The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-11

upper house Also ADOPTS RESOLUTION FRO
viding For Vote on Constitutional
Amendment to Change Inauguration
Day to May 4.
Washington, May 10.-Four war meas
ures were passed by the Senate today.
One of them provided for carrying on the
additional work in the adjutant general S
Office. The second authorizes enlistment
of volunteer signal corps, two-thirds OF
the members Of which must be expert
electricians or telegraphers.
The third was the so.called "immune
bill'' passed by the House. The fourth
was measure suspending existing law SO
that additional hospital stewards can be
appointed.
The post office appropriation bill, carry
ing appropriations which aggregate more
than 500, 900, 900 was passed after a debate
which has lasted for several DAYS. A
determined effort was made by Mr.. But
Ter. Populist of North Carolina, to cut off
the sum appropriated for the fast mail
service between New York and Washing
ton to Atlanta and New Orleans and to
provide for two committees to investigate
postal affairs, but it was unsuccessful. all
amendments except those offered by the
committee on appropriations being voted
down.
After an extended and interesting de-
bate the resolution submitting to ahe Leg
islature OF the various states an amend.
ment to the constitution of the United
States, changing the date of the begin
ming of the terms of the President Vice
President AID members of Congress from
the fourth of March to the fourth of Nav.
was adopted. Following is the text of the
proposed amendment:
1.-THE term of Office Of the President
and Vice President and of the 18th Con-
gress shall continue until the fourth day
of May, in the year 1901 at noon; and the
fourth day of May at noon shall there
after be substituted for the fourth of
March as the commencement and termi-
nation of the official term of the Presi-
dent, Vice President, Senators and Rep
resentatives in Congress
Washington, May 10.-Soon after the
opening of today's session of the Senate,
Mr.. Hale of Maine, entered a motion to
reconsider the vote by which the Senate
yesterday passed the bill increasing the
number of rear admirals from six to
seven. The motion created some sur.
prise, but it is the opinion of the commit
tea on naval affairs that the President
has ample authority to nominate Commo-
dore Dewey as rear admiral without the
bill passed yesterday.
Mr.. Sewell of New Jersey reported
from the committee on military affairs
a bill providing from the increased vol
ume of work in the Office of adjutant
general of the army. The bill provides
for one assistant adjutant general with
rank of colonel and one with rank Of
major. The bill was passed.
From the military affairs committee
Mr.. Carter Of Montana favorably reported
and secured the passage of bill provid-
measure authorizes the President to or
eanize volunteer signal corps for the ex-
| listing war.
The corps sh all consist of one colonel
one lieutenant colonel, one major as dis
| bursting officer, and such other officers
and men as may be required. not exceed
| ing one major for each army corps, and
| two captains, two first lieutenants, two
second lieutenants, five first class ser
geants, ten sergeants. ten corporals and
thirty privates to each organized division
| of troops. Two-thirds of all officers below
the rank of major and like proportion
| of the enlisted men shall be skilled cleo
| tricians or telegraph operators.
Mr.. White Of California introduced the
following resolution:
"That the committee on foreign rela-
tions are instructed to forthwith investi-
gate the cases of Harry K. Spring and
Charles W. Nelson, citizens Of the United
States and residents of the stats of Cali.
fornia. who are under arrest in the
Republic of Colombia and to inquire
whether said Spring and Nelson have
been detained unreasonably without trial
or have been otherwise restrained Of
their liberties and whether the diplomatic
officers and agents of the United States
in said Republic of Colombia have made
appropriate exertions to procure the re-
lease or trial of said accused; and to re.
port by resolution or otherwise.
The resolution went over under the
rules
Mr.. Hawley Of Connecticut, chairman
of the military affairs committee, called
up the bill providing for volunteer
brioade ne euoipaara and the enlistment