Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-26
57TH CONGRESS.
Both Branches Cleaning Up
Work of the Session.
Philippine Currency and Army Appro-
priation Bills Go to President.
House Decides to Have Union Station
for the Capital.

Washington, Feb. 25.-Thej Senate,
| today, made rapid progress. The state
hood riders to the agricultural and
post Office appropriation bills were
| withdrawn and both bills were passed
| The House amendments to the
| Philippine currency bill were agreed to
with but slight discussion, thus send
ing the bill to the President.
The Sundry civil bill was nearly
completed. A large number of pension
| bills were passed.
In the course of the day Civil Service
Commissioner Foulke was severely
criticised on account of letter written
| by him to Mr.. Spooner regarding the
dismissal of an employee of the sur
veyor generals Office, Idaho, who had
| been charged with receiving campaign
contributions. The discussion arose
over a resolution by Dubois calling for
information in the case.
The Senate met at II o'clock Imme-
diately Quay asked unanimous consent
for a vote on the statehood bill, today
Kean On. - objected
A bill to incorporate the American Ma
tional Institute in Paris excited some dis
cussion. Its object is to permit the ac~
ceptance of a tract of land from France
and the reception of number Of art gifts
from that country. 1illman Is. Co OBJ
jected and the bill went over.
A bill was passed amending the law re-
lating to American seamen, for the pro-
lection of such seamen and to promote
commerce as well as to permit allotments
of seamen's wages.
The agricultural appropriation bill then
was taken up. Proctor announced that
he was authorized to withdraw the state
hood amendment, which was done. An
amendment appropriating $500.0OO to stamp
out the foot and mouth disease was
agreed to. The bill then was passed.
The conference report with a partial
agreement on the army appropria ton bill
was agreed to-
Lodge moved that the Senate agree to
the amendments of the House to the Phil.
ippinc currency bill. After a speech by
Rawlns Otah) the motion prevailed,
which passes the bill
The sundry civil appropriation bill was
taken up. Allison yielded for the consid-
Grafton of the post office appropriation
bill. Mason, in charge of the BILL ex-
planned that he was sinstructed to with
draw the statehood rider, which was ac-
cordingly done.
An amendment by McComas providing
for the payment of tolls on toll roads.
incurred by rural free delivery carriers,
was agreed to. After some discussion the
bill was passed.
Consideration of the sundry civil bill
then was begun Spooner inquired if the
appropriation of $200,0 to eX-Queen lii
iuokalani was an honorary one. Allison
said that it was founded on a claim, pre-
tended or real, of I4iliuokalani to what
are known as the crown lands in Hawaii
of which she had been deprived Morgan
thought the matter should go over.
Hoar said that at first he had strong
feeling against the ex-Queen on account
of newspaper articles, but he since had
T<., @11n& DE-
might have been claimed to be her pri-
vate property and not mere crown lands
Their proceeds always had been used for
her private support He said the eX-
Queen had tried to reconcile her people
to the rule of the United States and that
she was a woman of great personal worth.
He hoped the appropriation would be
made because it was his desire to atone
for public utterance of diSreSpect to-
ward her.
Answering Hoar, Spooner said that II
there is any claim on the part of Lliuo
kalani as an individual contradstinguish-
ed from the sovereign, it should be dealt
with in a broad way.
Allison explained that the claim rested
on an equity.
Blackburn, who reported the amend
ment. said the committee on Pacific is
lands was unanimous in the recommends
ton. 1t is not commended he said. that
there is a legal claim involved against
the United States. She has no day il
court he said. The fee to the crow
lands was rot in her but in the sover
eign, but she was absolute in the receipt
of the rents Since her overthrow he
said, the government has collected $3.50 0W
in rents from those lands.- He would not
discuss the responsibility of the Unite6
States in the matter but no dethronement
would have occurred an the United
States would not have appropriated to it
self the rentals had it not been for ths
landing of the United States marines
from the Boston. 1t would be a good in
vestnent, he said. to pay the amount be
cause of the feeling of gratitude with
which it would be accepted, and the ap-
probation those people would show Ii
was a question, he said. that addresses
itself to the consciences of senator's
Stewart spoke in similar vein BY con
sent the matter went over until tomor
row.
An amendment was agreed to appro-
priating $4,000 for the construction of
wharf. retaining wall and laundry plant
at Honolulu, H. l.
An amendment appropriating $4,000 was
adopted to pay the expenses of the joint
commissioners to negotiate the differences
between the United States and Great Bri
tain with respect to Canada.
An amendment from the committee or
finance also was agreed to appropriations
s100, 900 for the expenses of an information.
al commission to fix the parity of gold
ard silver.
Another amendment agreed to provides
that the authority given the secretary OF
the treasury to coin subsidiary silver coir
by the eighth section of the act of March
ID. 1900, hereafter may be exercised with
out limitation as to the. amount of such
subsidiary coin outstanding.
At : o'clock, the sundry civil appro-
priation bill was laid aside and by unani-
nous consent unobjected, pension bills or
the calendar were considered. In all 32(
pension bills were passed. The conference
report on the Indian appropriation bill
was agreed to and at G.10 o'clock the Sen
ate adjourned until tomorrow.