The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-15
PETERS Resolution VIII be
Taken Up To-Day.
DUPONT CASE DISCUSSED
Senator Chandler Propounds a
Question.
OUR sEAcoAsr 0EFENoEs
Senator Squires Urges Upon the Sen
ate the Necessity Of Preparing
for Any Possible
Emergency.

Emergency.
Washington, April 14.-It was made
apparent after a lively colloquy in
the Senate to-day that there was no
disposition among the silver and Popu-
list Senators to allow the resolution
for a Senate inquiry into recent bond
issues to lapse.
By unanimous consent it had been
set for consideration at 2:15 to-day,
but at that time Mr.. Chandler was pro-
ceeding with speech on the Dupont
case, Mr.. Gray was waiting to follow,
and Mr.. Cullom had an appropriation
bill to discuss. This precipitated a
clash in which Mr.. PETER, reinforced
by Mr.. Wolcott, Of Colorado, and Mr..
Stewart, Of Nevada, asserted with en-
phasis that the bond resolution could
not be crowded out, either by design
or inadvertence.
An agreement was finally reached
that the bond resolution would come
pp Immediately after Mr.. Chandler
and Mr.. Gray concluded their speeches.
The latter will take the floor to-mor-
row.
Mr.. Chandler occupied most Of the
afternoon in support OF Mr.. Dupont's
claim to seat in the Senate.
Mr.. Chandler arraigned Governor
Watson, of Delaware, as poo-bah Wat
son, a nightmare, an incubus, a usur-
per. a terror. and old-man-of-the-sea,
who thrust himself into the Iegisla-
ture and clung to it.
Mr.. Hill (Dem., New York; inter-
rupted frequently to point out that
while Governor Watson continued to
vote no Republican State Senator
had made the point that the Governor
had no right to vote.
Mr.. Chandler presented novel
analogy to the Dupont case as follows:
sCan the Vice. President of the United
States become President upon the hap
pening of a vacancy: take the oath Of
Office as President and perform his
duties at the executive mansion; keep
watch Of the proceedings of the Senate
and finding an important House bill
about to be defeated by q tie vote, come
from the executive mansion to the
Senate chamber, crowd from his seat
the president pro tenn. and preside
himself, declare the vote a tie, give his
casting vote in the affirmative, securing
the passage of the bill; and then re-
turn to the executive mansion and
sign the bill and make it a law"
Mr. Chandler passed to Senators
slips containing this question and in
yited a reply to it.
Mr. Gray Dem, Delaware) respond
ed. "If the yice-President becomes
President, then he ceases to be Vice
President and ceases to be presiding
officer of the Senate. lie cannot be
president to himself"
Mr.. Chandler asked il President
Arthur could have continued to act as
gice-President and in closing, declared
that the act of Governor Watson was
not credftable to the State of Delaware,
was not in accord with public law and
that the Senate could not afford to en-
dorse that act by its approval.
During the day Mr.. Squire (Rep.,
Washington made an elaborate pre-
sentation of the pressing need Of coast
defenses, pointing out the defenseless
condition of our great seacoast har-
bors.
What an absurd spectacle, he said.
has the Congress of the United States
presented during the present session
by its persistent talk in favor of the
intervention by the United States in
behalf Of Cuba and Venezuela. How
cheap is all this talk, sincere though
it may be on many occasions. Every
man who has informed himself on the
subject of National defenses knows
that as a nation we are not in condi-
ton to undertake or suffer war. We
can talk loud and long and profess
sympathy, pass resolutions and make
believe to ourselves that we are actu-
ally taking hand in the diplomatic
affairs and international questions OF
great moment; but those who are not
self-deceiyed by egotistical glamor and
who know the facts are perfectly
aware Of the painful truth that all this
demonstration Is more talk and buster
and yapid sentiment, or, at most, 1T is
a sympathy that is easily satisfied
with merely verbal expressions.
The Senator argued that the sug-
cestion to defend our coasts and sea-
port cities By fleets is impractical, for
it would, he said, require expenditures
running up into several hundred mill
lions Of dollars TO do the work etfec.
lively. The navy is designed for ag-
gressiye operations He referred to
the sea coast defehses of European
powers and to the reports from time to
time that England is increasing licI
Notifications and nea,y armament iG
Canada ON both Atlantic and paenic
coasts, and i'm this connection said:
so it is, we are encircled as a nation
with a chain Of foreign fortrcsses and
coaling stations imperyious to attaal.,
while our rich sea coast ,:ties and
ports, commencing at Pordard Maine,
near to fortified Halifax in Canada,
continuing down the coast. Ports
mouth Boston. New Bedford pr9vi-