The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1898-04-09
TWO DOZEN TORPEDO BOATS
ADDED TO NAVY THROUGH NEW
APPROPRIATION BILL.
DOUBLE THE AMOUNT ASKED FOR.
Members OF Both Sides Demonstrate That
They Are In Hearty Accord In
war Preparations.

In an exceedingly turbulent session
OF six hours the house, at Fridays SEES.
sion, passed the naval appropriation
bill and then adjourned until Monday.
The war spirit was manifested in all
the speeches and OVERRIDE the naval
committee itself by increasing the
number Of torpedo boats and torpedo
boat destroyers to twenty -four, the bill
as reported providing but twelve, and
the appropriation to "a, 900, 600 instead
| Of 81, 100000.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appro.
priations committee, offered an amend
ment to reduce the number of battle.
ships to one. II was buried under an
overwhelming majority. The provis.
ion relating to armor plate, which, in
ordinary times, would have precipitst-
ed debate OF several days, was dis
posed OF in ten minutes, a proposition
to decrease the price agreed TO in the
bill from $500 to $500 per ton being
drowned in perfect chorus of noes.
In speaking on his amendment re-
ducing the number OF battleships, Mr..
Cannon said:
"Most gentlemen believe that with
in a week we will be at war with one
Of the countries of the earth. That
will mean additional taxation and au-
thorizations to borrow $500, 600, 900.
1t means that these burdens shall be
put upon the people. Let us double
taxation II necessary, but let us not
authorize single dollar that is not nec-
essary to meet the emergency Just in
front of us, Long before these battle
ships can be launched the war will be
over, and fear these battleships will
be obsolete. Applause on the foor.)
Mr.. Boutelle, in spirited reply,
declared that the history of naval war.
fare show ed that the naval battles OF
the world have been won by the ships
Of the battle line.
Mr.. DeArmond, democrat, Of Mis-.
souri,, called upon the administration
to take the aggressive. The Maine,
he said, has been blown up in a har.
Dor supposed to be friendly. There
was great danger now, he declared, in
trusting to diplomacy rather than to
our own strong arm.
The great question now was to stop
the hostile fleet now approaching our
shores. II we were depending upon
diplomacy, it would prove broken
reed.
The best protection at such a time,
he urged, was aggression, not to wait,
idly resting upon hopes that had no
foundation. He declared that we
should strike while we had the advan-
tsge. War between nations was not
like contest between equally matched
gladiators. The victory belonged in
war to the country that best and first
prepared for it.
"Let us protect ourselves" contin.
ued Mr.. DeArmond, "by striking be-
fore we are stricken. Applause.
'Let us not wait. We have waited
too long, hope the proper measures
Of energy are on foot, and that what
apprehend as danger will be avoided"
Diplomacy Fails.
There is little doubt that the presi
dent and the members OF his cabinet
now regard a conflict with Spain as
almost inevitable.
In his next message to congress il
is understood that the president will
review ct some length the record as 1t
stands between this government and
Spain, but will not insist upon further
time in which to continue negotiations
looking to q peaceful solution OF the
Cuban problem. !
The cabinet meeting Friday morning
was unquestionably the most important
held in many years. Itreceived SPANS
answer 70 the ultimatum OF this gov
eminent, and finding IL unsatisfactory
decided upon policy which
at present seems certain to involve
E The whole record will be laid before
congress and the question is now un.
Ter earnest consideration what shall
,e the particular form our policy shall .
AXE in bringing to an end the horrors
n Cuba and securing the independence =
4 the island.