The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-17
NICARAGUA CANAL BILL
Shelved for This Term
of Congress.


Approved by the House-Senator Nc.
Enery's Question Of Personal Privi-
lege as TO Motives Charged 10 Him for
Introducing Philippine Resolution.
SENATE.
Washington, February 15.-In the SEN
ate today Senator McEnery, of Louis
lana as a question Of personal privi-
lege, made an emphatic denial of the
statement that his resolution, adopted
by the senate yesterday, was introduced
in the interest of the sugar growers
of Louisiana During the debate on
his resolution yesterday he said some
statements were made with respect TO
changes in the resolution after it was
& introduced that would seem to reflect
upon him. Senator Lindsay, of Ken
lucky, had said that upon examination
he had found that it was not the same
resolution he had supposed Senator Nc
Emery was going to offer. Senator TILL
man, of South Carolina, had said that
this resolution had been amended "all
out of shape"
Senator McEnery said that the reso-
some time. but that no material changes
had been made in it. The changes made
were only such as were required to
make it conform to the conditions when
he offered it. There certainly, he said,
was no ground for the statement of
! Senator Tillman. He further said that
! when Senator Hoar made the state
ment yesterday that the resolution was
introduced because the sugar planters
! of Louisiana were afraid of the sugar
! competition of the Philippines he spoke
under a misapprehension. The sugar
planters, as body, were opposed to the
! ratification of the treaty. He said he
had not consulted them with reference
| to his vote on the treaty as he did not
! represent them exclusively. The. cotton
! industry Of Louisiana was strongly in
{ favor of the treaty. He said that if 1t
should prove to be true that the resolu-
ton would afford protection to the su
gar industry, he should be glad of it,
! but to afford that protection was not
. his motive in introducing it.
A bill extending the" cordial apprecia-
: ton" of congress to Miss Helen Miller
] Gould for her patriotic service during
! the recent war and providing that the
president should present to her gold
! medal was passed.
I A bill was also passed providing for
+ the admission to the naval academy as
! a cadet of Oscar w. Deigman, one of
the Merrimac heroes.
On motion of Senator HOar, the sem
ate al 1880 p. m. went into executive
session.
After the executive session an open
| session was held for the purpose Of
giving Senator Carter an opportunity
to try to get consideration for the bill
| providing a code of laws for Alaska.
He made a request for a unanimous
| consent agreement for night session
| to read the bill, which is very volumi-
nous, but objection was made.
Senator Chandler said he was anx-
ious to discuss the bill called Ticket
Brokerage Bill' which he declared was
a measure of monopoly against compe-
| tition.
| Senator Cullom, chairman OF the in
| terstate commerce committee, expressed
doubt that the anti-scalping bill could
be voted on at this session. He would
! be glad, he said, to have a vote upon
| it, but saw little prospect Of one.
Senator Tillman: Il want to say now
that that bill (anti-scalping) cannot
pass at this session.
After some further discussion, Sena-
tor Carter seeing no opportunity for an
agreement moved an adjournment
which carried at $50 o'clock, p. m.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
The house today settled the fate of
the Nicaragua canal bill in this con-
gress by refusing to override the decis-
ion Of the chair in committee of the
whole when the chair held that the
canal bill offered as an amendment 20
the sundry civil bill by Mr.. Hepburn
was out of order. The friends of the
Nicaragua bill were very confident yes
terday and today that they would tri-
umph, but after four hours Of debate
the chair was sustained-127 to 1O9.
Mr.. Bailey, the democratic leader
/ made an argument in favor of the view
that the amendment was in order. He
desired to vote upon that PROPOSE itior
because he realized that sooner or later
the house would be compelled to choose
between this proposition and one to al
. low private corporation with govern
ment credit to build the canal. If the
canal was to be built by the govern
ment, it must be based upon the theory
that the canal was necessary for th'
support Of our military and naval de
fence. Otherwise, if the governmen
could build foreign waterways in for
, eign territory why could it not com
. back home and build railroads for tn
benefit of interstate commerce.
Mr.. Dockery, of Missouri, gave motto
= that if this amendment was declared il
! order he would offer an amendment t
it to provide for the issue Of enougl
9 additional legal tender notes to NEE
the entire cost of the construction of tn
canal Mr. Dockery declared himseI
in favor Of building the Nicaragua ca
= nal because it would aid the nationa
:, defense and promote commercial ex
pansion which he preferred to terrific
rial expansion. He hinted strongly a
influences outside the bill, the same in
fluences substantially which were bac
of the Hanna-Payne subsidy bill Thes
influences, he said, insisted that 5000.
e 600 should go to certin gentlemen VIII
were interested in the Maritime Cana
Company. He warned the members o
d his side of the house that they could nc
: afford in the closing days of the ses
2 sion to lend themselves to such an en-
r terprise.
Mr.. Moody. republican, of Massachu