Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-02-08

The bill to reorganiZe and increase the
standing army to about 100000 men, but
giving the President authority to reduce
the size of infantry companies and cav
airy troops TO sixty men each, thus fixing
minimum of about $4,000 enlisted men,
passed the House on Tuesday by vote
of Us TO 125. Mr.. Burton (Rep., o..
chairman of the River and Harbor Com
mittee, called up the river and harbor bill.
The House went through the form of go
ing into committee in order to put the
river and harhor hlll under consideration.
The committee then rose and the House
at 4:35 p. m. adjourned. During almost
the entire morning hour the Senate had
under discussion the policy of this ccun-
try to be pursued in the Philippine Isl.
ands. Mr.. Berry (Ark), in speech upon
the resolution offered by Mr.. Vest, dis
cussed the policy of expansion. An ar
tempt by Mr.. Bacon (Ga) to secure n
vote upon his resolution which. in hrief .
declares that the United States Govern
ment will not make war upon people
seeking for their freedom, precipitated n
lively debate. which was participated in
by Mr.. Platt (Conn.) and Mr.. Teller
(Colo). No action on the resolutions was
taken. A bill was passed at the openinp
nf the Senate session granting extra nav
to the officers and men OF the temporary
force of the navy--two months extra nav
to those who served beyond the limits OF
the United States and one months nav
to those who served within the limited
States.
The House entered upon the considera-
ton of the river and harbor bill on We'd
nesday, and made rapid progress. Fifty
of the eighty eight pages of the bill had
been completed when the House adjourn
ed. The bill appropriates directly about
Sl2,o0O,OOO and authorizes contracts to
the extent of $1S.00o,00O additional. The
general debate was unusually brief Its
feature was a speech in opposition to the
bill by Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa. Practically
the only amendment adopted was one
striking out an appropriation of $3.50. 900
for channel from Galveston TO Texas
City. Texas. Mr.. Rawlins Utah) ad-
dressed the Senate upon the Vest anti
expansion resolution. Mr.. Lindsay (Ky)
offered a resolution declaring that terri
tory not part of the continent Of North
America shall not be admitted into the
Federal Union as n State or States. Dur
ing Mr.. Rawlns' speech Il message was
received from the House transmitting the
army reorganization bill. 1t was referred
to the Committee on Military Affairs. At
the conclusion of Mr.. Rawlins' speech the
Bacon resolution was laid before the Sem
ate. Mr.. Sullivan (Miss.) then offered his
own resolution as a substitute for the
Bacon resolution. Senators Teller and
Hoar were the speakers in the executive
session of the Senate. Mr.. Teller made a
set speech In support of the treaty, and
Mr.. Hoar replied.
A notable speech was made in the Son
ate on Thursday by Mr.. Spooner of Wis
consn. He took for his text the anti-ex-
pansion resolution offered by Mr.. Vest.
but did not confne himself closely to that
proposed declaration of policy. The ex-
ecutive session Of the Senate was merely
a continuation of the legal argument
which started with Senator Spooner's
speech, in the open Senate. The river
and harbor biz carrying slightly more
than $20,000,00U, passed the House by n
vote of 160 TO Z. a bin was passed to pay
the heirs of John Smith $1,000 in salts
lection of judgment against Gen. John
X. Brooke for trcspass and false impris-
OilhIFHl hlilit Dt WIS lieutenant cOlUnpI
of the Third infantry in 1869.
The controversy in the Senate over the
vote upon the various resolutions inter
pretive of the peace treaty took an acute
turn late on Friday. The opposition to a
vote first came from the friends of the
treaty, who held to the theory that it
could be ratified without compromise.
Those who apparently were then willing
that vote should he taken that day, held
an opposite view and absolutely refused
to agree TO time for taking a vote. The
contest occurred in the executive session.
1he next hour and quarter was spent
IN vain endeavor on the one side TO get
an agreement to date for n vote upon
the resolutions and on the other in more
successful effort to bring the days session
TO close without allowing anything TO be
accomplished in that direction. For more
than five hours the Senate in open session
listened TO arguments in opposition 10 ex-
pansion and in opposition to the ratifica-
ton Of the treaty of peace. The speakers
were Mr.. Money Miss and Mr.. Daniel
(Na). Mr.. Hale (Aie.) presented the CON
ference report on the diplomatic and con-
sular appropriation bin, and it was agree.
consumed in tilibustering against relief
bills on the private calendar The filibus-
ter was finally successful and the House
adjourned without taking up the bills.
At the opening of Saturdays session
Mr.. Allen Pop, Ncbl offered a resolution
declaring that the United States, in rati-
flying the treaty Of Paris, does not COM
nit itself TO the doctrine that the islands
acquired through the war with Spain are
ne annexed to or become phrt OF the
lifted States. Mr.. Chiffon Dem., Tex.)
addressed the Senate on Mr.. Vests anti
expansion resolution. Senator Wolcott
made n strong speech in favor of expan-
sion The Senate went into executive ses-
sion without voting on any Of the pending
resolutions regarding expansion. The
time of the Senate behind closed doors
was consumed almost entirely by Mr..
Morgan. After disposing OF few routine
matters the House took up the bin max
ing appropriations for. the expenses Of the
military academy Mt West Point for the
year ending Jure 30. 1900. H. carries a
total of $G01 ,Sl7 The bill was reported
70 the House and passed.