Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-17
THE SEIZED FLOUR
Senate Adopts the Hale Resolution
Modified.
INFORMATION is ASKED FOR
Mr. Sulzer Attacks and Mr. SlbIey
Praises Mr. Gage,
MIR. TELLER ON CURRENCY

general information regarding the CONDUCT
of the insurrection in the Philippines. was
laid before the Senate.
Mr.. Pettigrew Is. d. said he desired t.
address the Senate upon the resolution be-
fore it was passed. He favored the passage
of the resolution. believing that the in
formation asked for was entirely proper.
He declared that he had received Informal
ton since the introduction of his resolu-
lions that assured him of the facts he had
asserted.
The blood Of every soldier" said he,
who has fallen since the war began is on
the hands of the administration The blood
of the sixty soldier boys of South Dakota,
who lost their lives after being conscrpted
INTO an unwilling service after their terms
had expired lies at the door of the admins
tration, and there is no escape for it. /
charge that the censorship of the press and
the suppression of facts are for the pur-
pose of advancing the political ambitions
of Mr.. Mckinley"
If this action said Mr.. Pettigrew. put
the administration in a hole, as was stated
it was not his fault
Mr.. Pettigrew reverted to the assertion
that the acquisition of the Philippines was
brought about by the act of God: but he
said. the only way he could see Gods hand
In the work was that God must have used
Mr.. Mckinley as a prophet or appeared to
the President n a vision.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Pettigrew's
speech the resolution of Mr. Hoar was
passed without division.
American Flour Seizures.
The resolution introduced several days
ago by Mr. Hale (Me), calling upon the
Secretary of State for information in DOS
session of the State Department relating to
the seizure and detention of American flour
by the British authorities in Delagoa bay
South Africa, was laid before the Senate.
Mr.. Davis tMinn.). chairman of the com
ihlttee on foreign relations, moved that the
resolution be referred to his committee
1t was his impression. he said that the
resolution was prematurely introduced He
indicated that the subject of the resolution
was now under diplomatic negotiation No
conclusion to that consideration has yet
been reached. Mr.. Davis thought, how
ever. that some of the assertions of the
resolution were to be gravely considered
1t was question as to whether they were
true. 1t is well understood, said Mr. Davis
that the property seized was -four
1T is said this flour is not contra band"
he continued. This may may not be
true. but it is a question of fact to be de-
termined, whether this -four is for use of an
active hostile
Mr.. Davis thought the real question now
under consideration is whether the matter
comes within the province of international
law. He said it did not become the senator
tMr Hale to introduce such resolution
at this time.
But said Mr.. Davis. what strikes me
as most to be criticised in the resolution
is the concluding paragraph. 1t is stated
that If the detention of the property is per
sisted in such act will be considered as
without warrant, and offensive to the gov
eminent and people of. the United States
/ venture to say that no ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of
so important Il question was ever made by
a government until the diplomatic negotia-
tons relating to 1t had been completed II
is statement which is made only on the
verge of hOStilitieS.'
That" concluded Mr.. Davis sis very
serious langua ge-very serious. In It's pres
ent form it means serious difficulty [ think
the resolution would better be REFEREED
MIR. Hale Speaks.
In response to the statement of Mr. Davis,
Mr.. Hale, the author of the resolution, be-
gan e brief address by sending to the
clerks desk and having read newspaper
account of the SEIZURE of the -four He had
drawn the resolution, he said with some
care intending to limit it to one of inquiry.
He declared the Senate and country were
entitled to know what the situation was as
mere was ignorance as to what was being
done He deemed it perfectly clear that as
1t was flour and not arms or ammunition
had been seized the seizure was rot of con-
traband goods.
1t needed. he thought. no investigation by
a committee to de >ermiEe that flour was not
contraband Of war. Property TRANSPORTED
in peaceful trade seized by an armed nation
affects every citizen of the country who is
interested in the expectation of the pro-
ducts of the farm and field. And, in his
opinion, every citizen was entitled to know
just what was being done to protect the in
tereSts of the exporters.
"A majority of this Senate can stihe this
resolution, said Mr.. Hale warmly ..b,1t II
cannot be suppressed in any other way"
In response to an inquiry by Mr.. Wolcott
of Colorado, Mr. Hale said one of the things
he was trying to have answered was
whether the flour seized was American
flour, the property of American shippers.
The discussion of the question as TO
whether food products were ever contra
band of war was precipitated by question
OF Mr.. Lodge.
Flour Sometimes COntraband PERHAPS,
Mr.. Hale was of the opinion that 1t would
take very extreme case to make flour
contraband of war, but he could conceive
that 1t might be in certain circumstances
Such an admission would in his opinion
however be fraught with great danger to
the United States now and in the future
He did not imagine that the State De-
partment was doing anything that would
get INTO trouble, but he wanted to know
what was being done.
The Resolution Modified
The resolution as offered by Mr. Hale
was materially amended, Mr. Hale himself
accepting the suggestions of senators that
certain Objectionable features be eliminat-
ed
Mr.. Hawley Comm was still of opinion
that the resolution was diploma tic paper,
but was much better than it was when sub
mitted. as 1t was then a thinly yelled
threat of war.
Our relations with Great Britain were
such that they ought not to be disturbed
unless for very grave reasons.
Mr.. Platt Comm said the resolution as
amended was not Objectionable in form,
but he deemed it unwse to adopt 1t while
the subject was pending between the State
Department and the diplomatic officials of
Great Britain.
AT such juncture he thought the Sem
ate ought not to interfere He felt that the
negotiations were being conducted properly
and enegetically on the part of our govern
ment.
Il believe said Mr.. Platt, that the
President will deal vigorously and rigorous
ly with the question and fully protect the
interests of citizens of the United States''
MIR. Tillman called attention to the ship
ment of mules to British colonies in South
Africa from ports of the United States the
government taking no pains to prevent it,
Mr.. Platt replied that there was no inhi-
bition against the shipment of such sup
plies to the British. The shippers made the
shipments at their own risk
Mr.. Foraker suggested that the resolution
be directed to the President, instead of to
the Secretary of State, but Mr. Hale de-