Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-08
CONGRESS Is READY.
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overawe the cities, he said he considered
! too frivolous to discuss.
Cox, in opposing the bill. said he would
vote as cheerfully as any man in the
| House for this bill if it were NEEDED for
| the national defence as war measure.
but he urged that the President as com
| mander-in- chief of the army, had au-
| thority to detail men from the other
| branches of the service, the cavalry and
| infantry. and that such details could man
| and care for the coast defcnces without
| increasing permanently the standing
! army.
Beknap, Rep. ILL.,, son of cx-Secre-
tary of War Belknap, and Mcclelland,
| Dem, N. Y. son of Gen. McClelland.
both warmly advocated the passage Of
| the bill. and Hay. Dem, Va. created
| the first open enthusiasm by declaring
| himself of taking every step necessary
| now to prepare for the emergency which
| confronted the country.
Jones. Dem. Va, the other Democrat
| who opposed the bill. insisted that the bill
| was not war measure, as II mad been
| recommended for several years. He
| claimed that it made radical change in
| the line Of promotion. He thought if an
| emergency existed, the present artillery
| regiments should be recruited up TO their
| full strength. Four thousand men could
| thus be added to that branch Of the ser
vice without creating two additional reg
iments.
Shafroth. Col, caused round Of APP
plauSe when he expressed regret that
single voice SnOuIu he raised against SliCN
a bill at such a time. There was, he said,
no denying the fact that our relations
with Spain were on the eve Of q rupture.
War ought to bc aVcrted If possible, but
We ought to prepare at once for every
emergency.
Williams. Dem. Miss. said that while
his voice was now as ever for peace, it
seemed absolutely certain that Spain was
forcing us into war to extricate the reign
ing family and herself from the desperate
lt i,, hf,4h 81 h,4F
futile attempts ~ suhjugatc Cuba. If
war was to come as y result Of our sym
pathy for those who were struggling for
freedom. he would not refuse TO give his
vote to any measure designed to prepare
Us 10 meet the enemy.
The time for debate expired and Bailey,
who had not been able TO get the floor,
asked for unanimous consent for three
minutes. Hepburn. Rep. La objected.
Lewis, Dem. Wash, attempted. without
success 10 offer an amendment TO pro-
hibit the use of these two regiments to
suppress strikes.
The bill was then passed without divi-
sion. The great chorus OF ayes was Off
set by three voices on the minority side
Cox. Dem. Tenn. Jones Dem, va. and
Todd. Fusionist. Mich.
District Of Columbia business was then
taken and Bailey a a method OF resent
ing the refusal 10 accord him the privi-
ieg- Of addressing the House on the ar
tiilery bill inaugurated a filibuster. Roll
call followed roll call for TWO hours.
sharp tilt occurred between the
Speaker and Bailey who had been trying
% obtain recognition. but Babcock chair !
man OF the district committee, retained
ne floor with his bill Finally the con-
fusion tcCame 50 great that the Speaker |
requested members To take their seats. |
Bailey retained his place on the floor |
Again the Speaker requested members ~ |
take their seats. II take my seat" said |
Bailey. as ne finally sat down. because !
81 = Ia. I Hoo. tf,ss