The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-21
THIS MEASURE AGAIN UNDER DISCUS
SION IN THE SENATE.
MUCH OPPOSITION DEVELOPED
Notice Of More to be Proposed
Hoar Has Recalled His
Resolution of Inquiry as To Bocr
I'm Observation-Disclosures
OF Prfvflege-Charle.tou Exposition
Bill and Many Private Pension Bills
Passed

yesterday calling for information con-
corning the exaction OF duties upon sup
plies and comforts sent TO Boer prison.
ers in Bermuda from this country be
recalled He explained that the article
OF The Hague convention upon which
the resolution had been based had been
adopted by Great Britain, but had not
been adopted by the United States. He
said he had been informed. since the
adoption Of the resolution, that the
governor of Bermuda proposed 20 re-
commend to the legislature OF Bermuda
that the law exacting such duties be
repealed. He sal the exaction OF such
duties was not a iolatio of treaty OBJ
legations, but he thought II was a mat
ter which ought TO be investigated. The
motion to recall vas adopted and the
resolution was referred TO the commit
tee on freign relations.
A house concurrent resolution provid-
ing hat the two branches of congress
assemble in the hall of the house of rep
resentatives on Thursday, February
9th, to participate in services in MEM
DRY of the late President Mckinley, was
adopted.
Senator Mallory. of Florida, rising to
a question Of privilege. called attention
to a. article in a New York newspaper
Of the 14th instant purporting to give a
poll Of the senate on the subject OF an
Isthmian canal. in the course OF which
he was represented as being In favor OF
the Panama route. He declared he had
had no interview with any one upon
that subject. AS a matter of fact, the
article misrepresented him entirely. Il
am decidedly in favor" said he, "of
nreSSinp the Nipara0uan nrOipct as rap
idly as possible and If it were in my
power 1 should be very glad to bring the
matter up for a vote today
Senator Clay, of Georgia, made a sim
liar statement about the same article,
asserting that he never had ihtimated
- any one what his views on the canal
question were. but that he did, as a
fact. favor the N~icaraguan project ana
not the Panama route, as stated in the
article in question.
The bill TO establish the department
of was called up by Senator
Nelson, Minnesota.
After sur,e minor amendments to the
measure had been offered by senator
Nelson n adopted, Senator Lodge Of
fered an amendment to Section IL of the
bill, providing hat the secretary OF
state should designate an official in his
department to furnish instructions to
consular officers supplied by the secre-
IdTy Ol COlIllIlSISS III ~ piCpoI Ni~
dispatches of the consular officers for
transmission to the secretary OF COM
merce.
The amendment aroused considerable
comment, all of it being favorable to
Senator Lodges proposition.
Senator Hale sharply criticised the
bill. He said the measure so suddenly
flashed upon the senate created the
largest department in the government.
The new secretary of commerce would
become the most important member of
the cabinet. He wOuid be even a more
complete official than the secretary OF
the treasury with all of his great ad-
ministrative duties. Many bureaus
had been included in the proposed de-
partment that have no more relation to
commerce than light has to darkness.
He referred particularly to the trans
fer to the new department of the coast
and geodetic survey and urged that II
that bureau were changed at all 1t
should be placed under the navy de-
partment. He referred to- various ma
vies in the several departments.
This brought Senator Tillman to his
feet. Il would like to add another navy
to those enumerated by the senator"
he said, that is, the army transport
service. That is assuming great pro-
portions and about 1T I have heard
some scandal"
Al the instance OIL SGHdlOT Letter.
Section vi of the bill providing for the
transfer of the geological survey to the
department Of was stricken
out.
Senator Hale gave notice of an
amendment providing for the transfer
of the coast and geodic survey to the
department.
After Senator Platt, Of Connecticut,
had criticised the bill, and urged that
no action be taken It this time, the
measure went over.
The following bills together with a
large number of private pension bills
were passed: Appropriating $50. 900 for
government expenses and floor space at
the Charleston, S. c., exposition; to pay
certain persons in the south for prop
erty taken from them by the military
forces of the United States.
Senator Clay, of Georgia, referring
to his privileged statement made ear
lier in the session concerning a news
paper article dealing with the attitude
OF senators upon the isthmian canal
project said that an examination OF the
articles showed hat he had beer in
cluded among senators favorable to a
full consideration of the canal question.
That was true he had been mislead by
the headlines.
Introducing a bill to exclude Chinese
from coming to the United States, Sen
otoI oiieSuei, VI oTtSon, SAID the pOlicy
and general provisions of the measure
were approved by the Pacific coast
senators and representatives, but that
1T had been agreed that this approval
shculd not affect the privilege OF any
member TO offer amendments when the
bill was considered. The bill was re-
ferred to the committee on immigration.
The senate then. on motion of Senator
Spooner. went into executive session.
When the doors were re-oDened Sem
ator Culberson, Of Texas. presented a
resolution expressive of the senate's
sorrow at the death Of Robert E. Burke.
formerly a representative in congress
from Texas.
After the adoption Of the resolution
the senate, as an additional mark of
respect, adjourned.