The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-21
THE DEBATE ON THE HAY-PAUNCEfOTE
TREATY CLOSED
BOUTELLE ON THE RETIRED LIST
The Senate, without Debate or Any
objection, Passes the House Bill for
His Retirement as a Captain In the
Navy-Senator Chandler Again At
tempts to Get up the Montana Sena-
Local Railway Bill.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Washington, December 19.-Congress
| has authorized the president to appoint
Representative Charles A. Boutelle, of
| Maine, to be a captain of the United
| States navy on the retired list. Today,
| without a word of opposition, or even
| of comment the senate passed the house
resolution authorizing Mr.. Boutelle's
| retirement.
| 1t is said that the president will
| approve the resolution and, in accord
ance with the authorization, nominate
| him as a captain on the retired list of
| the navy. Mr.. Boutelle is a member of
the present house of representatives and
| a member-elect Of the next house. 1t
| is assumed that he will Immediately
| resign his membership in the house.
| The passage of seventy-on private
| pension bills was the only feature of
business in the open session.
| Senator Chandler made another effort
to get Up the resolution authorizing the
committee on privileges and elections
to send for persons and papers in the
|
| but failed.
| Senator Bacon, of Georgia, introduced
| and obtained the passage of resolu-
| tion calling upon the secretary of war
| to transmit to the senate the report OF
| Abraham. L. Lawshe giving in detail
the result of his investigation made un-
der the direction of the war department
| into the receipts and expenditures Of
the Cuban funds"
A resolution was passed directing the
committee on foreign relations to ex-
anime the claim of Henry Mccoy and
report whether the secretary of state
should be directed to pay the sum of
money claimed by him out of the award
in the hands of the state department in
the matter of the Delagoa Bay railroad.
The pension bills passed included PEN
sions of $50 a month each to the wild
ows of Generals John A. McClernand
and John NJ. Palmer.
The urgent deficiency bill was report
ed with two minor amendments and
passed without debate.
The senate then went into executive
session to consider the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty.
The session demonstrated the fact
that the senate was ready for the vote
tomorrow, as no senator evinced de-
sire to speak on the treaty.
Senator Lodge asked the senate to
take up the treaty with Spain provid-
ing for the cession to the United States
of the Philippine islands and of Sibutu
| and Cagayan Sulu and their depend
encies in consideration of the payment
to Spain of 100000.
| Objection to this request was made
by several senators, including Messrs.
Hoar, Wellington and Bacon.
| Senator Lodge explained that the is
/ 10 nd oxo,-iC0 in, fhn inc
group and said they were supposed to
have been ceded by Spain in the Paris
treaty. Indeed the United States had
taken possession of the islands under
| the supposition. 1t was soon found,
| however, that the definite line of our
acquisition fixed by the treaty cut both
of them out. 1t is a rule of law, he ex-
| planned. that a definite boundary des-
| cription always supersedes an indefinite
description. Hence, the treaty for the
| cession OF these islands had been nego-
| tiated and he believed that the United
| States would be saved much trouble in
the future by consummating the bar
| gain. He characterized the proceedings
| as in the nature of title Quieting pro-
cess. Senator Lodge also called atten-
tion to the fact that one Of the islands
is directly on the line Of ccmmunica-
| ton with Borneo and the straits and
drew the conclusion that it might some
day be important as cable station
Senator Hoar said he should like to
have more time to consider the ques-
tion and Senator Bacon said that, not
withstanding he is a member of the
committee on foreign relations, he had
not been present when report upon
/ the treaty was authorized. He would
therefore, appreciate further opportu-
nifty to go over the document.
Senator Wellington made unqualified
objection
Accordingly the treaty was for the
| time laid aside and at $40 o'clock p. m.
the senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The house today. at the end Of a
spirited contest extending over two
days, passed bills to compel the Penn
sylvania and Baltimore and Ohio raii=
roads to abolish grade crossings, to al
ter their routes into the city and to
change their terminal facilities. An
amendment was placed upon the Penn
sylvania bill to require the road to build
new station to cost not less than ST.
SOC, 900. The bills were vigorously an
tagonized by portion Of the minority
under the leadership Of Mr.. Cowherd,
of Missouri. on the ground that they
were too liberal to the roads. The Bal
timore and Ahio bill appropriated ST.
100000 outright for the road in consid-
Grafton of the changes it would be COM
PEELED to make.
At 5:25 o'clock the house adjourned.