The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03
SENATE.

on the part OIL CCIdlOT kAlllSOAit I'll AO"Ns
to obtain consideration in the Senate to-
day for the Indian appropriation bill
precipitated a running debate when
occupied all the time until the senate
at 2 o'clock went into executive session
on the peace treaty.
A house Joint resolution, authorizing
the secreatry of war to admit TO west
Point Andres Pout Ruego, of Vene-
zuela, was adopted at the opening Of
the session today.
Senator Mason, of Illinois, called up
his resolution offered Saturday after
noon and presented a resolution in an
amended form as follows:
Whereas, A large number of the
sailors and soldiers of the United
States are now in the Philippine islands,
or on their way there; and,
Whereas, There-are differing news
paper reports as to the condition of the
health of the soldiers and sailors; and,
Whereas, 1t is reported by the press
that there is a large percentage of those
who are made sick by reason of the
climate of said islands; and,
Whereas, 1t is stated upon good
IHSOlCdl dol4OA1ky kA"S
years as high as so per cent. of the SOL
diers unaccustomed to that climate
have died by reason Of the said climate
therefore, be it,
Resolved, That the secretary of wal
be directed to furnish for the informa-
ton of the senate a statement as to
the percentage of our soldiers who are
sick and nave been sick M the num-
Der Of deaths in our army by reason
of the ckness caused by the climate
in said islands,, and to set forth when,
according to the generally accepted
term, the sickly season begins in the
said islands"
The resolution was adopted.
Senator Allison, of Iowa, called up
the pending Indian appropriation bill
and asked the senate to proceed to it's
consideration.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, said that
when he and other senators agreed to
vote next Monday on the peace treaty
it was the un Outstanding that an OPP
portunity would be afforded to vote
first upon certain pending resolutions,
which are pertinent to the main ques-
ton.
Senator Allison replied that he had
no desire to interfere with any matter
pertaining to the treaty, but in the alb
sence Of formal notice of any senator
to speak todav~he thought it an oppor-
tune time to take up the Indian bill.
Senator Jones said there was a de-
sire that the resolutions be passed up-
on by the senate before the treaty was
voted upon. Personally he was ready
to vote today.
Senator Bacon, who was anxious -
obtain action upon his resolutions,
said tina unless action should be taken
before the vote upon the treaty was
taken all of the cognate resolutions
would be displaced and rendered nil.
After further debate and at the re-
quest of Senator Bacon the resolutions
were laid before the senate.
Instantly Senator Chandler, of New
Hampshire, entered a motion to refer
the resolutions to the committee on for
-eign relations.
Senator Bacon thought this scarcely
fair. as the motion Of Senator Chandler,
he said, meant, ~indisputedly that the
resolutions should die.
Senator Chandler disclaimed n at
tempt to dispose summarily of Senator
Baeon's resolutions, although he
thought they ought to be considered
by the committee. He held it was only
reasonable that a vote Should be had
on the resolutions, and personally he
would not object to a vote next Friday
or Saturday. He thought, however, no
action bearing in any way upon the
treaty ought to be taken by the senate
until the vote was had On the treaty
itself next Monday. The pending resO-
buttons would then come up very natu-
rally.
Senato Bacon said his desire was to
obtain an early action upon the resolu-
tiOnS in order that the house might
have an opportunity to pass upon them
before the expiration of the present
congress by limitation.
Senator Carter, of Montana, discuss
ing not only the resolutions offered by
Senator Bacon, but also the situation
as it was presented to the senate, de-
clared that no public interest and no
sound public policy equired a vote
upon the resolutions at this session of
congress. A favorable vote upon any
OF the pending resolutions. before the
conclusion of the work on the treaty of
peace, would be a vote of lack of con-
fdence in the American people. That,
he thought, was a preposterous propo-
-Sition. The treaty now under consider
alton did not render it either desirable
or proper that this congress should
pass upon the future of the Philippine
islands. He declared that there was
no disposition on any han to dispose
of the Philippines in any other way
than the enlightened judgment and
acute intellect of the American people
bind congress to do anything that was
not in consonance with the enlight-
ened sense of the American people. For
what purpose, therefore he asked, dc
the gentlemen who are urging the adop-
ton of these resolutions seek to bind
the action of the next congress.
Interrupting the speaker, Senator Ba-
con said that so far as his resolutions
were concerned there was no attempt
in them to commit the government to
any particular policy except that it did
not propose to exercise permanent SOW
ereignty in the Philippines.
Senator Teller inquired if there was
anything in the resolutions to prevent
the government from exercising at
least temporary sovereignty in the is
lands, with the intention, subsequent
~, OF allowing them self-government.
He believed that, of course, it would
be necessary for the United States to
exercise some sort of control over the
islands at least for a time.
Senator Teller then offered an
amendment to the resolutions cover
ing his point and Senato Bacon ac-
fcepted it.