Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-04-17
CHINESE BILL.
Senator's viii Vote on the Bill and
Amendments To-Day.
BILL FOR 4 MONUMENT TO LINCOLN.
The Cuban Reciprocity Debate In the
House Closed and the BDl Likely To
Pass In the Shape the Commit
tee Fixed II.

practically concluded yesterday and
voting on the bill and amendments
will begin at one o'clock to-day. By
general consent a vote was taken yes
terday on two important amend
ments, offered by Senator Fairbanks,
of Indiana, striking out the definition
as to Chinese students and teachers,
and they were agreed to without d.
vision. These changes were made
with a view to reconciling some Of
the opposition to the measure, which
has been directed against the rigid
restrictions on students and teachers,
and the unnecessary inconvenience
this would impose on the educated
Chinese classes coming to this coun-
try. The debate was participated in
by Senators Heitfield, of Idaho; Pen
rose. Of Pennsylvania, and Turner, Of
Washington, in favor of the bill, and
Senators Pritchard, Of North Caro-
lima, and Spooner, Of Wisconsin, in
opposition.
Senator Turner made the asser-
ton that politics had crept into the
discussion and that most of the mem
bers of the ma. iority were opposed
to the bill. This brought out sharp
reioinder from Senator Spooner, who
maintained that politics had not fig
ured in the discussion, and that the
opposition to the present bill was due
entirely to its conflict with the treaty
and not because of any opposition to
Chinese exclusion, which was an es-
tabished doctrine of the govern
ment.
Senator Cnllom introduced a bill
providing for commission to secure
plans and designs for monument
to be erected to the memory of Presi-
dent Lincoln. The proposed commits
Sion is to be composed of the chair
man of the senate and house commit
tees on library, the secretary OF
state and the secretary of war.
Twenty-Five thousand dollars is to be
to carry out the pnr-
pose of the bill.
The senate confirmed the nomina-
tion of Col. Mott Hooton, Twenty
eighth infantry, to be brigadier gen
eral.
With the close of the Cuban reci-
procity debate in the house yesterday
the leaders announced that all danger
of the bill being weighted down with
undesirable amendments was over
and that they felt assured the bill
would pass in the shape in which it
came from the committee. AS the
bill in its present form is sure to
command three-fourths of the vote OF
each side of the house its passage
was certain If it successfully passed
the stage when amendments could be
offered. The only cause of anxiety
heretofore has been the possibility
that enough republicans would join
with the democrats to overrule the
chair and tack on to the bill an
to abolish the differen-
tial on refined sugar. All the ener-
gies of the leaders have been direct
ed, therefore, to bringing pressure
to bear on the recacitrant republic
ans to induce them to refrain from
aiding this plan, and yesterday even
ing at the close Of the session of the
house it was announced that the en-
tire republican delegations from
Michigan and California, who consti-
tllte the neau anu mont or the oppo-
sition, had agreed not to vote to
overrule the ruling of the chair. Mr..
Watson, of Indiana, who is acting as
the whip for the majority, does not
believe over a dozen republicans at
the outside will join the democrats
on this proposition. 1t would require
more than 20 republican votes to
place on the bill the amendment
which might endanger its ultimate
passage, as several democrats, it is
understood, also have declared their
intention to stand by the ruling Of
the chair.
An unsuccessful effort was made
again yesterday by Mr., Paine to Sc
cure an agreement to limit the gem
eral debate. When the house adj
journed there remained 81 members
who desired to speak. The debate
was without particular interest. The
speakers were Messrs. Swanson, OF
Virginia, and White, of Kentucky, for
the bill and Messrs. s. W. Smith, of
Michigan; Dayton, of West Virginia;
Burgess, of Texas; Meyer, of Louisi-
ana, and Sutherland, of Utah,
against it.
Mr.. Burleson, Of Texas, introduced
resolution calling on the secretary
Of war for full transcript of the
proceedings before the court-martial
which recently tried Maj. Waller in
Manila for executing Filipino guides.
The house committee on judiciary
reported favorably bill providing
for the transmission of original court
records to the upper courts in cases
of appeal.