The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-02-20

Washington, February 1S.-There
was lively debate in the senute to-
day upon Senator Quay's resolution
declaring it to be the sense of the
senate that there should be a vote on
the statehood bill before the adjourn
ment of congress. To this PROPOSE
ton Senator McComas re-offerri Sena-
tor Platt's cloture resolution intro
duced two years ago, and 4 motion
was made to refer the whole pruposi-
ton to the committee on ru'es. This
was pending when the sen1-e went
into executive session.
The discussion of the subject brought
out the fact that the senate was
strongly opposed to cloture ir any
dozen senators expressing their oIln-
ion upon the subject. Among The sem
ators who expressed themselves
against the cloture were N,,ssrS.
Spooner. Teller. Cockrell. Lodge anI
Bacon. Mr.. Bacon expressed The opil-
ion that the debate had been p.o:ita bic
and he thought finally put at rast tile
question Whether the senate will adopt
cloture.
The resolution went over without ac-
ton. as several senators desired 10 eX-
press their views. After spending
three and one-half hours in executive
session, the senate adjourned until to-
morrow at IL o'clock.
House of Representatives.
The house today. nv p ~" ;""i%ry ~
two to one, rejected the conference re-
Ynl rT.I.l i'm
because Of the provisions il contained
for the retirement of civil war CtticerS
at an advanced grade and for permit
ting officers to deposit money with
the government at three per cent in
tereSt. The house emphatically votcL
against both propositions and sent the
bill back to conference. The proceed
ings upon the conference report were
enlivened by a sharp personal clash
between Mr.. Hull, Of Iowa, and Mr..
Slayden, of Texas. The remainder Of
the day was devoted to the Eayal bill,
but slow progress was made. only
twenty pages being covered.
Mr.. Hay, of Virginia. one of the
&C nferees on the army bill. strenuouslY
opposed the adoption Of the report.
because Of the provision for r26ircnan,
of army officers who served in the
civil war with an additional sra >'e
and the provision permitting army OF
ficers to deposit their money with the
government. such deposit to draw !
per cent interest. Mr.. Hay expressed
the opinion that the latter provision
would esta blish a dangerous Drece-
dent, that it would lead to the grant
ing of the same privilege 20 hawai- of.
ficers and might be extended to civil
employees of the government. He
chara cteriZed 1t as "paternal.sm run
mad"
MIR. Slayden. Of Texas, charged Mr
Hull with bad faith in not giving rhe
Jel osIt amendment. He said Mr.. HUI
had promised such vote.
j desire to say" interposed Mr.
Hut that that statement is not tue
The gentleman's courtesy" relort-
! ed Mr.. Slayden, ''is equal 10 his We
ractty. 1t is a cheap form of debate
which permits the gentleman Ia in
| 6ulge in the expression he has ushC
and only the fact that | am II the bal
| Of the house restraints me from reply
| ing to his black-guardism as it de-
| serves" Democratic applause
| This sharp colloquy aroused tht
house and Mr.. Mann, Of Illinois. un
! dertook to rebuke Mr.. Slayie1. II
| said he was surprised that Lr. Sloy
! worse than that employed by Mr.
| Hull.
The gentleman's idea Of good man
ners does not especially commend II
self to me- replied Mr.. Slayl"n, VIII
| proceeded to say that only very .tron'
provocation had induced him To =,
! what he had. He then uuotel from
. the record to show that Mr.. Hull ha.
{ virtually pledged the house m oppor
| tunity to vote on his proposition.
Mr.. Cannon protested against tn
manner in which appropriation bill
were loaded by the senate with a
sorts of legislative provisions thd
were not in order in the house. III
practice. he declared. not only de
moralized appropriation, but woul
bring scandal and deserved criticism
in the house" said he, I'VE legislat
under rules. In another body 9th
senate) they legislate by unanimou
consent. Gentlemen know what tha
means" General applause.)
Mr.. Richardson, Of Tennessee. an
Mr. Hull concluded the debate and tn
conference report was voted down.
The house by the specific votes in
sisted upon its disagreement to the re