The herald., 1896-05-05
IN THE HOUSE
Senatorial Economy Is Not Certain to Be
COncurred In

Concurred In
WASHINGTON, May T. - The first
skirmish over the senate amendment to
the naval appropriation bill, reducing
the number of battleships provided for
In that bill from four to two, occurred
In the house today, when Mr.. Boutelle,
chairman of the naval committee, NOV
ed to non-concur in all the senate
amendments and request a conference
of the senate
Subsequently Mr.. Sayers of Texas
moved to concur in the senate amend
ment reducing the number of battle
ships, but by consent the motion went
over for action until tomorrow, when it
Is likely that the whole question of large
appropriations at this time for strength
ening the navy will be opened and ven-
tilated.
Quite a number Of bills were passed
during the day, mostly of minor import
ance. Among them were bills for the
protection of yacht-owners and ship
builders, to pension General Joseph r.
West at the rate Of $50 per month and to
authorize South Dakota to select the
Fort Sully military reservation as part
of the lands granted to that state.
Mr.. Boutelle, chairman Of the commit
tee on naval affairs, moved that the
house non-concur in the senate amend
ments to the naval appropriations and
request conference. Boutelle proceed
call attention to the action Of the SEN
ate in reducing the number of battle
ships provided in the bill from four to
two. He characteriZes the senate's ac-
ton as "a remarkable change of front"
He referred to the fact that when four
battleships were provided for by the
house. the public mind had been great
ly inflamed and excited by wars and
rumors of wars" The senate, he ar
gued, had contributed largely to this
state of the public mind. He rehearsed
briefly the warlike message of the pres
ident with reference to Venezuela and
the precipitate action of the house and
senate. He went on to refer to the ere
markable and extraordinary PROPOSE
ton" advanced in the senate to main
tain this "novel and aggressive atti-
tude." He briefly sketched the bills in
troduced by Chandler for the purchase
of $100,000,000 Of war material, the reso-
luton of Hale calling out the naval re-
serves, and the purchase of vessels and
all the other bills and resolutions intro
duced bearing on the Cuban question.
He quoted from Vests speech in the
senate in which the Missouri senator re.
ferred to Spain as "toothless old wolf"
a speech which Boutelle said caused
great excitement throughout Spain. He
was proceeding to read Senator MilPs
resolution, when Mr.. Quigg jumped to
his feet and called Mr.. Boutelle to or
der for violating the rule which pro-
vides that members of the house shall
not criticise the proceedings in the sem
ate.
"The chair has the impression that the
point of order is we'll taken," Speaker
Reed said amid some applause
Mr.. Boutelle protested against such a
ruling, declaring that the ideA that
member could not read from the records
a "monstrous proposition" He said he
was amazed at such an infantile point
of order
Speaker Reed explained coolly and
courteously to Mr.. Boutelle the rule
which prohibits members of the house
from criticizing members of the senate,
and the reason for the rule.
Mr.. Boutelle still contended that the
speaker should define his privileges,
but the speaker declined further than
to say he could proceed in order" With
this indefinite license Mr.. Boutelle was
not content, and again asked the speak
er to tell him whether he could read
from the record. He did not want to be
interrupted again, he said, by the sup
erserviceable zeal of certain members
who bobbed up on every occasion"
Mr.. Boutelle then moved to non-con-
cur in the amendments.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appro-
priations committee, gave nyyice that
he would demand a vote in the house
on the senate amendment to reduce the
number of battleships. After some
sparring Mr.. Sayers entered the motion
to concur in that particular amend
ment, after which it was arranged that
the matter should go over until tomor-
row. when the vote will be taken.
Mr.. Picker moved to suspend the
rules and pass resolution setting
aside Wednesday, the 9Th, and Wednes-
day, the 18th. for the consideration CT
private pension bills under rule allow
ing ten minutes debate on each bill. The
Democrats resisted the motion, and
when the roll was called the quorum
failed. ia to A, and thereupon the house
adjourned.
Twenty special agents of the general
land office were today ordered suspended
from May 16 to June 30, inclusive, on ac-
count of an inadequate appropriation for
the current fiscal year.
The treasury today lost $2213. 900 in
gold coin, Of which 50, ,15O, 900 was for ex
port, leaving the true amount of gold re-
serve $121 ,612. .576.
Will Ask an Appeal
LONDON, May 4.-It Is stated here that
preparations are being made to appeal
through Brussels, against the ooO,,itt.I