The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-25
WITH CANAL AMENDMENT.
River and Harbor Bill Passed-senatOr
seHvelI nm Antf-Annexationfst

| throughout the day and on several Of the
! committee amendments a determined fight
| was made, but in every instance the oppo-
| sition availed nothing. The sharpest con-
| test arose ovel the Nicaragua canal bill
amendment, A point of order was made
| against it that it was general legislation,
| but the Senate, to which the Vice President
submitted the point, overruled it. 1t was
then attacked as not being relevant to a
river and harbor measure, but this, too, was
overruled by the Senate. Mr.. Pettigrew
| (Sil. Rep, S. d., Mr.. Rawlins Dem., Utah),
and Mr.. Teller (Sil. Rep, Col), vigorously
attacked the bill, their opposition being di-
| rected especially against the canal amend
ment. The statement made that the
| measure would never see the light of day
in the House and that the canal would not
| be built under the proposition inserted in
the bill.
During the afternoon Mr.. Sewell, of New
Jersey. delivered speech in support of the
Hull-Hawley army reorganization bill, in
the course of which he declared that the
| United States was now as much at war in
the Philippines as it was with Spain when
our army was before Santiago. He ex-
pressed the belief that it would require an
army of fifty thousand men to control the
have serious trouble in Cuba. In beginning
his speech he said that in very short time
the President had armed and equipped a
great army of nearly 275.O00 men. This army
had been reduced more than one-half yet
! to-day, in his opinion, the country was more
| in a state of war than it was When our
army was before Santiago 81 never was in
favor of the acquisition of the Philippines"
said Mr.. Sewell. Il said to the President the
day after Deweys magnificent victory in
Manila bay For Gods sake, order him
away from there. F"
WILL REQUIRE A BIG ARMY.
Mr.. Sewell then stated his reasons for not
| desiring the Pacific islands. He said that he
had visited them and was satisfied from per-
| sonal observation that they and their in
| habitants were not desirable acquisitions to
| this country He declared that it would take
an army of from twenty-five thousand to
| fifty thousand to maintain our control in
| the Philippines. Even now the American
troops were cooped up in Manila and, thus
| far, had been able to accomplish little. In
his opinion, twenty thousand men would be
required in Cuba and several thousand In
| Porto Rico, so that practically the entire
army would be used in what might be
! termed our island possessions.
! Mr. Foraker interrupted Mr.. Sewell to in
! quire why the United States would need q
! force of twenty thousand men in Cuba,
stating his belief that we did not need any
! force there since there were no Spanish SOL
| diers to fight, and to inquire further how
| the government was going to keep a force
! on that island after peace with Spain for
mally has been declared. He declared that
| the Cubans had exercised great self-control
| and that our troops were not now needed
| on the island.
Mr. Sewcu-Nve have had peace in Cuba
! because we have had a large force there.
/ a npOnlp IneV
! will have revolutions constantly. l believe
we shall have war with them after
! while
Mr. Foraker-I do not think we will.
! Mr. Sewell-I do. But that is a question
about which the senator and ] differ.
Continuing his aTsgtnSnt, Mr.. Sewell said:
4 eve cannot go outside of our lines In the
| Philippines. The situation is serious Those
! people who are turbulent and intractable
must be put down. If l We're the President
l would send force there that would be
sufficient to put them down sharply and
| quickly"
Mr. Lindsay interrupted Mr. Sewell, say
ing that it had been reported in the public
press that certain senators, some OF whom
were members of the mslitary affairs COM
mittee and some of whom were not. had
agreed upon compromise army reoTganiza-
ton bill which met the approval of the adj
ministration. IF that be true" suggested
Mr. Lindsay, will the senator say whether
he is addressing his remarks to the compro-
mise measure or to the bill reported by the
Republican members of the committee, or
Il believe replied Mr. sewen, that what
the senator suggests is probably true There
will be a compromise army measure, but l
am addressing my remarks to the bill re-
ported by the committee.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
The reading Of the river and harbor bill
was then proceeded with without objection
until the Nicaragua canal amendment was
reached. When that amendment had been
read Mr.. Rawlins called attention to the
fact that there was no provision for the
ratification by the Senate of any treaty that
might be made with Nicaragua Costa
Rica for right of way for the canal.
Mr. Frye replied that no treaty was pro-
vided for.
Mr. Rawlins said that he was Of opinion
that the question was one to be dealt with
! as a desperate measure. He then made the
point of order that the amendment was not
in order because it provided for general
legislation.
After a long discussion OF the point of
order the Vice President, awaiting himself
Of the rules of the Senate, submitted to
the Senate the question: rs the amendment
in order and shall it be submitted to the
Senator" The yeas and nays were demand
ed and the amendment was decided to be In
order-51 to T. Those voting no were A1essrs.
Allen, Bate, Cockrell Pettigrew, Rawlins,
Teller and Vest
Mr. Vest then raised the question of
relevancy of the amendment and demanded
the yeas and nays. 1t was decided to be
reievant-4S 10 L. Those voting in the
negative We're Allen, Bate, Clay Cockrell,
Daniel McLaurin Pasco, Pettigrew, Raw
Inns Roach, Teller and Vest.
Mr. Spooner offered an amendment to the
Nicaragua canal amendment as follows:
THAT if the President shall be unable to
secure from the governments of Nicaragua
and Costo Rica such concessions as will
enable the United States to build and per-
petually own and control said canal the
| President is authorized to negotiate for
| control of or a right to construct, maintain
! connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,
and the President is required to negotiate
! for the abrogation or modification of any
! and ali treaty obligations, If any such ex-
| ist, as shall in anywise interfere with the
! construction, ownership and perpetual con-
! troll of any such canal.
! Mr. Frye, in charge of the BILL accepted
! the amendment and it was agreed to.
Mr.. Rawlins proposed an amendment
! striking out the appropriation for the pur-
| chase of the right of way for the canal
! The amendment was defeated-48 to 5. The
! Nicaragua canal bill amendment as
! amended was agreed to without division
harbor bill was placed on its passag and
passed-50 to 3. Messrs. Pettgrew, Rawlins
/ and Teller voted against the bill
Mr. HaWey chairman Of the military af-
! fairs committee. reported the compromise
4 bill for the reorganization of the army
/ to in committee with great unaninlity and
! with the hearty belief that it will pass the
/ Senate" The Hull-Hawley bill was then
/ recOmmitted TO the committee.
/ An agreement was reached that the SEN
! ate convene at II a. M. tomorrow The
! Senate then. at 6:40. adjourned
~