The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-07
uOTTsE PROCEEDINGS.

Washington, May 5.-The opponents OF
the four battleshps sustained an over
whelming defeat in the house today on
the proposition to accept the senate
amendment to the naval appropriation
bill reducing the number TO TWO;
Mr.. Savers Dem) of Texas, chairman
of the appropriations committee, maze
the motion and in its support argued that
the question presented was purely q Dus-
mess one and he appealed to the mousse
not to allow political matters influence
its judgment. .,,
He contrasted the appropriations, OF the
present session with the available rev.
enues The appropriations for the next
fiscal year as they passed the mousse was
| $500. GOO. 900, while the total revenue was
| but S464, 100000. If no provision were
made for the sinking fund lS0O,OOO,O0l
the total outstanding Indebtedness wouid
| he S455. 900, 900, leaving working pal
| ance of S9.OOO,O00. But in addition, con.
| tracts were awarded in the sundry civil
| bill naval and Notifications bill, aggre-
eating 500 100000. In other words, there
J would be $0,000,000 to meet almost a
hundred millions of expenditures: with
| this situation staring congress III the race,
he argued that it was wise to retrench.
| Mr.. Boutelle, chairman of the naval
committee, who replied to Mr.. Sayerss,
thought it unfortunate that these busi-
ness facts had not been brought into
the house when we were undertaking TO
regulate boundary lines in South Ameri-
ca and in other ways asserting the prima-
ry of the republic. Not suggestion was
made to this then. 80,
AT that time. he said, he had the best
of reasons for believing the senate agreed
to four ships; indeed the fear was that
the upper branch of congress would go
further and authorize six.
Mr.. Cummings Dem.t of New YORK,
in oppostion to Mr.. Sayers' motion, crit
icised that gentleman for proposing to
surrender to the senate without firing a
gun. He recalled the manner in which
| the senate had forced the house to ac,
cept it's tariff bill with all its errors"
He argued that it was time for the house
to make a stand against the arrogance
of tfe "American house of lords"
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the approprl-
ations committee took strong position
in favor of Mr.. Sayers' motion on the
ground of the inevitable deficiencies in
the revenues for the next fiscal year.
These conditions. he said. was mort
gaging the future for Sl0C,0OOOOU. Inat
was the candid truth. That meant So
100000 per annum for each year OF the
Republican administration. -.
"But we will raise sufficient revenue,
| suggested Mr.. Cummings.
Mr.. Cannon said that if in the mean
time we put a mortgage on the treasury
we would be obliged to borrow money to
pay il off.
He did not want his motives to be mis-
understood. He stood ready to see pub
lie buildings and public works in his sec
tion sand still if necessary for the de-
fense of honor, but he desired first to be
convinced that the necessity existed,
Mr.. Boutelle now entered the debate
with a brief protest against placing an the
onus of extravaganza of appropriations
on the naval committee. The vote was
taken by yeas and nays.
Mr.. Sayers' motion was defeated-ol 10
141 80.
On Mr.. Boutele's motion, the house
required further conference with the
senate. .sL:so
A special order was adopted to set aside
tomorrow and Wednesday, the 18th, @ for
the consideration of private pension biiis,
the debate to be limited to 10 minutes.
Mr.. Lewis (Rep.) of California, also op-
posed the adoption of the order.