a member of
the Paris peace commission, held the
attention of the Senate during the
greater part of this time. He devoted
himself largely to an explanation of
the proceedings of the commission.
In the open session Mr. Platt of New
York addressed the Senate in favor of
the ratification of the treaty.
Jan. 26.-The Senate considered the
pension bill; it carries SI45, 233, 800.
Butler, Populist of North Carolina,
offered an amendment for the pension
ing of ex-Confederate soldiers. He de-
clared that the position taken by the
south in the civil war was right, and
that every shot fired by a Southern sol
der was in defense of the rights of his
state, conferred by the constitution, in
self-defense and III defense of his home
and Preside. Mr.. Bate, Democrat, OF
Tennessee, himself a distinguished
Confederate soldier, said that the
Southern soldiers, as a body, did not
desire pensions from the general gov
eminent, AID he expressed his salts
faction that Mr.. Butler had with
drawn his amendment. The peace
treaty was again considered in execu-
tive session.
The House resumed debate on the
bill for the reorganization and in
crease of the army. The feature
was an hours speech by Mr. Gros-
venor of Ohio, whose utterances,
rightly or wrongly, are frequently
| supposed to reflect the views of the
President. Mr.. Grosvenor declared
most emphatically that the present
| situation in the Philippines was due
to the opposition in this country to
the ratification of the peace treaty.
He announced that the future of the
islands was a matter for congress to
decide, and that for the President to
announce a policy would be for him to
usurp the authority of Congress.
Jan 25.-The Senate held two long
executive sessions, at the conclusion OF
which it wac announced in open ses-
sion that it had been agreed by unani-
nous consent to take vote on the
peace treaty Monday, February G, the
treaty in the meantime to be consid-
cred daily in executive session. The
House had a gala day of debate over
the army bill. johnson of Indiana and
Dolliver of Iowa, both Republicans,
locked horns on the expansion policy
the former denouncing the administra-
ton and the latter defending the Pres
ident's policy.
Jan. 24.-In the Senate Lodge of
Massachusetts, and Clay of Georgia
spoke for the ratification Of the peace
treaty. They contended that after the
peace treaty was ratified we could
then decide what to do with the Phil
ippine question, but not before In
the executive session Berry's resoiu-
ton for the consideration of the treaty
in open session was voted down.
House-The debate on the army
reorganization bill was begun
Practically three propositions are
before the House, the House bill pro-
viding for standing army of 100, GOO
men, the minority substitute increas-
ing the standing army to 80, 900 men,
and lodging with the President discre-
tionary power to call out 80, 900 volun-
teers for emergency service, and a
proposition to continue temporarily
the regular army at its present war