Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-04-11
THE FlFTY-FlRsr ooNenEss.

THE FlFTY-FIRsT CONGRESS-.
Further Discussion Of the Montana
Election Case In the ssnate-Ths
Naval Appropriation Bill - what
Members OF the House Said Ysstor.
oay-No Final Action Taken.
WASHINGTON. D. G., April 10.-Among
the bills reported from committees and
placed on the calendar were the following:
Senate bill to establish Rookport, in the dis
trict OF Belfast, Me-, port of delivery. Sem
ate bill to constitute Beecher's Falls, Vt,
port Of entry, and to extend to it the pro-
visions Of the act for the immediate trans
portation of dutiabls goods. Senate bill to
revive the grade of lieutenant general of the
army.
Thepresident pro tenn, Mr.. Ingalls,, re-
marked that he was in error yesterday in
allowing the motion to take up the Chinese
enumeration bill while the Montana election
case was undisposed of, either by being post
poned, laid aside informally, or other action.
Mr.. Hale-Then the chair rules that the
Montana case is to proceed until completedt
The president pro tem.-Until completed.
The Montana election case was then taken
up and Mr.. Caldwell addressed the senate in
opposition to tas report of the, majority OF
the committee. declaring the two republican
claimants, Messrs. Sanders and Power, enti-
tied upon the merits of the case to seats in
the senate.
After further discussion, in which several
senator's took part, Mr.. Sherman said he had
always thought that the Montana case was in
nutshell. He found all the facts
sufficiently stated in half q. page
Of the minority report to control
his judgment. He read three para
graphs from the minority report and
said II was apparent therefrom as
to the five representatives from Silverbow
county, neither set had certificates according
to form. The senate of Montana was tie
and in the house there were twenty-five re-
publican members and twenty.four demo-
cratic members about whose rights to seats
there was no question. There was, there
fore, a republican majority on joint ballot.
These simple facts, Mr.. Sherman thought,
contained all the elements Of just decision
in the matter and showed that the republican
claimants for seats in the senate had q
majority in the house without any reference
to the members from Silverbow county.
Mr.. Eustis admitted that numerically
twenty-five were more than twenty-four, but,
he added, twenty-five did not mako a quo
rum, and in that the constitutional meaning
twenty-five was not larger number than
A question having been proposed by Mr..
Kenna as to whether forty senators with un-
questioned credentials (forty-two being a
quorum) could go to work and organize and
pass upon the credentials of the other forty"
two whose title was questioned.
Mr.. Hoar said he would like to think over
1t before undertaking to answer.
That was precisely, Mr.. Kenna said, the
question that presented itself in the Montana
Partf al To fho
made by Senators Hoar, Dawes, Blair and
Dolph, but Mr.. McKenna said that none OF
them came straight to the point.
Then at 6:15 p. m. the senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
The house went into committee Of the
whole, Mr.. Butterworth of Ohio in the chair,
on the naval appropriation bill.
Mr.. Herbert of Alabama offered an amend
nnent providing for the construction of two
instead of three coast-line battle ships. His
amendment, he said, was based on the
ground that the United States was proceed
ing too rapidly in the construction Of battle
ships. he was not 80 favorable to that type
of vessel that he would build many of them
If the navy were increased 100 pc,
than five or six battle ships
He would favor the construction of fast cruis
ers which could destroy the commerce of any
| nation with whom we might become involv
| ed in war.
Mr.Oates of Alabama criticised the amend
ment because it did not 60 far enough. L
struck out only one of the ships, while i
should have stricken out all three. He die
not believe there was any necessity for enter
ing on the construction of this class of ship
| at this time.
Mr.. Boutelle of Maine said that the bill wa
in no sense a sectional or political measure
In drafting the committee on naval affair
had been governed by NO interest narrowe
than that of the whole country. He op
posed the amendment to reduce the numbe
Of battle ships to two. If the bill were passed
in its present form the entire obligation as
sumed by the United States during the pas
four years together with this year woul
amount annually to 7,o27, 900. He woul
not discuss the propriety of construction Q
ships that could fight. If the government
wereto build two battle ships there was n
economic reason why three should not b
authorised. Mr.. Herberts amendment wa
lost-91 to 81.
Mr.. Wheeler of Alabama offered a
amendment authorizing the secretary of th
navy to contract with private parties for tn
construction of two vessels of such type an
speed as shall render them specially adap
| able as armed cruisers, to be built on plan
submitted by the navy department. In tb
event of war the government shall have tn
right to charter such vessels at such reason
able terms as the secretary of the navy ma
prescribe. Ruled out on point of order.
, Mr.. Lodge of Massachusetts, thought tn
, the naval expert from Kansas (Mr. Peter
! had not stated correctly the position of
navy. There could be no navy with o,
, class of vessels. There must be differel
ships for different purposes. The contr,
versey to-day was between low free boar
and high free board. The great feature
. the monitor was preserved in the model
battle ship. The battle ship was nothil
=. but monitor with high free board. tt
committee on naval affairs had decided
, favor of the high free board because 1t b
, lieved 1t necessary for the completion of q
Z efficient navy able to defend American citi
and back up American diplomacy. II
, argument that the United States had dol
, argument that 1t should not build ships
. all. II was delusive argument. The Mali
was not an obsolete ship, nor was the Texa
The Hartford was an obsolete ship. Won
3 It have been we'll to have omitted hera II
{ Constitution was an obsolete ship. Won
. IL have been we'll to have omitted buildil
hera
II the government built battle ships it I
= ducsd the fighting force of the British nav
l
; which had dragged along so many years
: the settlement Of the fisheries question won
have been ended long ago.
t A voice-By war9
Mr. Lodge-No, by diplomacy. II is t
!, knowledge that our great cities lie expos
a to the first foreign ship that comes alo
n that gives to other nations their only fol
!. against the United States in diplomacy. r
q ferrins to the Samoan difficulties, he ga
b that they had been settled by compsrati
q withdrawal on the part of Germany. B
Germany had then been under the guidan
of tho great chancellor who had recently !,
signed. lit had been under its prese
guidance, passion and not reason might ha
4 ruled and we might have found oursel,
plunged suddenly into naval war. He
u not believe that the people of the inter-
sympathized with some Of the views that b
'' been put forward by those who opposed t
battle ships. He advocated navy beea,
10 he thought it due to the people that tn
r. should be navy sufficient to protect the
preserve the peace and protect the honor