The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-09
FOR
DEFENSE
Senate Unanimously Passes the $780,
100000 Appropriation.
MANY PATRIOTIC SPEECHES
The Passage Of the Appropriation, it is
Held by the Majority, Will by Pre-
pairing For war Become the
surest Guarantee of
Peace.

Special to EVENING HERALD.
Washington, March g.--Another step in
support of the Administration was made by
the Senate to-day when it passed, without
debate, the bill appropriation S50,OOo,OOO for
the national defense.
Washington, March 9.-In a spirit Of
patriotism, with eloquent words ring
ing in their ears, every member Of the
house of representatives, yesterday re
sponded to the presidents first call to
meet the Spanish situation by casting
his vote for a bin placing in President
McKinleys hands $5O,OOOOOO to be ex-
pended at his discretion for the ma
tional defense. Party lines We're swept
away, and with a unanimous voice con-
gress voted its confidence in the ad-
ministration. Many members who were
paired with absent colleagues took the
responsibility of breaking their pairs,
an unprecedented thing in legislative
annals, in order that they might go on
record in support of this vast apprO-
priation to maintain the dignity and
honor Of their country. Speaker Reed,
who, as the presiding officer, seldom
votes only in case of a tie, had his
name called, and voted in his capacity
as a representative. The scene of en-
thusiasm which greeted the announce
ment of the vote-331 yeas and no nays
has seldom been paralleled in the
house.
All day long the galleries were jam
med with enthusiastic spectators, ap-
plauding to the echo the sterling pa
triotism of the words of eloquence
which were uttered by the members on
the floor. All the speeches were brief,
Although four hours were allowed for
debate, so great was the pressure for
time that no one member was given
more than five minutes, and most Of
them had to content themselves with a
| beggarly fraction Of a minute. In all
50 speeches We're made. With one aC-
| claim members from the north and
south, the east and west, the states and
the territories, battle SCARED veterans
of the Union and Confederate ar
mics, all Joined in proclaiming their
support of the countrys chief magis-
trate in the face Of a possible foreign
war.
General Grosvenor, Of Ohio, said that
If war did not come the $4,000 600 ap-
propriated by this bin would be wisely
expended, if it only served to show the
world that when threatened from with
out the hearts of the American people
beat as one. In the whole debate there
was only a slight discordant note caus-
ed by the speech Of General Bingham,
Of Pennsylvania, a gallant soldier, who
served with distinction under Hancock
He spoke too conservatively for the
aroused temper of the house, and when
/ he insisted that our relations with
/ Spain were as friendly as they had been
for years many of the members hissed
him. While almost every member who
spoke deprecated the possibility of
war, a wide divergence Of opinion as to
how close We're hostilities manifested
itself in the debate.
The general contention by the ma
jority, among them the leaders on both
sides, was that this appropriation, by
preparing for war, would prove the
surest guarantee of peace. Others in
sisted that wars alarums would soon
be heard, and Mr. Mann, of Illinois,
declared that war actually existed in
all save name. The speeches which at
tracted most attention We're those of
Messrs. Cannon, Henderson and Doli
yer on the Republican and Messrs
Bailey and Sayers on the Democratic
side.
Yesterdays session of the senate was
largely devoted to the consideration OF
the District of Columbia appropriation
bill. The bill, containing a provision
for the reduction to about one-half o1
the present rates Of telephone charges
in the district, was passed bill ap-
propriating $2SS,0O0 for the relief of the
book agents of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South was also passed. AS II
has already passed the house, the
| measure now goes to the president for
his signature.
Despite numerous conferences Of Of
flcials, of the continuance of the prepa-
rations now in progress on a large scale
to put the country in a state Of defense,
of the outburst of patriotic speeches in
congress, there was a certain feeling
apparent in the best informed circles
that the situation as to our relations
with Spain were yesterday much more
favorable than it was on Monday. Per-
haps the semi-ofiicial advices received
from Madrid, indicating a peaceful
purpose on the part of the Spanish
| government, contributed in large meas
ure to that feeling, or it may have been
that the growing knowledge Of the
vast extent of our own resources tend,
ed to the belief that they would i'm
press others with the futility of at,
tacking the United States. However
that may be, the feeling prevailed, ant
at the White House too. after the cab,
met meeting, wherein all of the fact!
that We're known to the president as
to the existing state of affairs wer,
laid unreservedly before the cabine
members and discussed.
While Captain Brownson is goin,
abroad for the government to leau
what ships of war are for sale an,
their condition, he will not necessariI,
make any purchases. The officer lef
Washington last night, and win tax,
the st. Paul to Southampton, sailing
form New York. He will report hi
arrival Immediately at the United
States embassy in London, but furthe
than that the captain. declines to in
dicate the places he win visit In Eu
rope. He has been furnished all of tn,
information in the possession OIL the
navy department respecting the ship
ping in course Of construction ia Eu