Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-03-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON March 3d 1909

Senate Immediately went into eX-
ecutive session and declared the
offenders Sin contempt" 1t had
been my intention to permit this
disgraceful episode to pass unnotic-
ed but the events which followed
make it necessary to refer to it.
On Monday when the Philippine
revenue bill came to a vote, Presi-
dent pro tenn Frye refused to the
senators in contempt an opportun-
ity to vote and precipitated pro-
test from the minority, who claim
ad that the action of the president
was unconstitutional in that it
"disfranchised a sovereign state"
The Chair adhered it its decision
and the bill passed by strict
party vote.
On Tuesday Senator Frye, while
affirming that his position had been
correct and that senators in con-
tempt had neither vote nor voics
on the floor, restored their nance
pending the report of the commit
tee to which had been referred the
question Of censure, etc. Imme-
diate adjournment was taken by
the Senate on Tuesday and We'd
nesday. Thursday was devoted to
the Joint session referred to below
and on Friday the Committee on
Privileges and Elections reported
censuring Senators Tillman and
McLaurin and relieving them from
contempt. On that day the Senate
approved the permanent census
bill, as reported by the conference
committee, as did also the House
and with the signature of the
President it will become law.
The Senate then took up the irriga-
ton bill which was next on the
calendar.
Senator Penrose, at the request
of your correspondent, recently
made a brief statement of Republi-
can policy in the Philippines.
"The United States will stay in
the Philippine Islands," said the
Senator, "and will convert them to
a prosperous portion of the coun-
try. They will, 1 presume, be
given territorial rights in time, and
a resident Commissioner as Porto
Rico now has. The resources of
the islands are incalculable and
when they are developed by Ameri-
can capital and American enter
prise it is my opinion that they
will not only be adequate to meet
the current expenses of the terri
tory but will afford it and its resi-
dents the many advantages of high
er civiliza tion now enjoyed by the
citizens of the United States.
Under the guidance of the Philip
pine Commission the islands now
enjoy infinitely better educational
advantages, better courts of Justice
and, in a word, better facilities for
the attainment of civilization than
they ever had or ever would have
enjoyed under Spanish rule. With
the exception of q few professional
fighters, the people are happy and
contented and the time is not far
distant when they will be more so.
With the insurrectiOn ended the
United States will be in a position
to still further carry into effect the
beneicent intent which she has in
view and a satisfied and prosperous
people will bless this country for
their deliverance from Spanish
dominion"
The consular and diplomatic ap-
preparation bill was passed by the
House during the past week and a
committee was appointed to confer
with the Senate committee on the
Philippine bill. On Friday the
House devoted itself to the calen-
dar and exceeded all previous re-
cords by passing 159 bills in three
hours. 1t then adjourned until
this morning. The question of re-
ciprocal relations with Cuba is still
unsettled and the best thought
will be considered in caucus this
evening.
On Thursday Congress went into
joint session in the House of Rep
resentatives and with its guests,
the President and his Cabinet,
Prince Henry of Prussia and his
suite, the diplomatic corps, the
Justices of the Supreme Court and
a number of invited guests, parti-
cipated in the beautiful memorial
services at which Secretary Hay
delivered an eloquent eulogy Of
William Mckinley. Adjectives
will not do justice to the glowing
tribute which the Secretary of
State paid to his dead chief.
Your correspondent was present
at the memorial exercises in the
House of Representatives and noted