Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-14
IN THE HOUSE.
House Again Endorses Election Of
Senators by the People.

Washington, Feb. 13-The House,
today, unanimously adopted a resolu-
ton proposing an amendment to the
constitution of the United States for
the election of senators by the direct
popular vote. There was no demand
for time in which to debate the reso-
luton. This is the fourth time the
House has adopted a similar resolu-
ton.
Two bills of general importance
were passed by the House, today, the
remainder of the time being devoted
to minor business. One was a
Senate bill to provide for the payment
soldiers whose horses, side arms and
baggage were taken from them by
Union soldiers contrary to the terms
of the surrender of Lees and john
ston's armies. The amount to be paid
under the bill was limited to $4,000
The other bill was to confer authori-
ty on the Spanish claims commission
to send for persons and papers and to
punish for contempt.
Conliss, who is the author of a bill
for a government cable from San
Francisco to Manila, delivered a speech
in opposition to the laying of such
cable by a private corporation.
The session of the House was oc-
cupied in the transaction of miscellane-
Gus business. Several bills were passed
by unanimous consent, including the
following: To construct a lighthouse
keepers dwelling at Calumet Harbor,
Ill, at cost of $500.
A bill called up by the judiciary COM
mttee to clothe the Spanish claims
commission with power to compel the
attendance of witnesses and the pro-
duction of papers and to provide for
punishment for contempt, produced
some discussion.
Ray. N. Y, chairman of the judiciary
committee, declared that the comis-
sion, which was to pass upon claims
against the government aggregate
$75,000,000, had not as much authority,
today, as a justice of the peace. Par
ker, N. j.. pointed out that Civil war
claims which had been before Con-
gress for years existed, today, because
the commission which investigated
them had no power to exact testimony
from any one. After some further de-
bate Jenkins, Wis, demanded the pre-
vious question which was ordered by
vote of 1872 to so. Moody, Mass,
moved to recommit the bill with in
structions to strike from it the pro-
vision giving the commission authority
to punish witnesses for contempt. The
motion was lost and the bill passed.
Bills were also passed to grant the
White River Railroad Co. the right to
construct railway across government
lands in independence county, Arkansas.
Speaking to a pro forma amendment to
the latter bill, Corliss tRep, Mich), who
is the author of bill to provide for the
laying of a government cable from San
Francisco to Manila, addressed the House
on the cable project. He said that he
was opposed to Congress yielding con-
cessions to private cable monopolies.
notably the Commercial Company, con-
trolled by the Acknowledgement forces,
and he dwelt emphatically on the i'm
portance of the United States operating
its own cable lines.
1.-THE right to construct cable lines" he
said, lis an inherent right of the nation
No one has right to lay cable with
out permission of Congress. There is no
law in existence under which cable lines
may be laid. Congress has assumed the
right to control the construction and OPP
Grafton of cable lines in Alaska. Is it not
far more important for the maintenance
Of peace and the welfare of our people
to control cable communication with
Hawaii, the Philippines and the other is
lands in the Pacific?"
Corliss cited precedents to show that
the right to control cables is vested in
Congress and he said that in the case of
the United States VS.. the French Cable
Co. Judge Lacombe decided that without
the consent of the general government no
one, alien or native, had any right to es-
tablish a physical connection between the
shores of this country and that Of any
foreign nation.
The Senate bill to nav the claims of ar
tillery and cavalry officers and private
soldiers to the Confederate army for
horses, side arms and baggage alleged to
have been taken from them by Federal
troops in violation of the terms of the
surrender of the Confederate army, after
limiting the sum to be paid to $4,000. was
passed.
Corliss called up the joint resolution
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