The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-02-10
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS.


the Fifty Fifth session.
IN the senate on the 2)th Senator Allison
ua,l made an effort to obtain consideration OF
the Indian appropriation bill, which precipi-
tated u running debate about the resolutions
for and against expansion until the senate
went Into executive session Senator Mason
uil) offered q resolution. which was adopted.
calling on the secretary OF war for information
about the sickness and deaths Of American
soldiers IN our new territorial acquisition. In
the executive session the peace treaty WAS eon-
sidcred and the correspondence bearing upon
II, which tho president had sent In, was read.
THE house had completed - OF tho 10 pages
OF the army bill when IL adjourned, the COM
mtttee amendments being adopted providing
for an army OF 100, 09 men, with discretion In
tho president to reduce II 10 5000 Mr., Hop
kins uil) reported the census bill and gave
notice that he would call |, up Februaryd
MOST OF the time in the senate on the 3ist
was taken up In discussing the policy OF this
country to he pursued In the Philippine is-
lands No action was taken on any OF the
pending resolutions bearing on the matter.
Senators Gray 'Dell and Money tMiss) DC
cupied the entire executive session In speeches
on the peace treaty, Senator Gray ~favoring
ratification and Senator Money opposing IT,,
The bill for the reorxanizatio and increase OF
tho regular army to about 100, 900 men, but
giving the president authority to reduce II to
50,000 was passed by tho house by u vote Of lbs
for to iso against. Six republicans voted
against the hill and four democrats and one
populisi In favor Before adjournment was
taken the river and harbor bill was formally
called up In order 10 make 1t the unfinished
business IN committee Of the whole.
For u time In tho senate on the lst It looked
rs II II vote would be taken on one or more OF
the resolutions relating to expansion that wern
pending, but as 1t seemed evident that the vot,
,ould not be taken before two o'elock~tae hour
Tor the senate to go into executive session on
the peace treaty~-Seuator Bacon ga asked
Tor unanimous consent that n vote be taken pt
is;W o'clock the next day. To this request
senator Carter tMon) objected and the whole
question was left suspended, Senator Raw
Inns tutah) then addressed the senate upon the
Vest anti-eSpansion resolution In the esec|i-
tive session Senator Teller tCol) made II
speech In support OF the treaty and Senator
Hoar MASS spoke In opposition il, The house
entered upon the consideration OF the river
and harbor bill and before adjournment Ind
completed no of the rs Pug, ~ Of the bill IT up
oropriates directly about &c 800, 0O and au-
thorizcs contracts TO the extent OF sl8. OU0, 40
additional. Mr. Hepburn ,Ia.) made n speech
In opposition to the measure.
A SpooNER tWisl spoke for three
nours In the senate on the I'd, IIe discussed
The question OF expansion In all It's phases pnd
urged the ratification OF the peace treaty, lie
was several times interrupted by Senator Till
man Is ca asking questions. the latter senator
declaring ut one time that he would not vote
FOR the treaty because, us Senator Spooner ad-
mitted, the lo,WO.U0 people OF the Philippines
could take the first ship to America and enter
into competition with American labor. The
executive session held after Senator Spooner's
speech was only u continuation Of the debate In
..~ux, a-nAt-x ntM- -t..-- - -. ~ ~-.
PASSED by the house by the large majority OF
1919 to T. II carries u little more than $50, COO
100 A resolution was introduced that tho
United States flag on all government buildings
should always be displayed Ut half mast on
February ID In memory Of the destruction Of
the bnttleshIp Maine. A bill was also intro
dueed to repeal the law which prevents m OK
confederate soldier from sitting on u federal
grand or petit jury.
In the senate on tho ID arguments were
made in opposition to expansion and In opposi-
ton to the ratification OF the peace treaty.
Senators Money tMiss) and Daniel tva)
being The speakers. Senator Harris (Kan.)
offered a resolution dIsclnimtnz any Intention
Of the United States to permanently hold the
Philippine islands II was laid on the table at
his request Senator Baker Kan } introduced
q bill changing the place for holding court ir
the central district Of the lndian territory
from cameron TO foteau ~. M0St OF the time
OF the house during Its session Of three hours
was taken up in fllbustering against relief
bills on the private calendar. the filibuster be-
ing successful ind the house sdiourning with
out taking up any OF the bills The conference
report upon the diplomatic and consular mp
preparation bill was agrsed 10. Mr. Curtis
tkan.) reported fsvorabiy from tho commit
tee a bill 10 put In force In the Indian territory
certain laws Of Arkansas relating to corpora
tions. The Curtis bill providing for lcgisla-
tlon touching railroad rivht-of-way through
the Indian territory was also reported favor
ably,