The San Francisco call., 1896-05-06
Four New Battleships Are De.
manded by Almost a Two
Thirds Vote.
A CONFERENCE AGREED UPON.
The Depleted Condition of the Treas.
ury Is the Argument Used by
the Minority.

W WASHINGTON, D. G. May 5.-The
battle over the naval appropriation bill
was fought in the House to-day again, and
there was more vigorous opposition to the
provisions authorizing the construction of
1our oattieships than was made when the
Dill was originally under consideration
when the fight was between four and six
battleshlps. But the effort to concur in
the Senate amendment, reducing the num-
Der from four to two, was defeated-ayes
81, noes 14l. The fight was not at all par
tisan.
Sayers (D.) of Texas made the motion to
concur, and was ably supported by Cannon
tR.) OF Illinois, chairman of the Commit
tee on Appropriations, who pointed out
that, with only two battle-ships provided
for, the revenues of the Government for
the four years of the next administration
which he said would be that of Re-
publican President-would be mortgaged
by the appropriation bills OF this session
to the extent OF $25 ,0oO, 900 a year.
BeuteIle (R.) OF Maine, chairman of the
Committee on Naval Affairs, stoutIy
maintained the desirability and propriety
of constructing four ships, and ha was
assisted in the argument by Cummings
(D.) of New York. The latter gentleman
srraigned the Senate for it's action upon
appropriation and revenue bills in the last
Congress, asserting that it had virtually
violated the provisions of the constitution
in respect to the former, and as to the
latter, it had compelled the House to
agree to tariff bill full of blunders, from
which the country had ever since been
suffering.
The request for Senate conference on
the naval appropriation bill was agreed to
after the vote upon Savers motion.
The question of concurring in the Sem
ate amendments to the naval apppopria-
ton bill reducing the numbe of new bat
tleships was called up by Boutelle (R.) of
Maine and Sayers (D.) of Texas addressed
the House in favor of his motion to con-
cur. He expressed the opinion that this
was business question and that no poll
tics were involved. He directei the atten-
ton of the House to the estimated reve-
nues for the next fiscal year, which were
placed by the Secretary of the Treasury at
S464, 600 including the postal revenues.
The appropriations that had passed the
House amounted TO $3S6, 600, 600.
If to these be added the permanent ap-
propriations, amounting in round num-
bers to $119, ,00O,0 900, there was total
appropriation of S505, ,00O, 600, as against
estimated revenues of $464, 600, 900.
Boutelle (R.) of Maine expressed regret
that the gentleman from Texas and those
who agreed with him had not vouchsafed
these economical views at time when the
attitude OF Congress and part of the pub
lic press might have been described as
''tiam boyant." There was no tel ing, he
said. what influence they might have then
had upon legislation and good sense. He
referred to the action of the House at the
time the bill was passed, stating that the
Committee on Naval Affairs found from
its first meeting pressing demand from
members of the House, a belligerent
aggressiveness. that it should go beyond
what it recommended. There was great
deal of Cuba in the air then.
Cummings (D.) of New York followed
Boutelle in opposition to the motion to
concur. He recalled the action of the SEN
ate last year on this bill.
After further debate, Savers motion to
concur in the Senate amendment, re-
ducing the number of ships from four to
two, was rejected-ayes 81, noes 141.
Boutelle moved that the Senate's request
for conference be concurred in, and it
was agreed to. And then, on motion of
Dingley (R.) of Maine, the House at AIS
P. NJ. adjourned until tomorrow.