Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-02-09
WORK OF CONGRESS-

the president authority to reduce the
size OF Infantry companies and cavalry
troops to sixty men. thus fixing a min.
imum of about $4,000 enlisted men,
| passed the house 10y vote Of 1GS to
l"5. This was the result of a week Of
hard and often picturesque fighting on
the floor during the progress of which
the oppOsiuoG compelled those in
charge or the measure to give this dis
cretlonary authority to the president
| 10 make other notifications. among
which were reduction Cf 331 in the
| number of staff officers. In conse-
quence OF these notifications the Re-
publican opposition practically van
lshed. ana on the final vote but six
Republicans voted against tho bill.
Messrs. Barber, Maryland: Connolly.
Illinois; Loud, California: johnson.
Indiana: McEwan, New Jersey. and
Wadsworth. New York. This Repub-
lican detection was however, almost
offset by five members Of the political
opposition who voted in favor OF the
blil, Messrs. Perry, Kentucky: Me-
Clellan, New York: McAleer Pennsyl-
vania; Taylor, Alabama, Democrats.
and skinner Populist. North Carolina
Among the important amendments
adopted before the vote was taken
was one TO exclude the appointment Of
civilians TO positions in the engineer
corps, one to abolish cantcers and the
sale of liquor in camps ana one to
strike out the provision for additional
pay for commands serving in the West
Indies. the Philippines ami Alaska.
The amendment Of Mr.. Cummings OF
New York to prohibit the use of the
troops i'm the several states to suppress
riots. etc, upon the application Of the
states was defeated by a rye ma
jority. The motion To recommit with
Instructions to report back the mmori-
~ substitute only commanded two Re
publican votes and was loSt-l1- TO
40 The bill as passed provides in
addition to the general officers and
staff departments for II regiments of
l. troops each. IA coaSt batteries, q
field batteries. 80 regiments Of infan.
try of II companies each. n curus Of
engineers and one regiment Of engi-
ncerS. an ordnance department and n
signal corps, the latter with G25 enlist
ed men. 1t also gives the president
serving in Cuba. Porto Rico and the
islands Of the Pacific in whole CIR In
part fr0m the Inhabitants thereof.
Before the hnuse adjourned the river
and harhor bill was formally called up
in order 10 make Ii the uDfini shed
business in the committee OF the
whole.
The senate.
During almost the entire morning
hour yesterday the senate had under
discussion the policy Of this country
to be pursued in the Philippines Mr..
Berry of Arkansas. In response to
question by Mr. Vest. discussed the
policy of expansion without a refer
ence To the constitutional point in
volved in the Vest resolution. He
spoke from notes. stating his objections
to the pending treaty of peace. He de-
clared that he would never vote to
place upon any people policy against
which Lee fought and against which
Jackson gave up his life. An attempt
by Mr.. Bacon OF Georgia TO secure a
vote upon his resolution, which, in
brief. declares that the United States
government will not make war upon q
people seeking freedom, precipitated a
lively debate. which was participated
in by Mr.. Plat Of Connecticut and Mr..
Teller of Colorado. Mr. Bacon de-
clared that lie would not vote for the
treaty unless some such declaration
was adopted by congress. To this Mr..
Platt took exception and delivered Il
speech In which he carefully analysed
the situation which confronts this
country in the Philippines. No final
action was taken.
Washington. Feb. 2. - For n few
minutes in the senate yesterday after
noon II seemed likely that vote
might be taken on one or more of the
resolutions relating to expansion that
are pending before that body. An un-
usually large number of Republican
senators were in attendance. all or
them having been notified to be pres
ent in the event of critical vote on
the pending question. MIR. Bacon or
Georgia had called up his resolutions
and Mr.. Chandler of New Hampshire
had withdrawn his motion TO REFER
Them TO the committee on foreign re-
lations. Mr.. sullivan of Mississippi
had entered a motion to substitute MS
resolution for those of Mr.. Bacon.
while Mr.. Davis. chairman of the for
eign relations committee. had an
nounced that he was willing that
vote should be taken Immediately. AS
il was evident, however, that a vote on
resolutions and amendments could not
be taken before o'clock - the hour
fixed by unanimous consent for the
senate TO go into executive session
Mr.. Bacon asked for unanimous con
sent that vote be taken 1T 1890 to-
day. TO this request Mr.. Carter OF
Montana objected ard the whole ques.
tiGn was left suspended. Mr.. Rawlns
0f Utah addressed the senate upon the
Vest arti-cNpanSion resolution devot-
ing the greater part Of bis time TO a
defense of his position that thc con-
stitution applies rs Vel TO people Of
cur territories as those Of the states.
The House.
The house entered upon the coas!d-
Grafton of the river and harhor hill and
made rapid progress Fifty Of the
elghty-eight pages OF tho bill had been
completed when the house adjourned.
The bill approprlates directly about