The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-10
Received Signatures OF Vice Presi-
dent mud President, becoming
Law an Hour Later.
WHERE THE MONEY WILL GO
SEVERAL WAR SHIPS EXPECTED TO
BE PURCHASED AT ONCE.
Commander BrOwnson Sails for Eu-
rope with OrderS-Activity in
Army ana Navy Circles.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 9.--The scene in
the Senate to-day incident to the passage
of the $50,0O0,0O0 emergency defense bill was
in striking contrast to that witnessed in
the House yesterday. Not speech was
made, not even word of explanation when
Senator Hale from the committee on ap-
propriations reported the BILL 1t was quiet
ly put on its passage and the roll call
proceeded with. Not SO much as ripple
of applause marred the extreme decorum
OF the performance and when the presi-
dent of the Senate announced the vote
seventy-six ayes and no nays-the occu-
pants of the gallery vacated their seats
without indulging in the faintest applause.
If the demonstration in the House had not
shown conclusively that in this crisis all
partsanship was obliterated, the Senate
might have deemed it necessary to put itsAlf
on record properly with few speeches.
AS events had shaped themselves, however.
there was no further need OF oratory and
none was INDUCED in Less than quarter
of an hour was consumed in reporting and
passing the bill and it was hurried to the
Presidents office in the executive mansion
without q moments delay. Within an hour
of the announcement of the vote, the Presi-
dent had at his personal command $50 000,-
900. Probably in the history of the world
no single individual has had at one time
such sole and absolute control of SO large
sum.
With enthusiasm, fervor and promptness
almost unparalleled in the Senate, in time
of peace, that body passed the emergency
appropriation bill, carrying $1S3 900 of de-
ficiencies and placing at the disposal of the
President $50,000,000 for national defense.
Not only did every senator present register
his vote in favor of the bill, but for every
absent member the authoritative announce
ment was made that if he were present he
would vote aye. From the time the bill
was presented to the Senate by Mr.. Hale,
Of Maine, until it was passed. not an in
harmonious note was sounded. Party lines
were swept aside. In the general outburst
of patriotic feeling pairs were broken, every
senator being anxious to register his vote
on the measure. 1t was just 1918 o'clock
when Mr.. Hale reported the bill to the Sen
ate and asked that it be placed on it's pas
sage The members of the committee on
appropriations had previously effected an
arrangement whereby there would be no
debate on the bill and after it was read
Vice President Hobart placed it immedi-
ately on it's passage.
Twelve minutes after the bill was re-
ported to the Senate the Vice President an
nounced its unanimous passage. The great
work was accomplished SO quickly that
mosts of the people who crowded the gal
leries scarcely realized that the measure,
SO far as Congress was concerned, had be-
come a law. Some of the spectators fully
grasped the meaning of the Senate's action
and when the announcement of the vote
was made a murmur OF applause ran
through the galleries. The members Of the
Senate, however, maintained dignified 81
lence, the realization among them all being
keen that a situation which warranted the
passage of so unusual measure was too
grave to prompt outburst of applause
Earnestness and determination were evil
denced on both sides of the chamber, but
there was not note of levity that would
detract from the seriousness of the work
performed.