The record-union., 1898-03-09
NO NORTH, NO SOUTH,
No EAST, NO WEST,

and Sayers, the minority member Of
the Appropriations Committee, then
mutually proposed the agreement they
had privately made before the House
met for three hours general debate on
the bill, to be followed by one IS
debate under the five-minute r g
Barrett (R.) of Massachusetts asked
if opportunity would ha allowed Tor
amendment. and when Cannon an
swered that he did not know he OBJ
jected. His objection was greeted with
Kisses and loud cries of ote, vote
Barrett. in yielding to the urgent ap-
raa1e ce the Republicans about him,
withdrew his objection.
The agreement as to time was for
mally ratified.
After the confusion which followed
this dramatic scene had subsided Can
non took the floor to open the debate
on the bill He spoke calmly and brief
". explaining that the items in the bill,
save the last, were strictly deficiency
items Coming to the an-absorbing
item le said that in the present crit
ical condition of affairs the committee
had deemed it wise to appropriate this
sum. pla1 ing its expenditure in the
complete discretion of the President.
He referred TO the fact that the COM
mittee had been unanimous in its ac-
n ha inc
OF the bill he introduced yesterday by
making the appropriation available un-
til January, 1899, instead of June, 1899.
This. he PORTED out, would tide the
Administration over the time of the
probable adjournment of Congress.
we have got the money in the
Treasury to meet this appropriation If
it is expended" he continued, ''and
therefore there is not presented with
this proposition one to borrow money
or to increase taxation, to which al
most any other nation on earth would
be obliged to resort" tremendous APP
plause)
The appropriation, he contended, was
extraordinary. It's object was to en-
power the President. in an orderly way,
to prepare for contingencies. He in
sisted that this appropriation must not
be construed into threat. Nothing
was further from the minds of those
who reported it. The appropriation
was to be placed in the hands of
wise and patriotic executive, to make
proper preparations to maintain the
national honor-nothing more.
IL is not war appropriation" said
he, emphatically. 4 say that in my
Judgment. measuring my words. it is
the United States would not, If it could,
trench upon the rights Of any nation on
earth" Great applause)
Sayers D) of Texas, the ranking
member of the minority. followed Can
non. His first statement, to the effect
that in the presence Of p><siole danger
this appropriation had met with the
hearty and unanimous Endorsement Of
the Appropriations Committee, without
regard to party, aroused the House to
enthusiasm
construed as a threat. Ii was simply
wise and patriotic precaution-the
arming of the executive with power to
maintain our dignity after Congress ad-
journed. Sayers expressed confidence
that the money voted would be wisely
and economically expended, and closed
amid great applause by saying that he
for one would be found giving honest
and sincere support to the President in
his efforts to support the honor and
dignity Of the American nation.
Dockery Cd of Missouri began by
saying that The hour for action had ar
rived. and that the American people
must face an important emergency-an
emergency in which no American citi-
zen could falter or hesitate as to his
duty At such time he said party
lines should fade away, and the coun-
try should act as one man.
Livingston tD.) of Georgia supported
the measure in a vigorous speech. He
said he took this position because he
believed that an emergency exists, but
conteaded that If tha Administration
had acted as il should have done twelve
months ago in declaring a state of
bel!igerency the present occasion for
voting emergency money would have
been avoided.
Allen Cd of Mississippi was next
recognized amid general expectancy
He lid not make a humorous speech.
but patriotic one y desire" he said.
TO say for the people represent, and
for the southern section of the country.
that there was never time when ali
were SO ready TO give an administra-
ton all the money it may need to pre-
serve the honor. the dignity and the
general welfare of the country, to say
nothing of fair play and Justice
The people of the South, he contin-
ued. ask for nothing more. They are
not jirgoes or extremists. but they are
facing the emergency calmly and quiet
- only asking that the countrys IN
stitutions and traditions may be pro-
tected and respected They do not
want 10 hurt anybody. and are not
urging any rash action, but they are
ready TO honor any draft. whether for
men or money. to keep the flag aloat.
MeRae Cd of Arkansas followed in
similar strains. He said the occasion
was the most important that had con-