The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-26
HOUSE AND SENATE
Both Pass the Declaration OF war
With Perfect Unanimity.


WASHINGTON. April 25.--War and
war measures were the only topics dis
! cusscd by the Senate to-day during more
| than four hours Of its session. The body
/ had scarcely convened when the message
/ of the President urging Congress 10 de-
! clare the existence of war between the
! United States and Spain was lald De
fore il. without comment the message
| was referred to the Foreign Relations
| Committee
Consideration Of the naval appropria-
| ton bill was resumed. the pending ques-
| lion being upon an amendment OF Mr.
Butler Pop of Ncrth Carola) TO reduce
! the price Of armor plate OF as an AFTER
native to establish an armor factory. Al
ter a long and bitter debate In the House
| OF which Mr.. Butler was accused by Mr.
| Hawley of Connecticut, of making What
! i'm the circumstances would be regarded
! as reasonable utterances' 'he ""it''"'i'''''
was defeated
An amendment Of great importance was
attached to the bill at the last minute 10y
Mr.. Hale. chairman of the Naval Affairs
! Committee. IL authorizes the secretary
of the Navy TO enlist as many men as ne
may deem necessary 10 man the shlps
Of the navy during the existing war ana
appropriates $4,000 to enable MN 10
carry the amendment into effect.
An amendment was also adopted pro-
vidine that hereafter all irst-class bat
tleships and monitors shall be named ar
tor tho various states. The bill was then
passed
The bill for the better organization OF
the line of army providing for the three
new artillery regiments was called up ny
Mr.. Hale. 1t was read and then amend
m.uts provided by the Committee on Nil
itary Affairs were adopted.
The committees amendments requires
that quotas from the States and Territor-
les shall be in companies troops ana pat
teries each TO contain so far IS practl-
cable the number OF enlisted men author
lied i'm this act for each arm OF the ser
vice and battalons OF not less than three
such companies and regiments of not less
than ten or more than twelve such COM
panies. But this proviso shall apply TO
companies. troops. batteries. battalions
and regimental organizations and none
other.
INCREASE SIGNAL CORPS.
Another amendment authorizes a hos
pital steward for each battalion Provis-
ion is also made for the increase Of the
signal corps I'm time of war to the ex-
tent of ten corporals. 100 first-class pri-
Yates and 40 second-class privates. who
are TO have the pay and allowance Of
engineer troops Of the same grade.
An amendment TO section gives the
President discretion to employ retired Off
GERS Of the army on active duty except
in the command Of troops While so en-
ployed they are to receive the full pay of
their grade.
At 9 o'clock the Senate went into secret
executive session and passed the bill Of
the House declaring the existence Of war
between the United States and Spain.
Subsequently a brief open session was
held. during which minor business was
transacted
Nice-President Hobart signed the bill
declaring the existence of war between
the United States and Spain at o'clock.
A few minutes later n message was re-
ceived from the House announcing its
disagreement with the Senate amend
ments TO the army reO-Sanzat on bill
and asking for conference. The con-
ference was agreed 10, and Messrs Haw-
ley Proctor and Cockrell were named as
the Senate conference.
At 5:55 T. NJ. the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE FOLLOWS SUIT.
WASHINGTON. april 25.-The House
Of Representatives to-day passed the bill
declaring the existence of state of war
between the United States and the King
dom Of Spain in manner which can
not fail TO impress the world. The re-
Ircsentativcs of seventy million people
voted fer it without a word OF debate.
without a dissenting voice and without
roll call showing their solemn apprecia-
ton Of the gravity OF the momentous ac-
ton. II took just forty-one minutes 10
accept the measure.
The House was considering an election
case when the message was received and
simply paused 10 declare war. There
was no excitement IL was only the
great cheer that when up from the floor
and galleries when Speaker Reed declared
its passage that the tremendous import
of the measure was shown.
The Commtte. on Foreign Affairs
framed the measure. Acting Chairman
Adams wrote the report and IL was
passed and on it's way TO the Senate in
an hour and six minutes. The Speaker
signed II al AS The remainder of tie
dav was devoted 10 The election case Of
Wise vs.. Young from the Second Distric.
Virginia.
WISE-YOUNG CASE.
Mr.. Mesick made the opening argument
in the election case in favor OF the claims
OF the contestant Mr.. Wise on the face
OF the returns the sitting member, Mr..
Young. Dem) had 2.2s3 plurality. Mr..
Mesick claimed that a conspiracy exist
81 10 prevel,- Gre negroes from voting.
The testimony before the committee, he
commended showed that the contestant,
Or. Wise was entitled TO a plurality Of
5.li7 In the district
Messrs Burk, dem. Of Texas; Yost,
(Rep OF Virginia. and De Almond.
Dem. OF Missouri. spoke on the election
case.
When the army reorganization bill with
Senate amendments came oack the
amendments were nOn-concurred in on
motion Of Mr. Hull and the bill was sent
10 conference. Messrs. Hull, Cox, dem.
of TENNESSEE. and Marsh. Rep. OF Illi-
nois). were appointed confreas.
AT $40 p M. the House adjourned.