North Carolina Newspapers

Weather To-Dayi FAIR; WARMER. VOL. XLV NO. 141. A History-Making Dag SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT PASSED HOUSE BY OVER THREE FIFTHS MAIORITY. Amid Applause, With Galleries and Lobbies Crowded With Interested Spectators, It Passed Both Readings—Great Speeches by Rountree and Winston. It was a history-making day—yester day in the House. A radical change was wrought in the organic law of the .State, so far as the House can make such a change. The suffrage amendment to’the Consti tution was passed by more than the re quired three-fifths vote. Many have been the years since those gray historic walls have witnessed such a scene as they saw yesterday. Lobbies and galleries were crowded and there was a nervous quiet upon the. floor. One need not have been told that the most important business of the entire session was about to be transacted. It was just 11:55 when Mr. Rountree, of New Hanover, called attention to toe fact that the time for the special order— the Suffrage Amendment Bill—had ar rived. The bill, with the report of the com mittee thereon, was read by Mr. Win ston. of Bertie. Though the bill had been thoroughly considered in caucus, the debate on it yesterday lasted for nearly three hours. Speeches were made by Messrs. Roun tree and Winston, for the bill; and by Hampton, Smith, (col.), Eaton, (col.), Wright, (col.), and Williams of Graham, all Republicans, against it. Mr. Rountree’s speech was an eloquent presentation of the conditions that lead to the drafting of the amendment and now compelled its adoption, lie explain ed the provisions of the bill in detail, the reason for each and discussed in learned and convincing manner the legal ques tions involved. Altogther Mr. Rountree's speech was one of the most able and powerful that has been delivered in the House this session. As for Mr. Winston's s]>eech, more eloquence could hardly have been crowd ed into the brief five minutes allowed him. He realized fully the importance of the occasion and rose equal to it in every particular. Almost everyone of his • terse, epigrammatic sentences were ap plauded. In the speeches of the three Colored members —Smith, Eaton and Wright— there was a touch of pathos. For the short comings of their race, which they acknowledged, there could bo but sorrow; for their services as slaves and as free men, appreciation; and for their hopes and aspirations, sympathy. But above it all stood the argument of their having been fried for .‘>o years and found waul ing. As the debate proceeded the feeling began to grow more tense and the situa tion became dramatic, until one could, during the roll-call, easily have imagin ed himself in a political convention where a contest hot and close was being wag ed. There were a number of prominent Democrats who had manifested a doubt as to how they would vote. There was. , therefore, some fear of the result, though the required 73 were pledged to stand by the amendment. When one of these doubtful members voted for the amendment In* was wildly applauded by the Democrats. If he. voted against it he won applause from the Republican side. But when the three l’opulist mem bejrs—Crumpler, Tarkentou and Johnson. | of Sampson—voted for the amendment, the applause was long and deafening, shouts and yells being added to the hand clapping. The vote on the second reading was 7!) to 2!) and on the third reading it was SI to 27. Messrs. Patterson, of Caldwell, and Reeves, of Ashe, who did not vote on the second reading voted on the third, increasing the vote to 81. Messrs. Flem ing and Currie! of Moore, who voted against the hill on second reading re frained from voting on the third, cutting the negative vote down to 27. The bill was sent over to the Senate without engrossment and will probably come up for passage by that body today. 1 be first to speak upon the Dill in the House yesterday was Mr. Rountree. The bill before llu* House was, he said, a substitute for the original Winston hill, prepared by the commit i^. "Not. however, without earnest study <>f conditions and many concessions. It is. as all such instruments are, a com promise measure. But it is a measure approved by all the members of the com mit tee, by all the lawyers of this body N, and by those outside of this House who Naive examined it. / "It is, in short, a just, legal and effec tive measure for securing to North Caro lina the blessings of good government for many years to come. In the early years of this young repub lic. under the enthusiasm caught from the French republic, men dreamed of a political millenium based upon universal suffrage. For awhile it did seem as if some day that dream might blossom into reality. But thirty years ago and more, the negro was enfranchised. No doubt many of ihose who assisted in • this thought they were doing right. But The News and Observer, LEMS Mi DHTH OMNUU HUES IN NEK MO CIKDUIIiII. now we know it was a most egregious mistake, a mistake that amounted to a crime. Since that time even the hearti est enthusiast has seen his hopes wither, and year by year they have lost faith in their panacea. Recent events have as celerated this change in'sentiment until today we find many States putting into their constitutions limitations upon the right of suffrage. "Louisiana, Mississippi, South Caro lina, Massachusetts and other States have laws similar to this. In Hawaii the National government has very much abridged the, right to vote; while ii>< Cuba only about 20 per cent, of the peo ple arc said to be fitted for exercising the elective franchise. And in the Phil ippines the right- to vote will he still more abridged, for the reason that the people there do not know how to use it wisely. ‘‘The results of the last four years in North Carolina, and especially of the hist two years, have completely demonstrated the fact that the negro is maitred tin sels-government. You all know the con ditions that have prevailel The con ditions in my own county were simply intolerable. But I shall not stop l ore to rehearse that. It has often been (old in the newspapers of this and other States. But it teacln-s m>* this—that something must be done. The nroblc :i must be solved, and solved in a just, hu mane and legal way. "In doing this we were met with two difficulties. On the one sale was the Constitution of the United States, on the other was the illiterate white* voter. These latter must not be disfranchised. Among them are some of the State's best citizens—men who have fought and labored for their country, built its very foundations and budded well. They are as capable of self-government. Mr. Speaker, as you or I i.nd must not be disfranchised.” .Applause.) Mr. Rountree explained in detail the provisions of the amendment, which is printed elsewhere, and gave the reasons that influenced the committee in draft ing the amendment. The principle on which the committee acted, ho said, was this: ill. That per sons guilty of crime have not sufficient character to participate in the govern ment; (2.) that persons without a home or fixed habitation have not sufficient in terest in toe State or its welfare to take part in its government; (3.) that those who are not thrifty and patriotic enough to pay their taxes —bear their just part of the burden of government— should have no voice in that government, and (4) tln^ - must he possessed of sufficient intelligence to rightly exercise the duties and privileges of citizenship. “We provided that every voter must pay his'poll lax and be able, to a certain extent, to read and write.” Touching the incompetency of the ne gro for exercise of the elective franchise. Mr. Rountree declared that fitness for self-government was largely a matter of heredity, it must he obtained by in heritance aml not by schools and learn ing. "This is the very doctrine laid down by Hare in bis ‘American Constitutional Law.’ So on page 5 iio says: 'The ait of self-government cannot be taught by school masters or learned from books. Dot must be acquired through the ac cumulated experience of generations, handed down traditionally. It is to such a cause, rather than to any original su periority of the Anglo-Saxon people over the other Indo-Gerumnii uil.es, that we may attribute the success of free insti tutions in England and the United States.’ "While the committee had this amend ment under consideration, along with that touching taxes for public schools, a number of the leading negroes of the State came before the committee. They acknowledged that their race had made little progress during tin* last thirty years, and assigned as a reason that they were but a few years out of savagery and fewer out of slavery; that the habits and traditions of that debased state still clung to them. They assigned the true cause. "Edmund Burke in his criticism of the French Revolution, laid down the postu late that no people can break entirely with the past. Whether government is good or had depones solely upon the people governed. You can't impose selt government upon the Chinese or the peo ple of Russia. It is a difficult thing to do even in France, the most en lightened nation of Europe. "These are the reasons why we have so framed this amendment as to except from its provisions the men who, for a hundred years, have helped control this government, and make it- what it is to day. “But, some one asks, what are you going to do with the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution? Does it not provide that ‘the right to vote shall not he denied or abridged on ac count of race, color or previous condi- RALEIGH, N.C., SaTUBDAY MORNING-. FEBRUARY IS. 1899. tion of servitude?’ It does, and Ibis Dill was drawn with that amendment in view. "The hill does not discriminate against the black man. It is not intended to dis franchise the negro ns a class—only thost negroes that are unfitted, by reason of ignorance and crime, for exercising the duties of citizenship and exercising them wisely. Touching this vern oinf the Unit'd States Supreme court, passing upon llu* Mississippi suffrage law, has said: I Wil liams vs. Mississippi U. S. Rep. 1701: •Within the field of permissible action under the limitations imposed by the Federal Constitution, the convention swept the field of expedients, to obstruct the exercise of suffrage by the negro race. By reason of it.a previous condi tion of servitude and dependencies, this race had acquired or accentuated certain peculiarities of habit, of temperament, and of character, which clearly distin guished it as a race from the whi A patient, docile people: but careless id less. migratory within narrow limits, without forethought; and its criminal members given to furtive offences, rather than tin* robust riin<‘s if the whiles. Restrained by the Federal Constitution from discriminating against the negro race, the convention discriminates against the negro race, the convention discriminates against its characteristics, and the offences to which its criminal members are prone. If weakness were to he taken advantage of, it was to he done ‘within the field of permissible ac tion under the limitations imposed by the Federal Constitution,’ and the means of it were the alleged characteristics of the negro race, not the administration of the law by officers of - the State. Besides, the operation of the constitution and laws is not limited by their language or effect to one race.’ ” "There * nist then he no discrimination against a race as a race; and in this amendment there is none. Under it all the negroes would not be disfranchised. Descandants of free negroes who could vote will not he disfranchised. And on the other hand white people horn in other countries— foreigners—who cannot read and write can not vote. “But all white people living in North Carolina can vote, whether they he able to read and write or not. The ignorant white man and his descendants are its capable of voting as you and I.” Mr. Rountree read from the Constitu tion of Massachusetts, which Mate has :in educational qualification, except that the descendants of all persons who could vote on May Ist, 1897. can vote. “There is not the slightest difference in principle between that law and the one we now have under consideration. Ours is to protect us against ignorant negroes. The Massachusetts law is to protect that State front ignorant foreigners. "The law proposed for adoption here to-day is modeled after the Louisiana law. which is said to have been drawn by that distinguished jurist Thomas .1. Sims. It may not*he all we -desire, but if will he effectual. It will guarantee to North Carolina for many years to come decent government. It is founded on con ditions and principle. It does the white race justice and il does the negro no injustice.” A perfect whirlwind of applause, last ing nearly a minute, greeted the conclu sion of Mr. Rountree’s speech which had been delivered with powerful effect. He was followed by Isaac Smith, of Craven. Isaac, of course, spoke in be half of his race. Os all sad thoughts, to him the saddest was that the very people whom he had held up to his race as*their best friend were now about to disfranchise them. The negro, he said, regarded the right tn vote as the dearest thing <»n earth. “He regards the ballot as the one thing in life worth having above a.t others. And now it is sad that he's I about to have it taken away. It comes down hard on this weak race. We have been slaves once and we know what it means to be free. Wo have been denied the rights of freemen, and now the enjoy ment of those rights is sweet. “To me this is the most serious thing on earth. I ask you most kindly to con sider well what you are about to do. Take away from ihe colored man this privilege and he will never again consid er you his friend. “I tell you in four years from now you’ll want to reconsider today’s action, and can’t. I don’t, know much about law. hut I wouldn't give m.v judgment of the future for all law. (Laughter.) “I can tell you now who’ll he tin* next President as good as after lie’s elected (Laughter.) "1 wish, however, to address myself on the* law. (Laughter.) “You may laugh, hut this is a very sad thing to me, gentlemen, very sad. It’s no laughing matter. “You say this law don’t discrimin ate against the negro. Why your Dem ocratic paper says right along it's for that and I'd swear it and sign it. You know it’s done for that and you'd swear it and sign it. Is it possible then that a judge wouldn’t decide it that way? “You say it’s not done for that? Then bless your sweet souls, what’s if done for? Not for your race certainly. “You give the white race nine years before you let the reading and writng strike them. Why don’t you give my nice the same time. You don’t give ! the colored race no grace at all. Now ain’t that discrimination? idaughter.) “A Democrat paper says the negroes ain’t taking no interest much in this ! thing and the white Republicans ain't taking none. Don't you know why? j They know it will put you in a bole. 1 I know it will and I tell you so. You know I’ve always been your friend. : (Laughter.) i “Somebody said the other day it j wouldn’t disfranchise me. But it will : do it in effect and I’ll prove it to you. Suppose there’s a hank with ten diree i tors and you pass a law making nine of them withdraw, don’t that break up the business. (Laughter.) j "This law don’t get the young negro ' that is so obnoxious to you. It euls out , of hi* vote the old colored man that has served you. and eared for you; yes, and . loved you.” ! Isaac argued that the Democrats (Continued on Second Pnge.i THE FRENCH SITUHTIOI M. Emile Loubet is the Fa vorite Candidate, FOR THE PRESIDENCY HE WOULD (JAIN FRIENDSHIP OF EUROPEAN SOVEREIGNS. THE DEAD PR SIDENT LIES IN STATE Tehgrams of Sympathy Pour in Prom All Parts .of the Globe. Public Events Take a Dramatic Turn. The Death Fcen°. (Copyright 18011 by Associated Press.) Paris, Feh. 17. Everything is very quiet in Paris tonight. There is no dan ger of a coup d'etat. The favorite candi date for thi‘ Presidency is M. Emiie Lou bet, now President of the Senate. Still the Ministers whom I saw today think Mr. Fauro's death is a misfortune at the present juncture, and this is the con ventional talk. They had all looked for ward to his having soon to resign; and they spoke today of the possible effect of bis death on the courts of Europe. If M. Loubet i* elected, European so vereigns would soon transfer to him their friendly regards. He is a good unaffect ed, level headed man, of honest, open life and far more intellectual culture than poor Enure. He is an advocate and practiced at the Montilemar Bar, in the Department of Drome. Montile mar is his native town. As a precau tion against a coup d’otn., or any at temots of the sort, the troops have been ordered to keep within barracks in all the garrison. M. Fauro’s body, now embalmed, is lying in state in the Salle des Fetes of the theatre built by President Carnot for concerts and dramatic ent rtain ments. The body is dressed in an even ing coat and the immaculate, well known white waistcoat, athwart which is the broad red ribbon of watered silk of the Legion of Honor, Tile oy s os are closed and fill out the eyv“hie. A black canopy, bordered with silver braid, overshadows the couch. Before the body was embalmed informal dead mass was celebrated in the El.vsee Cha pel. Today the whole official world has paid formal visits of condolence to the palace, the formality consisting in writ ing the visitors name in the register. Piles of telegrams from corporate bodies, personal friends, sympathizers in all parts of France, and, indeed. Europe and even Asia have answered. The first to telegraph to Madam Faun* was Emperor William, the next Prince Fer dinand, of Bulgaria. The army has been ordered to go into mourning until after the obsequies. Public events in France have a strange suddenness and lake spontaneously a dramatic character. Thus M. Fa lire’s body lies in a Salle des Fetes, or hall of festivities. The cards had been is sued to ti.OOO persons to attend a slate hall next Thursday. Today the tapes tries of the hall room have been taken down that the room may Ik* hung in black. M. Faure had looked forward with de light to the El.vsee being in 1900 the re sort of sovereigns. Thedast. letter he had from Emperor Nicholas was an accept ance of his (M. Fanre’s) invitation. He took great pleasure, also, in thinking that membership in the Order of the Annunciation would make him a "Cou sin” of King Humbert; and the insignia of that order were to have been present ed to him by a special embassy this month. But his soul was suddenly re quired of him; and all connected with his Presidential career is over. His death preaches a sermon upon the vani ty of human ambition. M. Loekroy, the Minister o( Marine, is especially struck with the example M. Fanre’s death gives of the fragility of human greatness. Twice yesterday he communicated with tin* President on naval affairs. Mr. Faure, as a former ship agent and charterer at Havre, and once himself minister of Marine, deemed himself a naval authority. 11 is naval hobby was a Meet of Corsair cruisers to attack, in case of war. English trans- Atlantic steamers. M. Loekroy humored him and often consulte him; and now In* can’t realize* that tin* President is no more, lli* says he feels as In* once did during an earthquake. The total eclipse of tin* elysian preparations for festivity t.\- tin* deepest mourning also comes home to Loekroy. Some fatality follows the Presidents of tin* French Republic. O! llu* six we have had only President Grevy lived through a full term of office; and he was forced to resign by a hostile vote of Par liament. Marshall .MaeMahon found he could not remain President with dignity. M. Casimir-1 ’crier’s motives for throw ing up tin* situation are still a mystery. Carnot was assassinated and Inure smitten as if byea thunderbolt. M. Loekroy, who was present at the death, thinks it was painless. Dr. Lnnnc-Longui shares this opinion, hut believes there was in the early stages of apoplectic seizure* agonizing pain. The doctors attribute the break down in tin* President’s health to Fa shod a and thinks that the consequent anxiety used up his vitality. M. Faure had fostered the scheme. Major Marc-hand was sent to accomplish, and he was terrified at its possible consequences. Dr. Lanne-Longue tells me that after the Fashodn incident M. Faure lost his appetite. It was then he began to feel so limp in the legs that he feared to ride on horseback. Yesterday the sense* of limpness was so distressing that he gave up the idea of a canter in the Bois tie Boulogne, lie usually went there between eight and ten in the morning, mounted on a thorough bred. He was fond of going to small morning reviews at Longchamps and of taking up a position beside the* re viewing general. 1 have been to see the Abbe Renault, who gave ,M. Faure absolution in ex tremis. Mine. Faure, on seeing that death was hastening, begged that mes sengers should be sent to see different ■ priests’ and a dominieian. All thg priests, she thought, would he out din ing, the ilomincian would surely be at his monastery. She also begged that, if any messenger met a priest in the street, lie should bring him at once to the Elysee. Abbe Renault is the humblest of the limn hie, being chaplain to tin* House of Detention, or lookup, at the Prefec ture of Police. Yesterday lie* had dined with some relatives who have a small shop in the Faubourg Street Ilonore. After dinner lie* was going home when suddenly a soldier on a bicycle came up. descended from the machine and caught him with visible agitation by the arm, saying, "Come with me.” Father Renault went, and only learn ed where hi was going at the palace gate. There the soldier said: “The President is dying. l)o wluit you can for him. He is not a had chap.” At the door a porter met the* Abbe and conducted him to the sitting room. The* President was lying on a mattress upon the floor. Hi* was in a flannel shirt and covered with draperies—bis feet were wrapped in steaming flan n Is, his nostrils assailed with the min gled smells of mustard and ether and blood flowing from his temples, neck and forehead, for leeches, euppinv:. hypodermic injectors and bleeding had lx*: n tried. The face was almost black from congestion. One doctor had drawn the tongue to keep the lrnigs alive; another •held a bag of oxygen to the nose, a third was rubbing the hands. But no sign of returning animation was given. Dr. Lanne-.Longuc* said: “We have clone all we can. Let religion to console the family now come in.” The Abbe* dropped on his knees, all pres nt doing likewise and gave ab solution in extremis. He had no holy oil to administer extreme unction. In the next room the ladies were sobbing. The ministers came in and dropped on th* ir knees. As the clock on the man tle* struck ten, a doctor said: “All is over." Some persons went into the next room to inform Mine. Faure and her daughters. She soon came out, and. with great composure, as if her gri f were .suddenly hushed, ordered that the body he placed on file President’s brass railed bed and hi kept unembalmecl as lung as possible. She thanked the priest for rendering the last offices to a 'Christian and said that before the President lost consciousness he lfad prayed for forgiveness of all whom he might have offended. “His tongue was paralyzed as he spoke,” she >i id. and again, “the poor have lost in his death a good friend.” At her request some prayers were re cited by the Abbe, who was profound ly affected by the whole s*ene. The* German Emperor’s telegram is effusive. Dowager Queen Fauna and Queen Willielminn of the Netherlands have telegraphed heart-felt condolence. Queen Victoria as yet has made* no signs, hut Lord Salisbury has, in a message to M. Delcasse. The Czar and Czarina are full of sympathy; and the Russian Grand Dukes now in Paris have called at the palace. M. 1 lure’s death has calmed rather than excited .political parties. The situation is grave and tlie people ev erywhere feel this. 1 was struck at the chamber of dep uties today with the absence* of wild excitement. The* wish is to select the he*st man for President, irrespective of party {Considerations. M. Loubet is therefore the favorite. Al. Dupuy is a candidate; and Paul Desedianel, the president of the* chamber, will be* a candidate, but on second ballot. He has a charm of manner, but is lacking in weight. M. De Freyi-inot, the War Minister, is clever; but he has no great following in Parliament. EMILY CRAWFORD. FOR THE PRESIDENCY. Paris. l(Vb. 17. —Although M. Loubet. possessing the almost unanimous support of the Senate*, is so strong a favorite for tin* Presidency, it would be* rash to predict his election. In the election of 1895, when M. Faure was ehoseii, M. Waldeek-Roussean was | an annost equally hot favorite; hut in the first ballot he only obtained 185 votes against 314 east in favor of M. Brisson. The precedents, therefore, are unfavor able to M. Loubet. Furthermore there is a large section of Deputies who are strongly in favor of M. Moline. When, at the* meeting of ! Progressive Republican Deputies to day, M. Aleline aunoune*ed bis withdraw al on the ground that a continuance* of his candidature would divide* bis party and perhaps cause its defeat, a noisy discussion followed. A large section i firmly opposed tin* withdrawal. Un able to arrive* at a unanimous decision, the group adjourned until tonight when it reassembled at half past nine. Reso lutions were* then adopted unanimously in favor of Moline’s candidature and the loaders of the party in the chamber were directed to endeavor to arrange* an im- I derstaniling on the subje*e*t with its lead ers in the* Senate*. Apparently, as tin* result of this deci sion, there will be* three candidates — Loubet. Moline and Dupuy. Moline lias tin* support of the whole right section anil of the large body of protectionists, lie is an able debater a hard worker and a man of great political influence and on the Dreyfus question he is anti-revision ist. It is also reported that the Vatican has decided to support M. Moline’s ean ( elidature. Contracted with him M. Loubet is a (Continued on Sixth Page.) Strong for Gold Standard THE PRESIDENT SAYS THE COUN TRY IS COMMITED TO IT. He Recommends That Veterans of the Span ish American War be Admitted to the G. A. R. Boston, Mass., Feb. 17. —The last day of President McKinley’s visit to Bos ton was spent in a continual round of pleasure, and the different events which were* crowded into the few remaining hours followed each other with beivil -1 dering rapidity. The President arose* and breakfasted at 9 o’clock and at 10 o’clock was en route to Tremont Tem ple, whore lie* spoke to the members of I tin* Massachusetts Department of it he | G. A. R., who were* assemble*!! in an nual convention. During his remarks he suggested that veterans of the Spanish-Ainirioan War ,lu* admitted to the Grand Army of the ! Republic. Immediately following this carriages wore* taken for the State house, where the President visited the Legislature j in joint session and made an inspiring ! address. Hen also Secretary Long created much amusement by his witti cisms and his allusions to the time when lit* wielded the gavel as speaker of the Massachusetts House of Repre sentatives. During his speech the President said: "We* may regard the situation be fore us as a burden or as an oppor tunity; hut whether the one or the other, it is here, and conscience and civilization require us to meet it brave ly. Desertion of duty is not an Am erican habit. It was not the custom of the fathers and will not he* the prac tice of their sons.” After a short reception the presi dential party was taken on a tom' through the sub-way anil the*ne*e to the Algonquin Club, wh re a breakfast was tendered to the gentlemen by the members of the* Commercial Club, composed of the principal business and professional men of the* city of Boston. The President made a short address in the course of'Which he said: “We are fast going from a debtor to a creditor nation. I hope nothing will check it. We have quit discussing the tariff and have turned our attention to getting trade wherever it can lie found. It will be a long time before any change can he had or any change de sired in our present fiscal policy oxe*e*pt to strengthen it. The differences on this question which existed have disappear ed. We have t unit'd from academic theories to trade conditions and are seeking our share of the world’s mar kets. “Not only is our lmsine*ss good, hut our fnoncy is good. There is no lon ger fear of decreased currency: it has been happily dispelled. The highest DI LL DAY IN SENATE. Sympathy With the People of France — Alaska (’ode Bill. Washington, Fell. 7. —At its session today the Senate adopted a resolution instructing the Vice President of the United States, as President of the Senate, to express to ihe Government and the people of France' the sympathy of the Senate in the bereavement that has fallen upon the French Republic in tin* death of President Faure. The naval personnel bill for which the Navy Department lias been contending for so many years, was passed by the Senate this afternoon. It was under discus sion for several hours, but was passed practically in the form in which it was reported by the Senate Committee. Its provisions have heretofore been ful ly given. The remainder of the* day’s session was devoted to the passage* of hills on the private pension calendar. 7-1 in number, and to the reading ol' the Alaska (Vule Bill. The agreement under which the* Alaska Bill was read provided that no otht r business, than the formal reading should be trans acted. Air. Tillman presented to tin* Senate a letter from Octavius A. White, of New York city, offering to the Senate three notable paintings of Revolution ary War scenes by Mr. White’s fath er. Alt*. Tillman said lie liael referred tin* matter to tic* Committee on Li brary of the Senate, which had con sidered the ‘subject. The paintings had lici'ii sent to this city and were pronounced to be really works of art. Mr. Ilansbrougli. acting chairman of the Library Committee, offered a rc*so- i lution accepting the paintings and pro- j viding for suitably hanging them in the J Senate wing of the capitol. The re*so- j lution was adopted. Among the bills passed was one grant ing authority to tin* Pensacola anil Nortlnvestern Railroad Company to build bridges oa-i r certain rivers in Alabama. Air. Hawley, chairman of the Alili tury Affairs Committee. guA’e notice that on Monday at the close of routine business, lie would move to take up the* army appropriation bill. Tin* Senate adjourn* il at 3:15 p. m. S E N A TO RIAI, DE A Did >C KS. Washington. Feh. 17.—N0 material changes were reported today from the snveral State's in Avhich Senatorial con tests are being waged. The deadlock in none of them shows any signs <»i being broken. THIRD EDITIONj PRICE FIVE CENTS. anil best standard recognized by the leading commercial nations has been maintained, and it has been done with out a resort to loans. The cause of sound money has advance'll in the* last two years. Honest finance has made positive gains. I do not think avo quite appreciate yet the full measure of its success. “Roth brancht s of Congress on the fourth of -March next will have an un- I questioned .majority opposed to any ! demoralization of our currency and coni | mitted to uphold the Avorld’s standard. Certainly for two years every brancli of the national government will fit* united for good currency and the in violability of our national obligations and credit. The investments and oth er enterprises of the people can there fore not he unsettled by sudden changes. "\\ e have hern engaged in war. Two hundred and seventy thousand of our citizens have been in the field; our sailors have been afloat in two hemis pheres: and yet the business of the _ country has been steadily growing, our resources multiplying, the energy of our people quickened, and at the i*nd of our glorious land and naval tri umphs, Ave find our country in a con dition of almost unparalleled aotivirt and prosperity. “Our domestic situation is fortunate indeed, considering the new questions which we must meet and solve. That they will be settled on the lines of riglit / and duty I cannot doubt.” In his speech before* the members of tin* Grand Army of the Republic Presi dent McKinley said: "I am glad to have an opportunity of liA'ing. as you haA'e had the opportunity of living in this last year, when the Am erican people have asm in man * d their patriotism. the*ir love of .country, their devotion to American honor and I 'vant to see* all the brave men ot the* Spanish war, north nml south, in some great patriotic organization, and l know none better than the Grand Army of the Republic.” After the* applause had subsided. Sec retaries Alger and Long spoke briefly. '1 he party left for Washington at • »:1() p. m. Secretary Long did not re turn, preferring to go to his home at Hingham Avitli Mrs. L>ng and start for Washington in the morning. Hon. Ferdinand Peck, commissioner of the 1 nitod States to the Paris Exposition, Avitli his Avife, accompanied the Presi dent as far as Ncav York. The Presi dent left in excellent health and ex pressed himself as having enjoyed ev ery moment of his trip. EMBALMED BEEF INQUIRY. The Taking of Testimony Will Begin Monday. Washington, Fcl>. 17.—The court of in quiry to investigate the allegations of the Major General ot the army in respect to the quality of tin* beef furnished tin* army during tin* war with Spain met to day at the rooms formerly occupied by the Avar investigation commission in tin* Lemon Building. A full membership Avas present and the court ivent into se cret session to discuss the preliminaries of the proceedings, and to endeavor to sketch out tin* line of inquiry to Ik* pur sued. At 1 o'clock Colonel Davis the recorder gave out a statement as te tin* court and its work. Today and probably all of tomorrow he said, Avill he occupied with an examination of reports of regimental and other commanders who participated in tin* Cuban and Porto Rico campaigns, the object being to select witnesses to he summoned. In addition to these reports the proceedings of the Avar investigation commission Avill he looked to for sugges tions of Avitnesses. The taking of testimony hardly will begin before Monday. The sessions then will Ik* open. General Aides it is expect ed to testify first, presenting his charges and their foundations. The investigation an ill he limited strictly to canned roast beef and refrigerated, hut the scope of the inquiry Avill he so comprehensive as to follow the beef from Packer's te> private soldier, so that the action of the packers and all war department officials connected Avitli the beef supply will Ik* investigated. Colonel Davis said the* inquiry would continue indefinitely and lie could give no idea as to the time of its termination. Speaking further of tin* investigation and probable testimony. Colonel Davis said the court was not limited in iis sittings to Washington hut under the* order convening il could travel front place to place. This statement is considered significant, for. Avhile the* court has an nounced ue> determination to go else when*, there is a possibility that it will visit the Chicago and South Omaha pack ing houses Avliore the beef in question Avas prepared. The list of witnesses will include many civilians as well as army officers. Sug gestions as to Airinesses from any quar ter, Colonel Davis said, Avemld he con sieleri'il and all would be summoned who. it might seem likely Avould tliroAv any light upon the controversy. It was learned this afternoon that the court lias practically ile*te*rmineil to A isit: the packing houses in Western cities. Chicago, South Omaha. Kansas City and perhaps St. Louis.