The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-17
IT WAS STRICKEN OUT
A Sharp Contest Over the $780,
100000 for Spain.
ON A POINT OF ORDER
Hepburn Rem ws His Effort to Get the
Nicaragua Bill Tacke On to the
sundrys Civil Was Nearly
Successful

sational and unexpected things hap
pended in the house to-day during the
consideration of the sundry civil bill.
The paragraph carrying the appropra-
ton of $40, ,o00, ,008 for payment to Spain
under the terms of the peace treaty
was stricken out upon a point of order
made by Mr.. Wheeler, a Kentucky
democrat. who declared that he oppos-
ed the appropriation on principle and
would resort to any technicality to de-
feat it. The point of order was debated
for hours, it's determination hinging
upon the question of whether the rati-
fication of the treaty by the senate
and it's signing by the president vital
ized it without the action of the Span
ish cortes Warrant of law was nee
essary to make the appropriation in
order Mr. Hopkins, rep, H., who was
in the chair, sustained the point of
order against it, and upon an appeal
his decision was sustained, 149 to S.
Mr.. Cannon then attempted to have
the appropriation inserted by unani-
nous consent, but Mr.. Wheeler again
objected. A strong intimation was
given by Mr.. Cannon that a way would
be found within the rules to make the
appropriation before the adjournment
of congress. He referred undoubtedly
to the probability that the appropra-
tion would be placed on the bill by the
senate. After5t the sundry civil bill had
been completed and reported to the
house, Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa. the cham
pion of the Nicaragua canal bill, moved
to recommit it with instructions to re-
port it back with the canal bill incor-
tod tn, ", ,tcs Tod
move, as it was generally understood
that Mr.. Hepburn had abandoned all
hope after his defeat yesterday. But
he believed that his motion would have
additional strength in the house. where
members could be put on record. The
motion was promptly declared out of
order by the speaker. whereupon Nj
Hepburn and Mr.. Payne of New York
moved to lay the appeal on the table.
On the latter motion the vote was
taken and the rs..ulI was 81 ayes to-
81 noes. AS no quorum had developed
on the vote owing to the lateness of
the hour, they managed to carry an
adjournment until Tomorrow. This
gives them a breathing spell in which
encounter. and tomorrow. as soon as
the house meets the vote will again be
taken
In the house to-day the senate
amendments to the agricultural bill
were non-concurred in and the bill was
sent to conference. Without further
preliminary business the house went
into committee of the whole and re-
sumed consideration of the sundry civil
bill.
Mr. Bartlett, DEM, Ca, speaking to
a pro forma amendment, challenged
some statements recently made by Sec
retary of the Treasury Gage to the eff
feet that the fear that the adminstra-
ton of the Philippines would cost enor-
NOUS sums of money was all 'moon
shine" and that the receipts would at
all times exceed the expenditures.
Mr. Bartlett declared that the great
est revenue Spain had ever been able
to obtain from the Philippines under
the heaviest system of taxation was
S12,0OO,O00 We now had 10000 soldiers
in these islands. Within a short time
there would be 25,oOo. This army of
soldiers would cost at least $25,000,0 900.
so that if we We're able to exact as
much tribute as Spain we would still
be losers by the holding of the islands
to the extent of $l3,000.000 per annum.
Mr.. Bartlett also attempted to show
that in nine out of 10 cases Great Brit
aims colonies cost her more than she
obtained.
When the paragraph appropriating
to Spain under the treaty of
Paris was reached, Mr.. Wheeler, dem.
KY, made a point of order against it,
His point of order was that the para
graph was obnoxious to rule 81. invoked
yesterday against the Nicaragua canal
If the treaty of Paris We're
if il were vitalized by the
ratification of the Spanish cortes and
the exchange of ratifications had taken
place, he confessed that the treaty
w0nl1 ha fha Ia of ha 1.,,, nd
amendment would be in order. He cited
decisions of the supreme
court in support of his position.
Mr.. Hopkins, rep, ILL.,, who was in the
chair, called the attention of Mr.. |
to the fact that the treaty had |
been ratified by the senate and signed |
by the president. What else, he asked, |
was necessary to create a liability upon
the part of the United States.
In reply, Mr. Wheeler said that the |
Spanish csrtes might r9fuse to ratify |
the treaty and it could not become law
until the other high contracting party |
had consented to it. He was opposed |
to the appropriation on principal he
said, and he proposed to take advantage
Of every techncality to defeat it.
Mr.. Ball. dem, Tex, supported the
point of order. He admitted that he had
himself voted yea TO overrule the chair.
his unfamliarity with the rule led |
him to do that In'the course of Mr.. |
Balls remarks Mr. Cannon said that
he thought the point of order well |
taken, but he appealed to Mr. Ball not |
to press the point of order, and scored |
him for talking refuge behind a rule
which he yesterday tried to oVerrule.
He called attention to the fact that no
dollar of this appropriation could so
out of the treasury until the exchange
of notifications had been made.
Mr.. Lacey rep, Iowa, argued that the
was in order; that there
was at present a condition of war and
that this appropriation was necessary
to terminate it. Besides, any treaty
requiring a payment of money could
not be completed until the legislation
appropriatins that money was made
They must go together. Mr.. Crum-
packer. rep Ind, took similar view.
Mr. Gardiner, rep, N. j.. argued that
the senate by the constitution was the
treaty making power, and that the
house by none of its rules could in any