The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-31
The Speech Funniest Heard in Many
Years.
PROCEEDINGS IN The HOUSE.
The Day Devoted 10 Considerable ion or
War Claims Conference Report
on diplomatic aud Consular p
preparation Bill Adopted.
Day Sc, Aside for TriD-
ute 10 Mr.. settle.

WASHINGTON, March 50.-Merriment
swept away the traditional dignity OIL the
Senate Today. Staid sncklefs 1or Sena-
iorial dctorum literally held Their sloes
and shouted with daughter, while The
crowded galleries Joined in The laughing
turlult which not the fainicst effort was
made 10 restrain.
Senator Pcttus, OF Alabama. the eldest
member of tie body-his age pelns oNis
few months short OF fonr-score Scui s.
delivered the funniest speech heard Will Will
In the Senate Chamber in many years
1t sparkled with wit and dubbed over
with humor. Its sarcasm was hecli' out
moi bitter, and even those who We're the
victims of 1t could not but cnloS&i's PEI
fect good humor and its unafloEed 1un.
ii All Mr.. Pettus Was as
solemn as ii lie were delivering funetal
soration.
Mr. proctor, OF Vermont. Delivered 2
forcef,Il argument in support OF Tree l
trade with The island OF Porto kaco. .
considerable progress was made WIN
The Porto Rican measure during .he
dav. most of The committee amehdlneiits am, i
and several offered by Senators oeiiis
disposed OF. NJ
spooner. Of Wisconsin. gave Motive 1hat
they wou,ti speak on Monday on me
Porto tRican bill.
,laohato RlCAN ns1LI..
Consideration OF the Porto .rs,at..n,. ficsai -.
,,.a ,,ien resumed and Mr.. proctor
smoke. He approved the civil govern
1r,snt feature of the pending biil, ana : -
GREETED that, on account OIL me m tai.il
ptn;ision he could not vote 1or ~. J ~ a.
TO The free trade proposition. crca Ili'ss .
nrecaden. for the Philippines and Guoa,
mo
rivers when we rcach tlism, and ne PR
a:..,od the crossing then would ulo' pe
dit1i,s,,l1 Congress-. he said IS a i,rea 80 :
of ,ht. constitution, and not lhe itNe' isSs ~ -
MIR Peitus then smoke, t:rsl dise'u ls'sl y
constitutional features OF the .1ieastultlse.- 1ietlls
..,ye are yoyerned,'' he said, in our re-
lations with these territories DH .i"s "a :, " =
OF nations AS FAR as they are al'i''iiS
5~y,hr idea is :Eat when territory IS ceaeo
49,, ,,,.:on that nation cannot necessa-
,t.y exercise the powers of It's ini-'el
y y sc,r,,ors l,.must exercise sway in accord
.prn wifi; lis own limitations Niit,
we took these islands we TOOK 1hetl m Ny, /" -
.bc Limitations Of exercising only suSh
5,,,wer over them as was possible III .iie
conditions of Inc United States
From tfis forward Mr.. Peitus si'eeeii
was persenal in its application.
-,,Sidcration of the amendment Vas re- g
j
that OF Mr. Morgan. providing ina tile
United STATES, IL exchanging the iosto
1,sean coins for United states money,
{ eho,.d navs one hundred cents. lnslsau o.
sixty cents. for each of the Porto illcal
pesos.
After some discussion the ane4ioil ny -
was defeated. II 1 . %
y - lsSlrsH ANfiT1 .GF' MONEY.
r'he committee amendment as 10 eS-
change Of money WAS then adopted.
Mr. PeItus offered a Senate suosI1utei
for section l., u provision dec!alins *lhal
. he ..consiitution and laws OF the Ghl'ea
states sl,a.i have the same iofcc anu
effect in Porto Rico as in other territories
Of the United States. II was delealeo'
Is 10 50.
Mr.. Lindsay OF l<cntuckH. Offered an
amendment striking out the provision in
section Il, thai the Governor sho'iid par.
Iicapatc lii iegisiatifn VAS not deem-#
ed wise that the Governor should DC. i,art
OF The legislative power of the island anu
should have pan'er 10 veto AGAINST y. ! ms
would make the Governor an autecra'.
Mr.. Foraker accepted the aGnerdment-
Nj. Allen otfered an amendment 10
designate Porto faco as tSiAatots oi uie
United States
Ii, the spirited collouuy that followed
hefWcer Mir. Forak.r and AIR Aiien. tae
latter declared his belief III proNldl;,G5
this anomalous Congressional amend
,nen,.s II resent that charge. said MT.
Foraker with evident feeling, II deny
that there is any suNh thing. Inc Senator
when ,,ie speaks 50, is without any warrant
whatever do no, lsnoW why the Scna-.
tor uses language which is offensive and
which fear is intended to be 50.
Ar. Allen aiselaims1 any Yefiei'ion on
Mr. Foraker.
At s:45 p. NJ. the Senate adjourned.
IL, the House.
WASHINGTON, March So.--The House
devoted the daysto WAY claims The bill!
to renunerate the British Gable Com
# pany for expenses Incurred in repairing
the MALAY cable cut by Admiral Dewey
was consigned 10 Oblivion as Was the
bill! to refer 10 the Court OF Claims She
claims of citizens of certain border coun-
lies of Pennsylvania who suffered losses
during the various .ncursions into that
State during the cNii war. This bill has
been before Congress fer over fifteen
Years, and involves abou; IS, 40. 900.
Three bills were passed-to refer the
claims of George ". Lawrence GnrolIins
rl7.0o0,. In connection with the construc-
tion5 of the monitor Wassuc TO the Court
OF Claims: TO fetcr the claim of Hiram
johnson and Others. for cotton burned NJ
East Tennessee: by the Confederate
forces, to the Court OF Claims.
The House early resolved itself into
Committee Of the Whole to consider
these claims. When the Pennsylvania
Gtdzers' oladn came UP Chairman Mahan.
OF the War Claims Committee. explain
ed the losses were In property taken or
destroyed during the civil war by Stn-
arts raid In 1862: Lees invasion of Penn
sy1vanta. 1863, and lsariy's raid in 1864.
when Chambcrsburg was destroyed. All
these claims, he said. had been proved
under acts of the Pennsylvania Legisla-
ture. They were based upon the con-
stitutional guarantee OF the United
States to protect the State against In
fasion. II the court decided that the
claimants had no rights that was the
end Of the matter. ss5
Isy a vote Of e6 TO So. the committee
refused to lay the bill aside with q