The Portland daily press., 1898-03-08
Artillery Bill Passed the House
Yesterday.
ONLY THREE LONE DEMOCRATS
APPEARED TO OPPOSE.
Bill Went Through in Forty Minutes and
Was Supported by Members OF Both
Parties in speeches-Member Bailey
Sore Because He Couldn't Talk.

sore because he COuiuu'C 1alhs
Washington, March There was sup
pressed excitement all over the House
when the members assembled at noon
today. The galleries were crowded. As
this was the day on which motion
could be entertained to pass bill under
suspension of the rules, it was decided
before the House met to take advantage
of this fact to pass the Hawley bill for
the creation of two additional regiments
of artillery under suspension Of the
rules.
The debate on the bill was devoid OF
sensation. The opposition to the bill
was confined, as was shown by the vote,
to three members. two of whom spoke
against it on the floor. Mr.. Cox, Demo-
crat, of Tennessee, the ranking demo-
crat member of the military affairs COM
mittee opposed the measure and, as he
controlled the time on this side of the
House, he yielded half OF it to Mr.. Jones,
Democrat, of Virginia who also antago-
nized it. The democrats who spoke in
favor of it got the floor by the courtesy
OF Mr.. Hull, the chairman of the military
committee. Mr.. Bailey the democrat
leader was shut out and when he asked
consent to address the House for three
minutes it was refused. Mr.. Hull, in
opening the debate explained briefly the
necessity of these men to man the coast
defences of the country. Even if no ex-
igency arose these men, he insisted,
would be necessary to care for the forti-
fications and guns upon which we were
expending millions of dollars. Mr.. Cox,
ia suppe ring the bill, saidshe would vote
as cheerfully as any man in the House
for this bill if it was needed for tho ma
tioual defense as war measure, but he
urged that the President as commander
in-chieffof the army, had authority to
detail men from the other branches OF
the service, the cavalry and infantry, and
that such details could man ssand care for
the coast defenses without increasing
permanently the standing army.
Mr.. Belknap, Republican of Illinois, a
son of ex-secretary of war Belknap, and
Mr.. Mcclellan, Democrat of New York,
son of Gen. Mcclellan, both warmly
advocated the passage of the bill, and
Mr.. Hay, Democrat of Virginia, created
the first open enthusiasm by declaring
himself in favor Of taking every step
necessary to prepare for the emergency
which confronts the country.
MI. UOI6S. OtlIOCIdL VI " UllO
other Democrat who opposed the bill in
ure, as it has been recommended for
years. He said that it made radical
change in the line of promotion.
Mr.. Shafroth, Colorado caused round
of applause when he expressed regret
that single voice should be raised
against such bill as q shame. There
was no denying the fact that our rela-
tions with Spain were on the eve of
rupture.
Mr. 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 extri-
cate the reigning family and herself from
the desperate straits in which she was
placed by her futile attempts to subju-
gate Cuba.
II war has to come rs q result Of our
sympathy for those who were struggling
for freedom he would not refuse to give
his vote to any measure to prepare us to
meet the enemy. The time for debate
had passed and MIR. Bailey, who had not
been able to get the floor, asked for con-
sent for three minutes.
Mr.. Hepburn, Republican Of Iowa, OBJ
jected.
uLUGUlpUStt, WlUu oUiiCfsS W oACI dA u1bChu7
ment prohibiting the use Of these two re-
giments to suppress strikes.
The bill then passed The great cho-
rus of ayes was offset by three voices on
the minority side-Messrs. Cox, Demo
crat Of Tennessee; Jones, Democrat OF Vlr-
ignia, and Todd, Fusionist of Michigan.
District of Columbia business was
then taken,up and Mr.. Bailey, as meth
cd Of resenting the refusal to accord him
the privilege of addressing the House on
the artillery bill, inaugurated a filibus-
ter Roll call followed roll call for two
hours.
At p. m. the House adjourned.
The session of the Senate was devoted
to the consideration of the DISTRICT OF
Columbia appropriation bill. At the hour
of aoJournlnent the bill had not been
disposed of and its discussion will be con-
t;pI1od top,orroyu