The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-20
SENATE.

luton in favor of a constitutional
amendment providing for the election
Iof United States senators by the peo-
pie was laid before the senate. A. it
was about to be referred to the COM
mittee on privileges and elections,
Senator Butler. of North Carolina,
asked hat it be read and then ad-
dressed the senate briefly. He declared
lit was the function of a committee of
the senate to consider, not to smother
Legislation. He thought this question
had been so thoroughly considered
that it was not necessary to send it
70 a committee and he, therefore,
moved that it be placed on the calen-
ldar.
Senator Chandler, chairman of the
committee on privileges and elections.
objected to Senator Buffers making
limputations upon the committee.
Senator Hoar called attention to
the gravity of the proposition submit
ted, that the matter should not be con-
Isidered by a committee of the senate.
He did not approve of the proposed
would give the United States two leg
~lislative bodies, both chosen by the
people in popular elections, the only
difference being that the senators
lwould have a larger constituency
than the representatives.
Senator Pettus, of Alabama, express
led his regret that reflections had been
made upon the committee Of privileges
land elections,
The motion to place the resolution
ION the calendar was withdrawn and
lit was referred to the committee on
privileges and elections.
Senator Hale presented an additional
urgency deficiency bill and it was
passed without debate.
A bill providing for the removal to a
lproper district for trial Of persons in
Idicted in United States courts was
lalso passed.
Senator Davis, of Minnesota, report
led from the committee on foreign re-
l~lations the following resolution and it
was adopted:
That the secretary of state be d.
lrected to send to the senate a copy of
1.-THE memorial of Edward Gottfred, a
~lcitizen of WilkeSbarre, Pa, and late
"a consular agent of the United States
at Trujillo, Peru, sworn to March q,
1900, now on file in the state depart
Iment, together with all papers,, letters,
land exhibits attached to said memorial
and also copies of all correspondence
lof this overnmen and that of Peru
and of any opinions and decisions OF
the department of state in connection
with the action of a party of Peruvian
IrevolutioniStS against the constitution,
lal government of Peru on and after
August %, 1898, the memorialist al
the time being consular agent of the
limited States in Peru, the wrong-do.
Iers, p~erpetrating, it is alleged, depre.
ldations on his property n injurie:
and i~ndignities upon his person in VIC
lation of treaty rights"
The senate then resumed conSidera
ltion of the Alaskan civil code bill.
After some discussion Senator Stew
Iart an endm he hat
Offered as to regulations for the min
ing of gold below low water mari
along the coast of Alaska, and a para
graph regarding such mining wa
ladopted.
After an executive session, the sen
ate at 4:45 o'clock p. m. adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The house went into committee G
the whole to consider the naval appro
Ipriation bill. Mr.. FoSS eXplaine
that the total amount, s61, 2OO, 900, wa
1.-THE largest yer carried by a naval az
preparation bill in our history. He cor
:. Itinued:
: 1.-The best peace conference is
!, strong and efficient navy. Sea powe
5 is recognized the world over as tn
) lSlIeISln VI d SISdl lIdIlOu we oil
t building a navy, but a navy to main
l tain u foreign policy; to defend til
Monroe doctrine n to guard tn
=. proposed Nicaragua canal, which,
trust, will never be built, unless tt
] american navy has the right, as it he
the ability, to defend it in time of wa
While protection to ourselves was tn
PATCHWORK of h past century, CON
merce will be the watchword Of tn
. coming. We will not only continu
D to build our w ships Of America
I material and by American hands, bl
I at the same time we will build as W
= have been building recently, ships fl
I Japan and Russia, and in time. b
= treason of the decreased supply of ire
( and steel in other countries, we wi
E be building the navies of England.
!. France, of Germany and the 9TH
I great naval powers"
= Mr.. FOSS said the committee deems
c it unwise ITO recommend the establish
r men of a government armor plate IA
=. tory. He quoted Admiral O'Neill
: lopinion that such an ESTABLISHING
: would cost s4,S72,O 900 and that he d
Y not believe the government shou
: manufacture its armor plate.
Mr.. FoSs said the committee hs
'. been largely moved in deciding again
y the building of ships in governme
q yards by the opinion of Secretal
tAOAS La IL "OulO SOSI ~ buiio III
in government yards twice as mu'
las in private yards.
Mr.. Cummings, of New York, {
= ranking minority member of the cor
d Imittee, followed Mr.. Foss. He delive
T. ed a glowing eulogy on the glories
the American navy and its vital lee
g Isity to- the country. And what W
Is being done? he asked. Three battl
ships We're on h stocks without a
J. Imor. Three were authorized with
!. string attached. They were not ev
10 TO be contracted for unless the arm
g tcould be procured for $500 a ton Tt
re bill recommended two more. Was
n string to be attached to that?
would be like voting for a declarati
u of war, and then refusing TO provi
Y. ammunition.
Why not make our own arm
\. Iplate?" persisted MI. Ridgley.
1.-THE same old story" replied
Cummings, authorize ships and IN
q instead of building them go to VIC
q to build an armor plate factory. Tt
would delay the ships from five