St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-26

priation bill and. despite several d.
verting incidents, made such rapid
propress with X that when the ad-
journment was reached all the para
graphs had been passed save those re-
iating to the increase OF the navy. The
bill carries $3l,6il ,034. s2.46S.43s more
than the current law. and authorizes
four cew battle ships and afteen tor
pedo boats. the cost OF which. COM
piete. Will be almost sSo,000,00O. Not
single amendment was adopted,
though there was an effort 60 provide
Tor new dry dock at the League ISL
ard yard During the day Mr.: Bou-
teile and Mr.. Wheeler continued their
alteration OF yesterday over The rec
ord OF the Democrats on. the bill 20 re-
tire Cen. Grant. The other Incident
Of he day arose IN connection with ar
attack made By Ny. Cannon. chair
;ran Of the appropriations committee,
on the aaval officers at the aava! OBJ
servatOry.
There was dash of excitement In
the opening proceedings. Mr.. Bartlett
Dem. n. " rose TO question OF
personal privilege 20 deny statement
that re had furnished The campaign
circular used by Mr.. Sulze" Dem. y.
Y; q few days ago In an attack upon
NJ. Gibson (Rep., Tenn.). He de-
nounced the charge as d libel and
lie. Mr.. Boutelle (Rep., MeD was on
his feet as soon as Mr.. Bartlett sat
down He too. had a question Of priv
ilege to present in connection with a
collouuy between Gen. Wheeler. of
Alabama, and himself, during the de
bate on the Confederate disability blil
yesterday. He then read from the con-
gressional record to snow that Mr..
Wheeler had altered the record so
as to say that many Democrats Vot-
cd n
instead 'all of the Democrats" as the
official notes reported. AS matter of
fact, MI Boutelle said the vote on the
Grant bill was 1913 ayes to 79 nays.
Mr. Wheeler, meantime, was clam
oring for recognition. He wanted to
review the story of the Grant bill, but
this not being permitted, he content
ed himself by offering as an eXplana-
ton of the change made in the record
that he thought a gentleman, in re-
Vising his remarks, had the right TO
/ make his statements conform to the
truth.
The house then took up the pending
naval bill. Mr.. Cannon (Rep., Ill) an
/ tagoniZed the provision for the erection
! of residences on the grounds of the
naval observatory. These buildings,
/ he said, were to be occupied by favor
| ite naval officers, who were nominally
! in charge of astronomical obserVa-
tions, but who practically knew no
more about astronomy than the aV-
/ erage member of congress.
Mr. Boutelle protested against Mr..
Cannon's interference with the work
of the naval committee He paid a
high tribute to the attainments of
laval officers. In the American navy,
he said there had been some of the
brightest minds in the scientific world.
| Mr.. Robinson, of Pennsylvania, who
was educated at Annapolis and served
eleven years as an officer of the navy
defended the attainments of the naval
officers, and poked fun at Mr.. Cannon
in good-humored way Soon after
Mr.. Cannon came here from his prairie
home in Illinois for service, said Mr.
| Robinson, he embarked on steamer
on the Potomac river. While pacing
the deck he started in amazement
from an open hatch, eXclaiming: MY
God, she is hollow"
When the paragraph in the nava,
bill relating to the increase in the new
navy was reached the committee rose
and at 4:50 the house adjourned.