The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-08

interesting exchange of views in the
Senate today between Mr.. Nelson and
Mr.. Hale The Minnesota Senator, in
the course OF a brief colloQuy with Mr..
Patterson, expressed the opinion that
there is such a commonalty Of interest
on the part of the United States, Great
Britain and Japan as to protect China
against dismemberment. To this state
ment, Mr.. Hale objected sharply, saying
that the position of the United States
in the present war is that Of neutrality.
The naval bill again occupied praci-
calIy all the time of the Senate, but
while the amendment concerning ma
val training station on the Great Lakes
was technically the pending question,
it scarcely was mentioned. The dis
cussion today was entirely on political
lines and was participated in by Messrs.
Hale, Depew and Nelson, on the Repub-
| lican sde, and My Messrs. German,
Clay, Martin. Patterson and Bacon On
| the Democratic side.
Mr. CLAW took issue with the conten-
| tions of Messrs. Lodge and Depew as to
| the necessity for a strong hghtlng sea
| force to keep the United States out OF
war. He did not criticise the additions
| so far made to the navy, nor the carry
| ing out of the plans Of the pending bill
but he could not agree that there were
| to be no relaxations. No country, he
| said is challenging US, or questioning
our position on the Monroe Doctrine
Our rights were secure, he contended
il we properly preserved the rights o.
other nations. He did not believe tha
| there was any danger of war with Ger
1 h N 6
| trouble with other powers as an I'M
| mense navy. composed Of many ambi
| tious men, He claimed that ex-Secre
| tary Root now held the same view
| concerning the retention of the Philip
: pines as were maintained by the Dem
| ocrats.
Il Mr.. Clay also contended that ther
should be a Congressional committee I
. | investigate expenditures in the depart
| rents. saying that no business ma
| would let business involving million
| drift along as Congress was dong. ID
, | criticised the policy that led TO tn
: expenditure of s2o7, ,O00, 900 annually fo
| war and refuses to erect pubic oullo
| ings i'm Washington that would saw
rents Of 100000 per year.
: Mr. Martin, Democrat, a member {
: | the committee on naval ana1rs, de1ehc
: ed the bill, and called attention to tf
| fact that no one had found fault VIII
| the increase OF the navy do piopoHe
e by the bill I'VE must have a stron
- nayy', he said, and he instanced tf
O | recent expansion Of the United STATE
as furnishing the reason for this nece
:. sity.
II He referred to the possibility
( | France and Great Britain beng dra"
l. into Oriental war because of their r
II | spective alliances with Russia and ii
'e pan. and while he did not believe tn
the United States would become invol
- ed in the imbroglio he did not cons1d
l. it the part of wisdom TO be unprepare
&c Mr.. Depew said the Georgia Senat
IS could not separate the eX-secreta
from the Republican party on the Pm
| ippine question as would be found Wh'
- Mr Roots full views were known. T
lie American people are not cutters.
IL said, but they hold on. He did not %
to lieye we would see our relauonS WI
IN the Filipinos diminished.
ed Mr.. Nelson referred to our naval /
Id f,uence in the east, saying that W!
K. | this country, Great Britain and Jap
II all united in support OF an open door
China. there was no danger Of the q
= memberment of China. All, too, we
It | hostile to the absorption OF Manchur
IL He did not believe that there was a
ed | formal alliance only mutually OF ]
Id tereSt.
Mr.. Hale protested that this deba
h. was extraneous. II don't want
statement of that Senator from MINI
D. sofa to go unchallenged.' he said, Il
he not agree that there is today any su
Ike common interest between the UNI
he States. Great Britain and Japan on
~ one side. against Russia, France a
other powers as his statement impIl
nt Our attitude is one of neutrality and
,re declared by our state department.
"a are not against Japan, nor must IL
said that all our interests are with
and against Russia and other cor
mental European powers"
m, He said that IL Japan should be s
cessful in her present war, the Uni
states would find herself in more d;
ON ger in commercial matters from
-, ambitious power than any other.
Mr.. German criticised Mr.. Moody
at imprudent in charging the Demccr;
for party with partisanship because OF
at (Nr Gorman's) attitude on the ma
aor He had spoken for himself IN say
IN the administration was advancing
sti- rapidly and had gone too far in the
ads crease of the navy. Executive
..,-- ~o "A Mr. German slowly and y