The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-09
SENATE.

! Washington, March 7.-Seldom in
any of it's members a greater compli-
ment than it accorded today to Sena-
tor Loge, of Massachusetts,. The an
nouncement that he would deliver a
| speech on the Philippine question was
the magnet which drew to the senate
| every senator now in the city and to
| the galleries an unusually large num-
| ber of attentive auditors.
AS chairman Of the Philippine COM
| mittee and a prominent membe.- of the
committee on foreign relations who had
studied the Philippine question ex-
haustively, he presented a notable ad-
dition to the literature of the great
problem which now confronts congress
| and the American people.
Soon after the senate convened Sen
ator Sullivan, Of Mississippi, offered a
| resolution that the Philippine islands
| are the rightful property, honorably
acquired, of the United States, and
| that while the misguided Filipinos
| continue the present war, brought on
! by them, against the rightful authori-
ty of the United States, so long as a
| single gun in their hands is trained
upon our flag, no expression of inten-
| ton as to the future course of the
United States with respect to them
should be made by the senate"
Senator Sullivan asked that the res
| olutiOn lie on the table until he should
| call it up.
| Senator Mason, of Illinois, then gave
notice that tomorrow he would move
that the committee on foreign rela-
tions be discharged from furth ar con-
| Sideration of his resolution exp. .essive
| Of ha fo,c 70 hA
AS the committee clearly intends not
| to act upon it he wants it placed on
the calendar. He said:
THE committee could give us a re-
| port if it would. If a majority of the
committee is opposed to the resolution
let them report it adversely. That
would be making some progress. 1 am
satisfied that 95 per cent of the people
of the country are in sympathy with
! the Beers in their war with Great
Britain and I am just as certain that
| a majority of this body would favor
the resolution 1 introduced 1t is the
merest child's play for us to sit here
and not be able to get a vote upon it.
Senator Lodge then spoke. His
speech lasted three hours and was
based upon the Spooner resolution au-
| thorizing the president to govern the
Philippines pending legislation by con-
greSs.
The death of Representative Harmer
was formally announced and a COM
mlttee of senators was appointed to
join the house committee in attendance
upon the funeral.
Senator Proctor, of Vermont, present
ed some letters which he had received
from army officers now in the Philip
pines
Colonel L. w. V. Kennon, in COM
mand of the Thirtyfourth regiment in
the Philippines, writes from personal
observation, saying the northern part
OF the island of LuZon had been clear
ed practically of insurgents in formida-
BILE bodies, the few remaining in scat
tered bands. They hoped to be able
to discourage the Americans by con-
Quoting a guerrilla warfare. In the
opinion Of Colonel Kennon, the majori-
ty of the FilipinOs, with the exception
of the savage Tagalos, wanted Ameri-
can control because the forces under
Aguinaldo proved upon the country
crimes against the inhabitants. This
desire for American rule had taken
the form of burning Aguinaldo in
! effgy. Colonel Kennon was certain
the F'ilipinos had no capacity for self
government and needed the strong
hand Of some nation to guide and di-
rect them. This hand, he thought, the
United States ought to extend.
Colonel Kennon enclosed with his let
ter an official Filipino statement to
prove that the precipitation Of hostili-
ties thirteen months ago was premedi-
tated on the part of Aguinaldo and his
associates and that that responsibility
did not rest upon the Americans.
At $3.50 o'clock p. m, as an additional
mark Of respect to Mr.. Harmer, the
senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
! The death of Representative Harmer
of Pennsylvania, the Father Of the
House. cast a deep gloom over the
, house today. Although he was known
to be in feeble health, his death came
as a shock to his colleagues, by whom
he was universally beloved. Mr.. Har.
mer was the oldest member Of the
5 house, both in length of service and o.
| continuous service, and was therefor,
, entitled to the distinction of thu
Father of the House" AS such it wa!
his duty to swear in the incoming
greSs, and this was the occasion Of hi
only appearance in the house this ses
, sion.
His death makes General Henr.
! Bingham, of Pennsylvania, the Faith
er of the House." He began his ser
has served continuously for twent!
years. Both in length and priority o
| service, Mr. Bingham is exceeded b.
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois, chairman o
: | tne appropriations committee, VINO wa
| first elected to the Forty third con
gress and who is serving his thirteenth
term, but his term was not continuous
he having failed Of reelection in tn,
Fifty second congress.
In point Of priority Of service, Mr.
Grow, of Pennsylvania, the venerabl,
ex-speaker, is the oldest member. II,
nrst came to congress in 1851, but ther,
was long hiatus in his service from
1853 to 1895. The distinction of Faith
er OF the House" belongs to him wht
has served longest in continuous ser
vice.
Mr.. Harmer's desk was draped ii
black and covered with flowers.
, The vote on the Aldrich-Robbin
: contested election case was postponed
until tomorrow.
Mr.. Overstreet, Of Indiana, in charg