Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-01-18

In the Senate on Monday Mr.. Hoar of
Massachusetts made strong speech
against territorial expansion. Mr. Platt
of New York replied The Nicaragua
Canal bill was then taken up and Mr.. Oaf-
fiery continued his speech in opposition TO
It, Mcssrs. Bacon, Money and Chiffon
engaged in a general discussion of the
binding power of treaties in general. The
House reversed the decision of the com
mittee of the whole last Friday, when the
appropriation for the support of the civil
service commission was stricken out of
the legislative, executive and judicial an
preparation bill. The House by special
order decided to proceed with the consid-
GRAFTON OF the naval personnel bill as soon
as the bill for the coditication of the laws
OF Alaska was out of the way. About
seventy additional pages of the latter bill
were covered.
senator Mason of Illinois occupied the
attention of the Senate for nearly an hour
and half on Tuesday with speech in
support OF his resolution declaring that
the United States will never attempt TO
govern the people of any country without
thelr consent. Mr.. Turley was then rec
ognlzed to speak on the Nicaragua canal
blil He announced himself as an lvo-
cate of the canal, but said he was opposed
to the pending bill At the conclusion of
Mr. 1ur!ey's speech a bill was passed di-
recting the President to appoint Paymas-
ter General T. III. Stanton major gen
eral and retire him at that grade. The
House devoted its undivided attention to
the bill for the codification of the criminal
laws of Alaska, and when adjournment
was had all but ten pages of the bill had
been disposed of.
In the Senate on Wednesday a sharp
debate was precipitated by Mr.. Allen
tNeb.) by some remarks he made upon a
resolution he had introduced. Mr.. Hoar
tMass.l and Mr.. Gray Del) were drawn
INTO 1t. The resolution stated that any
aggressive action by army or navy on the
part of the United States against the
fhiilppines would be an act of war un-
warranted on the part Of the President
ana the exercise of constitutional powers
vested exclusively in Congress. Mr.. For
aker Of Ohio was recognized after short
debate and proceeded 10 deliver his set
speech on the general question of the pow
er 10 extend our territory. At $40 p. m.
the Senate, OH motion of Mr.. Davis, the
chairman Of the Foreign Relations Com
mlttee and in charge of the treaty of
peace. went into executive session. SEN
ator Davis reported the peace treaty and
moved that the treaty and the proceedings
OF the peace commission be made public.
This motion led to debate. The discussion
was brief however, and the motion to re-
move the injunction of secrecy prevailed
without division. The House completed
and passed the bill for the codifcation of
the criminal laws of Alaska.
The supporters and opponents of the
peace treaty In the Senate had their first
contest over that document on Thursday
in executive session. The debate was
upon a motion by Senator Berry to con-
slider the resolution of ratification in open
session. The discussion continued from a
few minutes past o'clock until about 3.
when the Senate adjourned for the day.
without reaching vote. There were no
set speeches in the usual acceptance of
that phrase. 1t was q running debate, in
which Senators Berry, White, Hale.
Hoar. Vest and others in opposition to the
treaty met Senators Davis, Frye, Teller,
Gray and others in advocacy of it. The
House passed the diplomatic and consul
ar appropriation bill without amend
ment During the general debate two set
speeches were made against imperialism
by Messrs. Carmack and Gaines of Ten
nessee. The diplomatic and consular is
the sixth of the regular appropriation bills
to pass the House. The bill as passed
carries 81, 1855 A bill was passed au-
thorizing the Little River Railroad Com
pany to construct a railroad through the
Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian reserya-
tions.
In the Senate on Friday Mr.. McLaurin
Dem.) of South Carolina made strong
appeal In carefully prepared speech
against policy of expansion by this ma
ton. Mr.. Sullivan Dem.) of Mississippi
and Mr.. Pasco Dem.) of Florida dis
cussed the pending Nicaragua canal bill.
the former supporting it and the latter op-
posing it. The Indian appropriation bill
was taken up, but its consideration was
not concluded before the hour of adjourn
ment. The House entered upon the con-
sideration of the naval personnel bill. The
speeches on the bill were filled with glow
ing illusions to the glories of naval VIC
tories in the late war. The bill was sup
ported by Messrs. Foss Rep.) of Illinois,
Dayton (RepJ of West Virginia. Berry
Dem) of Kentucky, briggs Dem.) Of
New York and Dinsmore Dem.l of Ar.
kansas, and was opposed by Messrs.
Lowe RepD of New York and Simpson
Pop.) of Kansas.
The session of the Senate was brief on
Saturday. early adjournment being taken
out of respect TO the memory of Congress
man Dngley. A resolution asking indie
pendence for the Philippine Islanders, in
troduced by Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts.
was put over. The resolution of Mr.. Al
len for the appointment of a committee of
five Senators to investigate the conduct of
the late war was then laid before the Sen
ate. and Hf. Allen made speech in ad-
vocacy OF it. The death of Mr.. Dingley
occupied the entire attention of the
House.