POLICY REGARDING THE PHILIPPINES.

December 18, Senator Tillman offered the following resolu

tions:

First, Resolved that in the words of the Declaration of Independence, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights, governments were instituted among men, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its power in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

Second, That under the Constitution of the United States, the Federal Government has no power to rule over colonial dependencies, but it is restricted in its operations to States as integral parts of the Union, and to Territories intended for future States.

Third, That the expansion of our commerce has not been and cannot be dependent upon the adoption of a policy of imperialism involving the subjugation and annexation of Asiatic Colonies, but would in the end be hindered by such policy.

Fourth, That we are opposed to the retention of the Philippine Islands by the United States, and that it is our purpose to consent to the independence of the Philippines as soon as a stable government shall be established by them, and toward the establishment of such government we pledge our friendly assistance.

Ordered printed and to lie upon the table until called up.

INTEROCEANIC CANALS.

December 18. Senator McBride offered the following resolu

tions:

Resolved, That the Librarian of Congress be, and he is hereby directed to report to the Senate the sources of information as printed in regard to the Nicarauguan and other interoceanic canals.

December 19, Hon. William V. Allen took oath of office having been appointed by the Governor of Nebraska to fill vacancy.

RESPECTING CUBA.

December 20, Proclamation of Governor-General Brooke, issued at Habana, Cuba, was read, ordered printed, and referred to committee on Relations with Cuba; and was as follows:

By direction of the President, I hereby transfer to my successor, Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, the duties and responsibilities of the office of military governor, bespeaking for him that support and confidence which you have come to accord me. To those who have been associated with me in the performance of the difficult task of reorganizing and placing in operation the civil government of the Island I hereby tender this expression of appreciation and thanks for their loyal and patriotic support and assist

ance.

A year ago I found the country most thoroughly devastated, its resources and commerce destroyed, and its rural population gathered into towns, without food and without shelter, and dying of starvation and exposure. The Government of the United States immediately supplied work and food.

In a short time this condition passed away, and now the country is rapidly pressing forward to a prosperity hitherto unknown in its history.

Look about and see how true this is. The various steps that have led to the present condition are well known to you and need not be mentioned here. The change is truly marvelous. Without the semblance of civil government then, you have now a complete organization. Your municipal and provincial governments are all in the hands of your own citizens. The military control is purely advisory and supervisory. Many of your laws have been modified and changed to suit the times in which you live as well as interests of good government. Your courts have been reorganized and are in operation. Peace reigns. Law and order rule.

By your own industry and by a careful observance of these conditions the full restoration of your social affairs and prosperity is assured. With the feeling that the future is in your hands, to make or to mar, and trusting that wise counsels may prevail among you, I say to you farewell.

OBLIGATIONS TO NEW POSSESSIONS.

December 20, Resolutions offered by Senator Hoar were as follows:

Whereas, the American people and the several States in the Union have in times past, at important periods in their history, especially when declaring their independence, establishing their Constitution, or undertaking new and great responsibilities seen fit to declare the purposes for which the Nation or State was founded and the important objects the people intended to pursue in their political action; and

Whereas, the close of a great war, the liberation by the United States of the people of Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Western

Hemisphere and of the Philippine Islands in the far east, and the reduction of those peoples to a condition of practical dependence upon the United States, constitute an occasion which makes such a declaration proper; Therefore be it

Resolved, That this Republic adheres to the doctrines which were in the past set forth in the Declaration of Independence and in its National and State constitutions.

That the purpose of its existence and the objects to which its political action ought to be directed are the ennobling of humanity, the raising from the dust of its humblest and coarsest members, and the enabling of persons coming lawfully under its power or influence to live in freedom and in honor, under governments whose forms they are to have a share in determining and in whose administration they have an equal voice. Its most important and pressing obligations are:

I. To solve the difficult problem presented by the presence of different races on our own soil, with equal constitutional rights. To make the negro safe in his home, secure in his vote, equal in his opportunity for education and employment, and to bring the Indian to a civilization and culture in accordance with his need and capacity.

2. To enable great cities to govern themselves in freedom, in honor, and in purity.

3. To make the ballot box as pure as a sacramental vessel and the elective return as perfectly in accord with the law and the truth as the judgment of the Supreme Court.

4. To banish illiteracy and ignorance from the land.

5. To secure for every workman and for every working woman wages enough to support a life of comfort and an old age of leisure and quiet, as befits those who have an equal share in a self-governing State.

6. To grow and expand over the continent and over the islands of the sea just so fast, and no faster, as we can bring into equality and self-government, under our constitution, peoples and races who will share these ideals and help to make them realities.

7. To set a peaceful example of freedom which mankind will be glad to follow, but never to force even freedom upon unwilling nations at the point of the bayonet or at the cannon's mouth.

8. To abstain from interfering with the freedom and just rights of other nations or peoples, and to remember that the liberty to do right necessarily involves the liberty to do wrong, and that the American people has no right to take from any other people the birthright of freedom because of a fear that they will do wrong with it.

Resolution laid on table subject to call.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

January 3. Senator Pettigrew's resolution:

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby directed to inform the Senate whether General Torres, one of the officers of the Philippine army, came to General Otis with a flag of truce on February 5, 1899, the day after the fighting commenced between our forces and those of the Filipinos, and stated to General Otis that General Aguinaldo declared that fighting had been begun accidentally and was not authorized by him, and that Aguinaldo wished to have it stopped, and that to bring about a conclusion of hostilities he proposed the establishment of a neutral zone between the two armies of a width that would be agreeable to General Otis, so that during the peace negotiations there might be no further danger of conflict between the two armies, and whether General Otis replied that fighting having once begun must go on to the grim end. Was General Otis directed by the Secretary of War on February 9, 1899, to make such answer? Did General Otis telegraph the Secretary of War on February 9, 1899, as follows: "Aguinaldo now applies for a cessation of hostilities and conference. Have declined to answer." And did General Otis afterward reply? Was he directed by the Secretary of War to reply; and what answer if any, did he or the Secretary of War make to the application to cease fighting?

FINANCE.

January 3. Senator Allen's resolution:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby directed to transmit to the Senate complete and literal copies of all letters, communications, agreements, papers, and documents between the Treasury Department of the government of the United States and the National City Bank and the Hanover National Bank, of the city of New York, or either or both of them since the 4th day of March, A. D. 1897, in any manner respecting the deposit of public funds, bonds, and revenues of the Government of the United States with said bank or banks,and inform the Senate respecting any other relation or relations now or heretofore existing between the Government of the United States and the said bank or banks, and the amount of money, bonds, public funds, and revenues respectively, deposited in said bank or banks by the Government of the United States, the reason therefor, and whether said bank or banks have paid the Government of the United States any interest on said deposit or deposits, and if so, how much interest, and the length of time the money, public funds, bonds, and revenues of the Government of the United States were held on deposit by said bank or banks, and whether said money,

public funds, bonds, and revenues, or any portion thereof, were loaned to other banks, corporations, or persons, giving their names and addresses, respectively, and if so, the amount and dates thereof, respectively.

And the Secretary of the Treasury is further directed to inform the Senate what compensation has been paid to said bank or banks, directly or indirectly, by the Government of the United States for the custody, handling, and disbursement of said money, public funds, bonds, and revenues of the Government of the United States, and give to the Senate all other information in any manner pertaining to said transaction or transactions.

CUBA..

January 3. Resolution of Senator Platt:

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that there be printed 7,000 copies of so much of the civil report of Maj. Gen. John R. Brooke, military governor of the Island of Cuba, made to the Adjutant-General of the United States Army, with accompanying papers and documents, as is in the English language, together with a prepared index; of which 2,000 copies shall be for the use of the Senate, 4,000 copies for the use of the House of Representatives, and 1,000 copies for the use of the War Department.

January 4. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the Philippine Islands are territory belonging to the United States; that it is the intention of the United States to retain them as such and to establish and maintain such governmental control throughout the archipelago as the situation may demand.

Senator Beveridge asked that they be laid on the table subject to call by him next Tuesday.

January 4. The President transmits to the Senate report of committee on Samoan affairs compiled by Hon. Bartlett Tripp. January 4. A report on conduct of war with Spain from the President.

January 8. A resolution asking for Admiral Dewey's report in which he says "he can take Manila at any time."

January 9. The President transmits to the Senate the report of the Nicaraguan Canal Commission.

PHILIPPINES.

January 9. Resolved, That there be compiled under the direction of the Committee on the Philippines, for use by the Senate, the best statistics available in regard to the area, population,