Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-05-08
he House.

The House.
WASHINGTON, May 5.--The opponents
OF four battleships sustained an over
wheming defeat in the house today or
the proposition to accept the senate
amendment to the naval appropriation
bill reducing the number to two. Mr.
Sayers Of Texas, eX chairman Of the ap
preparations committee, made the motion
and in its support argued that the ques.
ton presented was purely a business one
and he appealed to the house not to al.
low political matter to influence its judg
ment. He proceeded to contrast the ap.
preparations Of the present session with
the available revenues. The direct ap-
preparations for the next fiscal year, as
they passed the house, were 5Jo5,00O,O0o
while the total estimated revenue was
but SfGl,00O,O0O. If no provision we're
made for the sinking fund (3J00O0,O0W,
the total outstanding direct obligations
would be Si55.000,0OO, leaving a work
ing balance of 100000, but in
addition, contracts were authorized
in the sundry civil bill, naval and forti-
fications bills, aggregating S95,0O0,O00,
In other words, there would be S, 100000
to meet almost Sl00,0OO,O00 of expendi-
lures With this situation staring con-
grete in the face, he argued that it was
wise to retrench. Mr.. Boutele, chair
man Of the naval committee, who replied
to Mr. Sayers, thought it unfortunate
that "these business facts" had not been
brought into the house when we were
undertaking to regulate the boundary
lines in South America and in other
ways asserting the primacy of the repub-
lie, Not suggestion was made that
less than four ships should be author
lied. At that time also, he said he had
the best of reason for believing that the
senate would agree to four ships; in
deed, the fear was that the upper branch
Of congress would 60 further and au
thOriIe six.
Mr.. Cummings Of New York, in oppo-
sing Mr., Sayers' motion, criticised
that gentleman for proposing to
surrender to the senae without
firing gun. lie recalled the
manner in which the senate had forced
the house to accept its amendment to
the last naval appropriation bill and to
accept the tariff bill, with all lis errors" :"
lie argued that it was time for the house
TO make stand against the arrogance of
the "American house Uf lords"
Mr.. Cannon, chairman Of the appropri-
atoms committee, took d strong position
in favor of Mr.. Sayers motion, or the
ground of the inevitable deficiency in
the revenues for the next fiscal year
This congress, he said. was mortgdging
the future for Sl00,0OOOOO. That meant
the charge of S250O0,OO0 per annum for
each Year of the next republican admin
istration. "But we will raise additional
revenue" suggested a representative.
"Ies," agreed Mr.. Cannon. "but it will
require IS months to write new revenue
bill on the statute books. In the mean
time if we put mortgage on the treas
ury we will be obliged to borrow money
to pay it off. Gentlemen on this side of
the house must understand this" He
did not want his motives to be misun-
derstood. He stood ready to see public
buildings and public works in his Sec
ton stand still if necessary for the de-
fense of the honor of the country, but
he desired first to be convinced that the
necessity existed. Mr.. Boutelle con-
cluded the debate with brief protest
| against placing all the onus of extrava-
CANT appropriations on the naval com.
mittee. The vote vas taken by ayes and
noes. Mr.Sayers' motion was defeated. On
Mr.. Boutelle's motion, the house re.
quested further conference with the
senate. A special order was adopted to
set aside tomorrow and May 13 for the
consideration of private pension bills, 1C
minutes debate to be given to each bill
Mr. Crisp contended that no bill could
be intelligently considered in 10 minutes
Mr Loud OF California also opposed the
adoption OF the order. The claims o
the soldiers we're not 80 sacred as to JUS
tify their passage without consideration
he said
Mr.. Henderson said that when the
hand Of the administration was helC
above the interests of the old soldiers