The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-05
DIGNITY At STAKE
Senators Insist on Right TO
Demand Documents.
CHALLENGE is DIRECT
From the President and the
Senate Must Meet It.

Washington, Feb 4-The ship subsidy
bill was laid aside informally by the SEN
ate today to admit consideration of the
appropriation bills, The action was taken
late in the day on Mr.. Allison's re-
quest that the Ddsctrict of Columbia ap-
preparation bill be takes up. Mr.. Frye,
in charge Of the shipping bill, who had
said he would not give way oappropria-
ton bills without a vote Of the senate,
was not in the chamber at the time. but
Mr.. Aldrich, Mr. Hanna and others inter
ested in the measure were present and
1 Joined IN the general assent given to
! Mr.. Allison's request. The shipping bill
holds its place, and as the unfinished
/ business can be taken up when the ap-
! preparation bills are not occupying at
/ tention, the District of Columbia bill will
! occupy the attention Of the senate to-
/ morrow
The subsidy bill did not receive atten>
/ ton today, the greater part Of the time
( Of the senate being given TO Istning to
/ listning to speech by Mr. Bacon Of
/ Georgia, on the right Of the senate to
! demand Information on file in the execu-
tive departments. He took the position
! that the departments are the creatures
! Of congress and that departmental denial
Of any demand for papers on file was pre-
posterous, contendiug that over 100 years
there had been practically no refusal to
recognize this right. Secretary Long
letter regarding Santiago naval rewards
caused a discussion in which senators up
held their course IN this matter.
At the instance of Mr.. Chandler the
! senate passed the resolution calling upon
the secretary Of the navy for a list OF
members Of Admiral ,Sampson's fleet
". hose names were sent 10 the senate for
pro motion during the fifth congress.
Dn Chandler said the occasion for his
prese ntation of this resolution was found
IN the published deter written by Secre-
tarv "A ing to Senator Morgan. He called
attention I to the fact that while the list
OF officer for promotion had bees sent to
the seran during the last congress, the
president ,1n failure Of action in that
congress. ha i not renewed the recommen-
dalton for tt e present congress. He ex-
planned that the failure Of the senate to
act had been due to the Sampson-schIey
controversy.
Mr.. Hale. cGairma n0f the COMMITTEES
on naval affah >. said that no fault could
he found with congress. and he repeated
what Mr.. Chan der had said as to the
failures Of the nominations osecure
confirmation dur g the last congress
Indeed. he said u 8 considered that con-
eress had bee nent frely liberal in recog-
nizing the picture que exploits Of the
Spanish war Herefe vred to the tying up
Of all the nominatio US because of the
Sampson-SchIey contrl 'versy, and addede
tina the had been waiting during the en-
tire Fiftv-sixth congress 3, expecting that
the presidents recomn endations would
he renewed. Mr.. Petit grew SAID there
had bees as effort TO promote Sampson
over SchIey, "notwIths landing Schley
had done the fighting and bad previously
outranked Sampson"
He said the president had afterward
corrected this injustice, and that, having
done this because of the attitude of the
senate that body did not deserve the
secretary's criticism.
Proceeding. MIR. Peigrew declared that
that the administration was disposed to
promote men "who had never smelt DOW
der, like Corbin and Shafter."
After a fe wfurther re marks on the
Sampson-Schley controversy during which
Senators Teller and Morgan criticised the
navy department for giving the Long let
ter to the newspapers, Mr.. Bacon, (Ga)
Addressed the senate upon his resolution,
declaring it to be the sense of the SEN
ate that the body had the right to de-
maud information and documents on