The herald., 1896-05-06
IN THE HOUSE
The Senate Naval Bill Amendment Non-con-
CURED In

The Senate Naval Bill Amendment Non-con-
Cured In
WASHINGTON, May 5-The oppon-
ents OF four battleships sustained an
overwhelming defeat in the house today
on the proposition to accept the senate
amendment to the naval appropriation
bill, reducing the number to two. Mr.
Sayers, Democrat of Texas, eX-chair-
man of the appropriations committee.
made the motion and in its support ar
sued that the question presented was
purely business one and he appealed
to the house not to allow political mat
ters to influence its judgment He pro-
ceeded to contrast the appropriations of
the present session with the available
revenues. The direct appropriations
for the next fiscal year, as they passed
the house, were $505, coo, 900, while the to-
tai estimate of revenue was but $4e4.-
100000 If 10 provision We're made for
this in. the sinking fund $3.50, 900, ,0O0) the
total outstanding obligations would be
S455,uO0.00, leaving a working balance Of
$9,Ou0,0 0OO But in addition contracts
were authorized in the sundry civil bill,
naval and fortifications bills aggregat-
ing s95,00O,00o. In other words, there
would be 50, 900 900 to meet almost $780,
100000 of expenditures With this Sit
uation staring congress in the face he.
Mr.. Boutelle. chairman of the naval
committee, who replied to Mr.. Savers,
thought it unfortunate that these busi-
ness facts had not been brought into
the house when we We're undertaking
to regulate boundary lines in South
America and in other ways asserting
the primacy of the republic. At that
time, he said, he had the best of reasons
for believing that the senate would
agree to four ships; indeed, the fear was
that the upper branch of congress would
go further and authorize six.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appro-
priations committee, took a strong po-.
sition in favor of Mr.. Sayers' motion on
the ground of the inevitable deficiency
in the revenues for the next fiscal year.
He did not want his motives to be mis-
understood. He stood ready to see pub
lie buildings and public works in his sec
ton stand still. if necessary for the de-
tense of the honor of the country, but
he desired first to be convinced that the
necessity existed.
A vote was taken by ayes and nays,
and Mr.. Sayers' motion was defeated
81 to 141.
On Mr.. Boutelle's motion the house re-
quested further conference with the
senate.
A special order was adopted to set
aside tomorrow and the 18th for the con-
sideratton of private pension bills, ten
minutes debate to be given to each bill
There are 405 private pension bills on
the calendar. Mr.. Crisp, Democrat OF
Georgia. contended that no bill could
be intelligently considered in ten min
utes.
Mr.. Loud. Republican of California.
also opposed the adoption Of the order.
The claims of old soldiers, he said. were
not so sacred as to justify their passage
without consideration.
Mr.. Henderson said that when the
hand Of the administration was held
above the interests Of the old soldiers,
legislation was needed. If ten hours
We're allowed for debate on each bill,
Democratic tongues, charged with ven
ON and gall would be found to con-
sumo 1t. He hurled back the imputa-
tion that this rule was brought in for
campaign purposes. and intimated that
some or the obstructionists on the other
SIDE round obstruction to pensions a
great campaign card in the south.
AT AIS the house adjourned.
DUTY ON WOOL.
Senator Chandler today calculated the
following petition on the Republican side
OF the chamber:
ITO the Senate Committee on Finance.
The undersigned request that in case NV
Dill relating to internal revenue or the
tariff is considered by the senate at the
present session. the committee on finance
Will move and support the addition of
clause providing for an adequate duty
on WOOL
In sending the petition to Senator
morrill,, chairman of the committee, Mr..
Nhandier wrote note saying that the
paper had not been presented to any of
the members of the finance committee
TO whom 1T was addressed. nor to the Re-
publican senators who had voted AGAINST
taking up the Dingley bill. He also
stated that the names of some senators
had not been secured because the sena-
tors were absent.
But" he added Il think l am able to
say that all the Republican senators
(and the Populists as welD are in favor
OF putting duty on wool whenever any
amendment is made of the present law"
The petition was signed by thirty one
senators, as follows: Mitchell of Ore
gon, Chandler, Squire, Mcbride. Lodge,
Hale, Pritchard, Pettigrew, ,Hansbrough,
Frye, Davis; Brown, Perkins, Baker,
Gear, Elkins, Shoup, Hawley, Wilson,
Nelson, Gallinger, Warren, Clark. Bur-
rows, Proctor. Sewell, Wetmore, Thurs
ton, and Cullonl. Republicans, and PET
fer and Butler, Populists.
The petition was not gotten up because
Of a proposition to call up bill for the
repeal of the provisions in the present
law for the rebate Of the tax on alcohol
used in the arts and in medicine.
A CASE DECIDED.
The Aldrich VS.. Underwood, Demo-
orat, election contest case from the ninth
Alabama district was considered in the
house elections committee No. today
and was practically decided in favor of
Underwood, the sitting member.