The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-23
SENATE.

~DNr 1921
sensational in the interest and inter
national in it's Importance was deliv-
cred in the senate today by Senator
Hale, republican. of ain The oc-
casiOn of the utterance was the simple
question whether a resolution intro
duced by Senator Allen, populist, of
Nebraska, calling for information as
to the recognition by this country Of
diplomatic representatives of the
Transvaal republic should be directed
to the president or to the secretary of
state. Senator Hale mad the cues
ton the text of an impassioned speech,
IN which he declared that nine-tenths
OF the American people sympathized
with the Beers in their gallant strug-
gle for liberty against one of the great
est powers in the world. He spoke with
unusual force, decisiveness and earn
estness, even for him, and his pas
siOnate elOquence claimed the closest
attention of every auditor.
AT the opening the Allen resolution,
calling upon the secretary of state for
information as to whether any repre-
sentative of the TransVaal had applied
to the United States governments for
recognition and if such application had
been accepted, and if not, why not,
was aid before the senate.
Senator SpOoner, of Wisconsin, NOV
ed that the resolution be directed to
the president, and he be requested to
furnish the information if not incom-
patible with public interests. He said
the senate had no right to demand in
formation from the president, but the
president was the absolute judge as to
whether 1T was proper to communicate
the Information asked for. He utterly
rlnTr1TaFa7
vanCed repeatedly by senators that the
people were entitled to information
from day to day regarding the conduct
of our foreign business. He maintain
ed that the president ought to have
discretionary power about giving out
information, as it was given not onN
to the American people, but 10 the
world. Even Information given to the
senate in executive session could not
always be held in confidence.
Senator Allen held that the secretary
Of stale could with perfect prOpriety
be reached by such a resolution as his.
He declared the matter with which his
resolution dealt was a matter of record
of history-and could not, he thought,
affect any diplomatic negotiations.
"All we want" said enato Allen, lis
information"
Senator Spooner regarded it as gross
impudence to call upon the secretary
- EA@LA&r NAAN q opOI1
ate itself to ask for the transmission
OF confidential information for which
the president alone was responsible.
Senator Hale, of Maine, did not re-
gard the endme as essential; hat
either the president or the secretary of
state should give to the American peo-
pie information regarding the negOtia-
ions between the United States and
Great Britain and the TransVaal.
Il have yet to be made to believe"
he aid that any duly accredited rep
re~sentdJive of that brave people in
South Africa has appeared before the
president Of the United States and been
denied a hearing. If that be true, the
sooner we are Informed about it the
better for the American people.
L do not doubt that the American
people agree with me that the war
which Great Britain is waging is the
most fell blow ali human liberty that
has been struck in the last century.
l do not doubt that the administration
representing the people of the United
States feels today as 1 fell on the sub
ject and as n~ineItenths of the Ameri-
can people feel"
He quoted from a speech Of Mr..
BalfOur in which the British states
man had declared the Boer wal had
knit together every branch of the Eng
liSh speaking race. Il deny, sir" de-
clared Senator Hale, with great feeling,
that the American section of that race
is in sympathy with Great Britain in
the South African war to stamp out
the liberty of a people. / deny that
the American people are ITO be tied to
the chariot wheels of war against the
South African republics; and when
the leader of the conservatives in the
house Of commons asserts h he
should be met by some disclaimer from
this side OF the Atlantic.
Il do not wish international compli-
cations" lie Senator Hale. in conclu-
sion. Il do not wish war. l recall that
We nave not been so much in love with
neutrality in times past that We could
not speak up boldly for Hungary, Po-
land, Armenia, Cuba and Greece; and
I do not know why it Is now that we
must speak with bated breath in IA
vor OF liberty. 1 do not believe that
che English people are in V OF this
war. 1 believe that the great queen.
on Bonded knees, has prayed that the
war might be averted; | do not believe
that Uhe greac premier of England ia
vored the war. 1t was the act and
movement of a sharp cabine- minister,
Engaged with gold seekers. which IA
vcred the war"
The resolution as amended by Sena-
tor SpOOner was adopted. The finance
bill was laid before the senate One
of the principal points Senator Morgan
made against the bill was that II con-
ferred too great power on national
banks. He strongly argued against the
further disqualification of silver as a
money metal. OF the vast use
which could be made of 1t by the
United States in the island possession
of this country.
The senate then adjourned until
Monday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The pension appropriation bill. car
rying S145, 245. go, was passed by the
house today. 1t was made the vehicle
of an attack upon the commissioner OF
pensions by Mr.. Curtis, republican, OF
kansas. who was seconded by Mr..
Lentz and Mr.. Norton, of Ohio, and
Mr.. Robinson, of Indiana, and otneI
northern democrats. All inveigheo
against the lack of liberality in the
administration of the pension laws:
The commissioner was ably defended
by a score of members from both sloes
of the house.
A rider was put upon the bill Dy