The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-25
SENATOR SP00NeR SPEAKS ON HIS
PHILIPPINE BILL.
SENATOR CLARK'S CREDENTIALS
Under appointment OF Acting Gover
nor OF Montana Laid Before the
Senate-No Action Taken on Them.
The Committee Report on the Private
Publication " ..MessaGe- and Paper
OF the Presidents"-House Devotes
the Day to the Alaska Code Bill.
SENATE.

Washington. May Ex-senator Spoon
er. Of Wisconsin. addressed himself TO
his bill providing that, upon the sup
preston Of the insurrection in the
Philippines. the government OF the
islands should devolve upon the presi-
lent until such time as congress might
direct otherwise.
Notwithstanding the fact that he was
almost too i'll to stand. Senator Spoon
er's effort was one OF the notable ones
Of the present session. He defended
with characteristic vigor and elo-
quence the policy OF the administra-
ton in the Philippines, maintaining
that no other policy, in the circum-
stances, was possible. and that none
other could ave been adopted without
dishonor to the country. Without con-
Guiding his remarks, Senator Spooner
yielded the floor until tomorrow.
Late in the afternoon Senator Car
ter, of Montana, presented the creden-
tialS of Senator Clark, of that state.
appoined by Lieutenant Governor
Spriggs TO succeed himself. They were
allowed to lie upon the table.
Rev. Oliver Johnson, of Leslie, s. c.,
NAAN q NAN oP1AA-
ing Of today's session.
Senator Platt, of New York, chair
man of the committee on printing, pre-
sented a report on its investigation Of
the private publication of Messages
and Papers Of the Presidents" and it
was read in full.
Senator Gallinger inquired of Senator
Platt If his had taken any
action upon a resolution he had intro
duced providing for the publication of
10000 sets of the work, for which he
said there is a great demand.
Senator Platt replied hat no action
had been taken, as the adoption of the
resolution would involve an expendi-
ture on the part Of the government of
more than 5000, 900.
Senator Gallinger called attention TO
the fact that the cost of the work to the
government was about 81 a set, while
the private concern which was print
ing it sold it to the public at $34 a set.
He thought the committee might we'll
report back a resolution to publish
10000 or l., ZOO sets. If the government
was not able to print the work for the
scholars and libraries of the country.
he thought an arrangement ought TO
be made to print the work and sell it
at cost.
The report Of the committee was or
dered to be printed.
III Soiilliilllce Illus lldl ISSpI SSSHl-
tive Richardson devoted four years to
compiling and indexing the papers.
1T is not to be doubted" they say,
that his labOrS were most aSSiduOuS
and that they consumed during his
period a great amount of his time"
1t also is stated that he expended
$500 of his own funds in securing as
sistance in the preparation of the in
dex.
With reference to the claim of copy
right, the committee say that Mr..
Richardson does not claim that oper-
ates against the government, but only
as against all other publishers-that it
protects the form of the publication,
the Illustrations and the original mat
ter, though non of the documents
themselves. On this point the commit
tee express the opinion that 1.-The pro-
hibition in the printing act was in
tended to cover every publication au-
thorized by congress in all possible
FORMS" and they add, that "in view
Of the debate, it is clear that congress
intended to prevent precisely what has
happened-the copyrighting Of this
particular book"
Your committee hin hat copy
right should not have issued in behalf
of the messages and that the law as it
stands is sufficient to deny copyright
to any and every work, once issued as
a government publication. If the ser
wees OF any autnOr or compiler en-
ployed by the government require to
be compensated, payment should be
made in money, frankly and properly
appropriated for that purpose and the
resulting book or the publication in
whole and as to any part should be
always at the free use of the people;
and this, without doubt, was what
congress intended"
The committee reviewed the dona-
ton of the plates of the work to Mr..
Richardson. but they say that this
was a mistake n placed congress in
a false position.
With reference to Mr.. Richardson's
contract with Publisher Barcus, the
committee pronounce contract unob-
~jectionable, blu they criticize Barcus'
methods as questionable, leaning to the
belief that the government was iden-
titled with the publication and sale of
the books.
Mr.. Richardson's receipts hav
amounted to 81, $50.
In conclusion the committee say that
no additional legislation is necessary,
but they recommend that in the fu-
ture congress shall not place the con-
troll of the plates of pub
locations in private hands.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The house devoted the entire day to
the Alaskan civil government bill
Slow progress was made, only twenty.
four pages being disposed of. There
was protracted debate over the cues
ton OF the number of judges in Alas.
ka, and the mining laws, but the pro.
Visions or the bill were not amended