The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-17

the government and control of the is
lands to their people"
A yea and nay vote was demanded,
resulting 20 to 20. In announcing the
vote the vice president said: 1.-The vote
is a tie. The chair votes in the mega
tive. The amendment is lost"
The vote was then taken on the Nc
Emery resolution, which is as follows:
THAT by the ratification of the
treaty of peace with Spain, it is not
intended to incorporate the Inhabitants
of the Philippine islands into citizen
ship of the United States, nor is it in
tended to permanently annex said is
lands as an integral part Of the terri
tory of the United States; but it Is
the intention Of the United States to
establish on said islands, a government
suitable to the wants and conditions
of the inhabitants of said islands to
prepare them for local self-government
and in due time to make such DISPOSE
ton of said islands as will best pro-
mote the interests of the citizens of the
United States and the inhabitants of
said islands"
The resolution was adopted-yeas, &c;
nays, %, several democrats who were
present and not paired Withholding
their votes.
The senate then at 3:05 o'clock, on
motion of Senator Hoar, went into ex-
ecutive session and at $40 o'clock p.
m, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The Nicaragua canal bill was offered
in the house this afternoon as an
amendment to the sundry civil appro-
priation bill by Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa,
chairman of the committee that report
ed it, and the leaders on the respective
sides are engaged in a desperate strug-
gle which involves the fate Of the
measure at this session of congress.
After Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the
committee on appropriations, served
notice last week that there was no time
for the consideration of he canal at
this session., the supporters of the
measur determined to force it on to
the sundry civil bill as a rider, f pos
sible. AS soon as it was offered his
afternoon, Mr.. Cannon made four
points of order against it, and n of
the most interesting parliamentary
contests of the season was on. AS a
rule the appeals of the house leaders
are able to hold the members in line,
but strong arguments are adduced in
support of the pertinency of the
amendment, n besides the bill has
strong friends on both sides of the
IdlIlb l. L SCS1l1A1151y 4So0y "
adopt any experiment to provide for
the construction of the canal. The de-
bate on the points of order lasted two
hours today and was not concluded. 1t
promises to consume several hours to-
morrow. 1t seems to be a foregone con-
clusion that the chairman of the COM
mittee of the whole (Mr. Hopkins, Of
%IllinOis) will sustain the points OF Or
der so that the real test will come upon
the question of overruling the chair.
Should the chair be overruled there is
no doubt that the amendment will
command a majority Of votes. About
twenty pages of the bill were disposed
of today. No important amendments
were adopted.
Mr.. Wheeler, democrat, of Kentucky,
in the course of some remarks in oppo-
sition to expansion, served notice that
he proposed to vote against the $20,-
900, 900 appropriation to be paid to
Spain.
MI. Bailey, democrat, of Texas, re-
minded Mr.. Wheeler that the presi-
dent and senate constituted the treaty
making power and the house must &C
q~uiesce in their action.
Mr. Wheeler declared that the treaty
making power had no right to bind
the house. He declared that the judg-
InoTC OIL HlSlOTy WOulu repfOdCu us IOI
slaughtering the Philippines.
Mr.. Williams, democrat, Of Missis-
sippi, argued that the house had no
right to question a treaty made or to
r%epudiate treaty obligations.
Mr.. Lewis, democrat, of Washing
ton, furnished an interesting contribu-
ton to the historical phase Of the sub
ject by recalling the fact that Spain
agreed to pay England SO, coo, 900 after
the Philippines had been taken by the
English in 1852. But Spain had nevel
paid and Lord Walthom had denounc-
| ed her course in the m Spair
was the only country on the globe
which had repudiated her treaty obi.
cations.
Mr.. McRae, democrat, of Arkansas
| gave notice that he would offer al
amendment to the appropriation O.
$40, 900, 900, declaring it to be the policy
of the government not to annex thu
Philippines.
Upon reaching the page containing
the caption Deep Waterways Commits
sions,' Mr.. Hepburn, republican, o.
Iowa, chairman of the Interstate com
merce committee, offered as an amend
ment the Nicaragua canal bill report
ed by his committee.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appro
priations committee, Immediately rails
ed four distinct points of order agains
it. First, that il was not germane
second, that it was directly obnoxiou'
to rule 81; third, that it violated tn,
rule requiring appropriations in gen
eral appropriation bills hou be au
thorized by law, and, fourth, that i
was not in continuation of work au
thoriZed by law.
This opened up a long parliamentar.
debate upon the point OF order.
There were several interesting colo
quies between Mr.. Cannon and MI
Hepburn as they fenced for advant
age.
Without concluding the debate upol
the point of order, the committee rose
The army appropriation bill was re
ported by Mr.. Hull. who gave motto
that he would call it up at the earli
est opportunity.
At Sis o'clock p. m. the house ad
journed.