The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-13
SENATOR MASORS MOTION CAUSES
HEATED DISCUSSION.
THE DEBATE IN SECRET SESSION
Motion TO Take the Resolution
from the Committee Pronounced q
D~fscourtesy Our Friendship with
Proposition-Senators Hale and Hoar
Advocate the Resolution House
Passes Ninety-Seven Pension Bills.
SENATE.

SENATE
Washington, March 9.-The feature
Of the open session today was a speech
by Senator Lindsay, Of Kentucky. on
the Porto Rican tariff and government
measure. He opposed h tariff provis-
sion OF the bill and some parts of the
proposition for the Porto Rican gov
eminent. He maintained that under
the treaty of Paris which provided that
the civil rights and political status of
the native inhabitants of the Islands
acquired by the United States from
Spain shall be fixed by congress, the
congress had authority to deal with
Porto Rico and the Philippines as it
saw ft-giving free trade to the n
and levying a tariff on the products of
the other. He held. that action by the
United States as to Porto Rico did not
bind it to act similarly as to the Pril-
ippines. He opposed, too, the dogma
that the constitution extended ex pro-
prio vigore over the territory acquired
by this government.
Senator Allison, of Iowa, reported
from the committee on appropriations
the house bill making appropriations of
customs dues exacted from the island
of Porto Rico from October IS, 1898, to
January l, 1900, amounting to $685.
ASS, and gave notice that he would call
up the measure tomorrow.
Senator Mason called up his motion
entered yesterday, to discharge the for
eign relations committee from further
consideration of his resolution express
ing the sympathy of the senate with
the Beers lin their heroic struggle with
Great Britain"
The motion was laid before the SEN
ate, and Senator Davis, chairman of
the committee on foreign relations
moved that the doors be closed and
the senate at 1920 O'Clock p. m. went
into executive session.
In the secret session the discussion
was mainly as to whether discussion
of the Mason motion Shoul be in oepn
or secret session. Chairman Davis, of
the foreign relations committee, said
that the public discussion of the sub
ject in the senate might result in dis
turbing existing relations between the
United States and a friendly power.
Senator Mason suggested that reso-
lutions of sympathy for the Armenians
and the Cubans had day after day
been discussed in open sessions n
that no one thought it necessary at
that time to close the doors.
Senator Lodge said that the taking
VI tue TeSOlutlOIl OUT VI the udEOS OIL
the committee was unprecedented and
a diScourtesy.
Senator Hoa said he was in favor
of passing a resolution asking the pres
ident to offer his good offices in an at
tempt at mediation and that the Ma
son resolution would estop such action.
Senator Tillman then offered the fol-
lowing substitute for the Mason reso-
luton:
That the president be requested to
offer the mediation and kindly offices
of the United States government to
put an end to the val in South Africa
and secure peace between Great Bri-
tain and the Dutch republics on terms
honorable to both parties to the con
fict."
Senator Lodge made the point of or
der that a substitute resolution could
| not be offered to the resolution now in
committee and the point was sustained.
Senator Hale made a speech in favor
of the Beers. He added hat he was in
favor of the Mason resolution. but that
it was useless to try and get an express
| sion of sympathy from the senate.
Senator Mason said if there was NO
secret alliance let us carry out our
usual habit in such cases. We always
Ia passed resolutions of sympathy
with struggling republics, continued
Senator Mason, and we should do SO
| now.
Senator Spooner responded that Eng
land had been our friend in the Span
ish war and we should do nothing to
interrupt those friendly relations.
This brought Senator Hoar to his
feet He said that a great question OF
right and wrong was involved and ii
should be settled regardless of the
question of friendship, whether it was
of Spain, England. or the car of Rus
STA.
1t is understood that the motion viii
be debated again next week.
AT 4:0o o'clock p. m. the senate took
a recess until S o'clock tonight, to read
the Alaska cod bill and then ad,
journed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The first day pension session of the
house provided for under the new rule
adopted yesterday proved a great sue.
cess. There was comparatively little
friction and ninety-seven bills were
favorably acted upon in committee OF
the whole and subsequently passed b!
the house.
The only incident was a brisk ex'
change between Mr.. Loud, of Califor
/. mia, n Mr.. Sulloway, of New Hamp
shire, upon the general policy Of Spe'
cial pension legislation, in which thu
former attacked and the latter defend
ed the system.
When it was moved hal the hous,
go into committee of the whole to con
slider private pension bills, Mr.. Tai
bert, Of South Carolina, true to his an
nounced plan, made the point of n
quorum. The speaker was unable t.
count more than 116 members presen
and the doors were closed and a cal
of the house ordered. The presence o
21S members resulted n the commit
tee began it's proceedings.
Mr.. Loud in his remarks assertet
that % per cent. of the special bill
passed by congress should never hav
been favorably considered. All o
them had been rejected by the pensio'
office. OF the 1,250,000 old soldiers an
widows of old soldiers who survive
the war almost 100000 were on tn
pension rolls. Congress was still legis
lating for cases arising out Of the rev
dictionary war. Mr.. Loud said he ha
never objected to a meritorious case
Mr.. Sulloway, of New Hampshir,
chairman of the committee on invali
pensions. replied to Mr.. Lou b