Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-03
OUR COAST DEFENCES
Lively Debate Over the Forti6ca-
tions Bill.
At THE MERCY OF A FOREIGN FOE.
Mr.. Dolph's Statement of What
Ought to Be Done.
DESIGNATION BILL PASSED.
SENATE.


Among the petitions and memorials presented
and referred was one from the banks Of New
Orleans deprecating any further discussion of
the free coinage scheme.
House bill to amend sections 478S and 54S6 Of
the Revised Statutes providing penalties for
embezziement Of pensions by the guardian Of
the pensioner) was reported back from the
Judiciary committee and passed.
THE VACANCY DESIGNATION BILL.
House bill to amend section 1S0 of the Re-
vised Statutes Gn reference to temporary des-
ignations to fill vacancies in case Of the death,
sickness or the absence of heads of depart
ments) was reported back with a substitute.
The substitute amends three sections of the
Revised Statutes on that subject and limits to
thirty days the period of such designation,
assistant secretary, in which case there is no
limitation.
Mr.. Hale preferred the simple bill of three
lines. as passed by the House, to the more COM
plex substitute reported back from the finance
committee.
Mr.. Morrill, explained and defended the &C.
ton OF the finance committee.
Mr.. Evarts said that he had made a careful
examination Of the clauses in the statute book
relating to the subject and had come to the
conclusion without regard to the House
bill, which he had not seen,) that
all that was necessary was to en-
large the period within which temporary
authority might be exercised. That had BEEN
he understood, provided for by the House BILL
which simply substituted thirty days for ten
days. Whether any new regulations should be
made hereafter-and he could not forsee their
necessity-the House bill was all that was
needed for the present exigency and. so far as
he could see, all that was necessary for any
future exigency.
Mr.: German expressed wish that the bill
would be let go over till tomorrow. Mr.. Edmunds
explained the views of the finance committee
IN reporting the substitute 1t was important
that while Congress was iegislating on the sub
lect 1t should endeavor to make the law per-
fectly clear. There has been doubt in the At
torney Generals Office, in the departments and
with the President whether an assistant secre-
tary (the President not interfering at alb could
exercise the functions of the Secretary for
more than ten days. Sometimes it had been
held that he could and sometimes that he could
not
The substitute proposed to settle that ques-
ton SO that an assistant secretary discharging
the duties OF a Secretary (without any special
designation but by force of law might con-
tinue to do go indefinitely.
Further discussion showed the prevailing
sentiment to be in favor of the House bill. So
the substitute was rejected and the House bill
passed.
THE FoRrIFIcATIoNs BILL.
The consideration of the Notifications bill was
then resumed. The first item that attracted
notice was one appropriating million dollars
for the purchase of oil-tempered and annealed
steel for high-power coast defense guns of
eight, ten and twelve-inch caliber.
The committee on appropriations recom-
mended reduction of the amount TO $500 OO0
and Mr.. Gorman moved a still further reduc-
uon to S2oO,OOO and made statement to show
that the amount should be reduced.
Mr.. Dawes opposed Mr.. Germans amend-
ment ard advocated that of the committee on
appropriations. Referring to Mr.. Hawley's
speech OF yesterday as to the absolute necessity
or coast defenses, he said that the committee on
appropriations was in harmony with if TO the
utmost lmi: of prudence. But The committee
found ltsel. standing between the devil and
deep sea-" On the one hand it found itself
conf :onted by the sentiment proclaimed by the
Senator from Missouri (dr. CockrelD that
fcations whatever and that nobody would
ever approach the United States in
hostile attitude, however exposed the coast
might be; and allied with that Senator was his
distinguished friend from New Hampshire
SMr. Blair; "a, who proposed to turn the fortid-
prise in Africa On tss''asls the other shssr hsnd
was the proposition of the Senator from
Oregon (Mr. Dolph) to appropriate
at once S12l ,0O0, 900, to be expended over sew
eral years, for coast Notifications. While the
committee did not come to the same conclusion
as the Senator from Missouri-that nothing
should be done-it did not believe in the policy
of the proposition Of the Senator from Oregon
The committee deemed it wiser to make the
necessary appropriations year by year.
MR.. DoLPH ON THE NECESSITY OF DEFESsEs
Mr.. Dolph replied to Mr.. Dawes and insisted
on the necessity Of coast defenses and on the
economy Of having a bulk appropriation for
them at once. Mr.. Blair, taking up
Mr.. Dawes reference to his "mission-
hat aft Ill
the missionary was a greater force than the
warrior. and had accomplished more good in
the world. He had not. however, advocated
the employment Of physical force the less only
as it might give opportunity for the exercise
Of that other and greater inhuenee-the mis-
sionary force-the more. He desired
dition Of defense. He desired New
York to be fortified as far as necessary; and
also Boston, Portsmouth, San Francisco and
and Pacific coasts But he believed at the same
time that system of international arbitration
should be established and thus war be put an
end to. Having mentioned the possibility of
land invasion OF the United States. he was
asked by Mr.. Hawley whether he really believed
that there was any danger of such a thing, and
his answer was that il the United States were
seriously attacked it would be land invasion. |
Even supposing that the city of
New York were bombarded and sub |
position) that would be but fea |
bite on the resources of the country and |
would only serve to stimulate the war feeling |
of the people of the United States. 1t would |
create such q rage that armies of invasion |
would be organized and would not lay down |
their arms until the insult and the injury |
were thoroughly satisfied.
HOUSE.
After the approval of the journal the House |
proceeded to dispose Of various matters of
private business on the Speakers table
referring the measures to appropriate COM
mittees or sending them to conference
Some discussion arose over the House bill
granting pension Of ESQ month to James T. |
Dana, widow Of Commander William Starr
Dana, with Senate amendment increasing the |
amount to ESQ.
Mr.. Lodge (Mass) championed the amend |
ment, which was antagonized by Mr.. Cheadle
Ind.) and Mr.. Kerr Qowa) on the ground that |
1t was in the line Of class legislation.
The amendment was concurred in.
Senate bill was passed authorizing the Nor
folk and Western Railroad Company TO bridge
the Tug fork Of the Big Sandy river
Also Senate bill to authorize the construction
Of bridge across the Cumberland river for |
the use Of the Chesapeake and Nashville Rail- |
road Company.
Also Senate bill TO prohibit the sale Of to- |
bacco to minors under sixteen years Of age in
the District OF Columbia
La Champagne. bearing Sara Bernhardt Ar |
rived at its New York pier yesterday afternoon.
Manager Abbey met the actress ct the pieg |