The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-02-09
WORK OF co NCRES9|


army to about 100, goo men, but giving
the presid lent authority to reduce the
size Of infantry companies and cavalry
troops to sixty men, thus fixing q min-s
imum Of about so, 600 enlisted men,
passed the house Dy q vote Of 1853 to
125. This was the result OF q week of
hard and often picturesque fighting on
the floor during the progress of which
the oppOsiuon con- PEELED those In.
charge Of the measure to give this dis
cretionary authority to the presidents
to make other modi tons. among
which were a reduction Of 331 in the
number Of staff officers. In conse-
quence Of these notifications the Re
publican opposition practically van
ished, and on the final vote but six
Republicans voted against the bill,
Messrs. Barber, Maryland; Connolly,
Illinois, Loud, California; Johnson
Indiana; McEwan. New Jersey, and
WadsWorth. New York. This Repub-
llcan detection was, however, almost
offset by five members Of the political
opposition who voted in favor Of the
BILL Messrs. Berry, Kentucky; Me-
Il
vania; Taylor, Alabama, Demo Gratis.
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 canteens and the
sale Of liquor in camps and one to
strike out the provision for additional
pay for commands serving in the West
indies. the Philippines and, Alaska.
The amendment Of Mr. Cummings Of
New York to prohibit the use Of the
troops In the several states to suppress
riots, ETC., upon the application Of the
states was defeated by large ma
jority. The motion to recommit with
instructions to report back the minors
ty substitute only commanded two Re-
publican votes and was lost-l17 to
ITO. The bill as passed provides In
addition to the general officers and
staff departments for IL regiments Of
Il troops each, IA coast batteries. "a
field batteries, 30 regiments of infan-
try of ~ companies each, a corps Of
engineers and one regiment Of engi-
neers, an ordnance department and a
signal corps, the latter with 625 enlist
ed men. 1t also gives the president
discretion to recruit the organizations
serving in Cuba, Porto Rico and the
islands Of the Pacific in whole or in
part from the inhabitants thereof.
Before the house adjourned the river
and harbor bill was formally called UP
In order to make. it the unfinished
business in the committee Of the
whole. .--.. 49, =. .s= "$
The Senate. d. .t.s:
:, 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 a
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 a 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
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 he would not vote for the
treaty unless some such declaration
was adopted by congress. To this Mr..
Platt took exception and delivered a
speech in which he carefully analysed
the situation which confronts this
country in the Philippines. No final
action was taken. r&rs.-5-& , ,.s> e.,
Washington, Feb. 2. = For a few
minutes in the senate yesterday after
noon it seemed likely that a. 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 of
them having been notified to be pres
ent in the event of critical vote on
the pending question. Mr.. Bacon of
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
IL
resolution for those Of Mr.. Bacon,
while Mr.. Davis, chairman Of the for
eign relations committee, had an
nounced that he was willing that a
vote should be taken Immediately. AS
1t was evident, however, that 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 a vote be taken at 1890 to-
day. To this request Mr. Carter Of
Montana objected and the whole ques-
tion was left suspended. Mr.. Rawlins
Of Utah addressed the senate upon the
Vest anti-expansion resolution, devot-
ing the greater part Of his time to
defense of his position that the con-
stitution applies as well to people Of
our territories as those Of the states.
@. &F# The House.
The house entered upon the consid-
Grafton Of the river and harbor bill and
made rapid progress. Fifty Of the
lightweight pages Of the bill had been
completed when the house adjourned.
The bill appropriates directly about
o,,1