The sun., 1898-03-10
THE DEFENCE BILL A LAW.
Pissed By THE SENATE WITHOUT
CHANGE OR DEBATE.

All Pairs Rreten ana Every senator Present.
ssvontS-siH In All. Voted Aye-The WORK
All Doso In Twelve Ninutes-Tho Pres,.
dsst's Signature Attached aoou ArterUnra.
WASHINGTON March From all quarters OF
the United States elegrams ave poured in upon
President Mckinley during the past twenty.fouP
hours congratnlating him and the country upon
the unanimity with which Congress passed the
bills suggested by him. appropriating $50 OOo,-
600 out Of the public Treasury for the purpose
or national defence. As in the House yes
terday, SO In the Senate today party
politics and sectionaism were lost sight of
and Republicans, Democrats and Populists.
Northern men and those from the South stood
together in tho shadow of a possible war with
Spain as Americans only. Just twelve minutes
were required in the Senate to pass the bill that
placed $4,000, 900 in the hands OF tho Presi-
dent to be disposed of as he may see At for tho
honor of theAmcrican flag; and three hours later.
having In the meantime been signed by the
Nice-President and Speaker Reed, the bill was
sent to the White House. where, at 3:4o Presi.
dent Mckinley, in the presence only of Secretary
Porter. attached his signature. and the frst
war measure passed by Congress in more than
thirty years became law.
Thore was no speechmakng in the Senate.
The Senators deprecated that in the House yesA
fed to pass the bill in solemn silence This is whats
the Republican leaders of the House thought.
too but the Democrats insisted upon a season.
OF speechmaking. and it became general. The
senate Committee on Appropriations did not
cross or dot 1, but brought the bin
in just as it came from the House. It was re-
ported to the Senate by Senator Hale Chairman
of the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. hale
10 also member Of tho Committee on Appro~
nriatiOna Chair af C,,k- n.
on Deficiencies. and this 10 why he had,
charge of the bill in the Senate, whilos
Chairman Boutelle Of the House Commit%
tee on Naval Affairs was compelled tai
resign the honor to Chairman Cannon Of the!
Appropriations Committee. All pairs were
broken. and every Senator in the city, seventy!
six in ALL voted for the bill. In addition all the
absent Senators were accounted for by theirs
colleagues. who annoupced that II present they
would have voted aye. This included the three
Senators who have gone to Havana as members;
of a selfappointed investigation committees,
Tho vote was announced by Vice President Hoo
bart and the Senate went into executive session.,
In anticipation of an animated discussion Of
the question Of peace and war as connectedi
with the consideration of tho bill pIacinR'
5000O,0OO at the disposal of the Presidents
as an emergency fund, the Senate galleries.
were crowded to-day before the open-i
tors was considerably larger than usual. The
Chairman of tho Committee on Foreign Rela<
tions. Mr.. Davis of Minnesota. was in his seatr,
as were other members of that committee. The
reading Of yesterdays journal was dispensed
with and tho routine morning business weSS
despatched with unusual haste.
At 12:15 Mr.. Hale (Rep.. Me) rose and saide
report, from the Committee, ON Appropria-
tions, without amendment. an act making ap.
IA ~
SoO,OoO.Ooo bill. and ask that 1t may be puts
upon its passage"
The bill was read in full.
The eyice-President-The bill is now open for
amendment lApplause.l There being no amend. |
ment offered. the question is Shall tho bill be
read-a third timer Let the bill be read o third ,
time. The question now is "shall the bill passi'si
'On that question" said Mr.. Hale. IT ask for
the yeas and nays"
The vote was takon, and every Senator pres! I!
ent (76) voted aye. The Vice President an.
nounced tho vote and declared the bill passed.
Mr. Chandler N. H. presented the following
resolution. which was referred to the Commit
tee on Contingent Expenses:
That in conducting the inquiry into the OF the
destruction OF tho battleshp Maine Havana harbor
on Feb l5 1893. under resolution OF the Senate Of
Feb. 81, the Committee on Naval Affairs is hereby
authorized to send for and papers, to employ
full committee by subcommitees thereof. the eKsG
pense OF such to be paid the
tingent fund OF the Senate.
Tho Senate then went into executive session.
on motion OF Mr.. Davis. Chairman OF the Coms
mittee OH Foreign Relations.
Although the Senate had adjourned for tho
day Vice-President Hobart waited in his room
to sign the national defence bill. At o'clock
Clerk of the House Mcdowell came over with
tho BILL the vice-Presidsnt affixed his signature.
and q few minutes later 1t was started for the
White House for the signature Of President Nc
Kfnley. The President signed the bill at $40
p NJ No ceremony attended tho signing. Sec-
rotary Porter being the only person with the
President at the time.
In the House, Chaplain Coudon returned
thanks for the magnificent demonstration on
the floor yesterday OF patriotic fervor. which
tends to the perpetuity OF the institutions Of
this country to all time.
The announcement that tho Senate had
passed the $50. .O0o.O00 emergency bill was
ceived with round Of applause. Soon after
Speaker Reed announced that he had signed tho
bill as Speaker Of the House.
At4:3o Secretary Pruden appeared and an
nounced the Presidents signature to the bill, .
hearty outburst of applause marking the AnA
nouncement.