Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-24

The Senate Votes TO Buy Two
Islands from Spain.
RESOLUTIONS on yICIORIA'S DEATH.
Both Senate and House Express Their Re-
greet 1t the British Queens Demise
Minor Bills Before the
Anusa

Washington, Jan. 23.-TLe an
nouncement of the death OF Queen
Victoria yesterday conveyed unolfi
cially to the senate was recognized by
that body in the adoption of an ap'
propriate resolution which was or.
dered to be engrossed and forwarded
to the prime minister of Great Brit
ain. During the sitting Of the sen.
ate in open session the Legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bill was reported, so far as the com
mittee on amendments was concerned
1t is now subject. to amendment by
individual senator's. Little other bust
ness was transacted.
The senate in executive session
ratified the treaty with Spain for the
acquisition of the islands of Sibutu
and Cagayan, of the Philippine group,
at a cost of 100000 There were no
votes to spare, a two-thirds vote being
needed and the voting standing IS to
10. In the debate prior to ratifica-
ton number of senator's manifested
II disposition to oppose the further
acquisition of Oriental territory. Sen.
ators Lodge and Chandler spoke in
behalf of the treaty and Senators Ba-
con, Money and Pettigrew in OPPOSE
ton. Senator Lodge, speaking for the
committee on foreign relations, said
that the treaty was made necessary
by the failure TO include the islands
Of Sibutu and Cagayan in the original
negotiation by which we acquired the
Philippines and that it was necessary
to acquire them to prevent Germnny's
eettng possession of them. The OPP
position senators replied that the land
was worthless to the United States
and added that there was not harbor
on the coast of any one of them and
there could be no object in any other
country taking them. They also
charged that as the islands are in the
Sulu group their population is polyg-
amous and also that slavery exists on
the islands.
A Resolution on Queen victorIas Death.
Washington, Jan. 23.-T'he house
yesterday adopted resolution ex-
pressing profound regret and sym
pathy for the English people, owing to
the death of Queen Victoria. The
president was requested to express
the sentiment to Great Britain and
as further mark of respect the
house adjourned. The action of the
house was particularly expressive, in
that the resolution was adopted with
out dissent. 1t followed presidents
ind in almost the identical language
of the resolutions adopted upon the
occasion of the death of the presi-
dent of the French republic and the
car of Russia. Before the announce
ment of the death of the queen the
house passed the bills to send to the
court of claims the claims of Cramp
& Sons, amounting to something over
81 ,3O0,O00, for alleged damages due to
the company on account of the fail
ure of the government to promptly
furnish armor plate and other mate
rial used in the construction of the
New York, Columbia, Massachusetts
and Indiana. The claim has been
prominently before congress for sew
eral years. The senate bill to ex-
tend the placer mining laws to sa-
line lands was passed after rather
spirited debate. A special rule was
adopted for the consideration Of the
bill to promote the efficiency OF the
revenue cutter service after the dis
posal of the bill for the revision OF
the postal laws. The district of Co.
lumbia appropriation bill was taken
up and progress was made with it.