Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-04-03

FIFTY.SIXTH CONGRESS-.
Washington, April 3.
SENATE.

| Washington, April 3.
| SENATE.
The Senate met at IL q. 10. today for
the purpose of giving additional time to
the Porto Ricsn bill.
Mr.. Lindsey formally offered bis free
trade amendment and Mr.. Bacon intro.
duced an amendment providing that
the legislative, executive and judicial
officers under the goverDm ent provided
for by the bill shall be required to take
an oath to support the Constitution OF
the United States.
At the close of routine business the
Porto Rican bill was taken up and Mr..
Mason addressed the Senate. He cOn-
tended that the measure was uDconsli-
tutionsl in both Its object and the
msnuer of attaining lite object
1t proposes to levy imposts to raise
revenue for Porto Rico. The constitu-
ton says all imposts shall be uni.
form. This bill proposes to levy i'm.
posts that are not uniform. The consti-
tuition says the net produce of all i'm
posts shall be to pay the debts of, pro-
vide for the common defense and gen.
ersl welfare of the United States, and
shall be for the use of the treasury of the
United States. One word to the Sena-
tors who have told us 10 this chamber
what the republican policy is. The con-
vention has not yet convened. Our
party is to meet 10 the city where il was
born. Who dare here and now speak
for the delegates? Who dare here and
now say we will declare in favor OF con.
quest? Who dare say here and low
that We are in favor OF annexing the
Philippine Islands and makioe 5000, 900
citizens or serfs out of the inhabitants?
And right here let me ask the two Seua
tors who have spoken on this subjec'
and who have talked about the flag and
patriotism, let me ask them who CAV
them q monopoly on patriotism2 How
dare you discretit the patriotism Of q
man who dissgrees with you about the
best way to proceed for this cOuntr,
Have you formed trust on patriotism,
and have the junior Senators from Mas
sachusetts and Indiana been elected to
the board OF that trusif II we had
| taken the advice of the senior Senators
of Massachusetts and from Maine We
would not be Ia the terrible situation
We are 10 today.
Mr.. Mason was followed by Mr.. Gu
berson, who pronounced the pending
bill an attack on the free institutions.
He referred to the statement OF Mr.
Beverage made 10 his speech on the
Philippines to the effect that the
United States had outgrown the cor =
stitulion and that the unwritten cossti
tuition of England was preferable TO
| that of the United States. He main
| tanned that 1t had been at all times and
lie now, the policy of the government
and people of the United States to stand
ty the constitution regarding it the
| foundation of our free Institutions.
Mr.. Clay was the first to spead Dnder
| the 15-miDute ruls.
Mr.. Teller said that he would not
vote for the bill because of the civil
government provisions. He believed
that the United States should assist the
people of Porto Rico to establish
government OF their own. He was op.
posed to making Porto Rico part of Il g
United States. "We owe nothing 10
Porto Rico" he said. Mr.. Teller did
not oppose the bill because of the tariff
provision. He believed that 1t was be
cause members of both parties saw
chance to make political capital that so
much discussion had been INDUCED 10,
and thought that were it not that the
country was on the eve OF a political
camp Align, Congress would be better
able to legislate for Porto Rico.
HOUSE.
The House met at noon today, the
order OF business being the considers-
ton of the bill to provide a territorial
form OF government for Hawaii.
Before this was taken up message
from the President was read submitting
the report of Commissioner Peck as TO
the expenditures to date on the Ameri
can exhibit at the Paris Exposition.
A bill was passed giving soldiers and
sailors who served 10 the Spanish war
and in the Philippines certain benefits
uoder the home stead law.
The Hawaiian bill was then taken
up in committee Of the whole, Mr..
Moody In the chair.
Mr.. Kuox, chairman OF the committee
on Territories, was the first speaker.
He said that the discussion as to
the wisdom of the annexation of the
Hawaiian islands had come to sud-
den termination when the events of the
Spanish war made generally apparent
their strategic necessity to the United
States, they being the only place 10 the
vast north Pacific where coal and sup
plies can be obtained. That war, be
said, resulted 10 the acquisition of 40
island empire upon the shores of
the Orient, turning the attention |
of the American people sharp
Iy and directly to the east, es-
pecislly to China, as the great mar
ket for American products in the future.
In the contest for this market the COM
mercial importance OF Hawaii becomes
quite as plain as its military necessity.
He described the inadequacy of the ex-
listing temporary government provided
by the annexation resolution and said
that under 1t many questions OF juris-
diction have remained undecided, pub.
lie improvements have been stopped,
and at least 1900 contract laborers
have been brought into the islands. II
was time, he said, that this reproach
upon America should cease, and that
government should be provided to
meet the needs of the Hawaiian people.
He insisted that Hawaii be considered
apart from any OF the islands acquired
by the Spanish war and declared that
90 fear of establishing troublesome
precedent for the future should deter
Congress 10 the discharge of lite duty.