The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-02
easy D VOIE SHIPS
House Doubles the Number OF
Torpedo Boats,
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL
Passed With a Whoop, Armor
Plate and All.

Washington. April AFTER an exceed
| ingly turbulent session of six hours, the
house today passed the naval appropria-
ton bill, and then adjourned until Mon
| day. The war spirit was manifested N all
| the speeches and over-rode the naval COM
| mittee itself by increasing the number Of
| torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroy
ers to twenty-four. the bill as reported
providing for but twelve. The amendment
OF Mr.. Cannon. chairman of the appro-
priation committee, to reduce the num-
Der Of battleships TO one, was buried un-
der an overwhelming majority. The pro-
vision relating TO armor plate, which in
ordinary times would have precipitated a
debate of several days, was disposed of
! In ten minutes, proposition TO decrease
the price agreed to in the bill from $500
to $500 per ton being drowned in a perfect
| chorus of noes. Mr.. Cannon, during the
course of the day, announced the belief
OF majority of the members that war
would be upon US within a week, and
Mr. De Almond of Missouri. made no.
table speech, declaring that II hostilities
were to come, it was oud duty to strike
the first blow
Packed galleries are the regular accom-
paniment of the sessions Of the house in
these exciting days and today al hour be-
fore the session convened every inch Of
| available space was taken. and hundreds
besieged the doors, unable to gain ad-
mission.
Mr.. Boutelle, chairman of the naval
committee desired to go ahead with the
naval appropriation BILL despite the fact
that under the rules this was private bill
day. He described briefly the urgency of
getting the bill through al once,
A very significant incident occurred
| while the attempt was being made to eff
feet an arrangement to postpone private
bill day until Tuesday.
The speaker himself seemed to hesitate
| about asking the consent of the house,
| whereupon Mr.. Bromwell Rep.. Ohio
asked, if Tuesday were set apart for pri-
vate bills. whether it would interfere with
report from the foreign affairs COM
mittee.
ut certainly would,'' replied the speak
er promptly.
Then 1 object" shouted Mr.. Brom-
well.
Subsequently he withdrew his objection,
| with the understanding that Tuesday
should be private bill day. provided the
foreign affairs committee had no report
to make to the house.
NAVAL BILL TAKEN UP.
The naval bill was then taken up
Mr.. King Dem, Utah) made point of
I'M he SiO for haf
| tleships and torpedo boats. 1t was over
ruled by the chair.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appropria-
| tons committee. offered a substitute for
the paragraph IN the bill providing for
three battleships. six torpedo boats and
six torpedo boat destroyers. The substi-
tute provided for one battleship to cost
| So, 900 600, exclusive Of armament, twelve /
torpedo boat destroyers and twelve tor
pedo boats, TO cost not exceeding 81, 500 000
Mr.. Cannon supported the amendment
in brief speech. arguing that in case of
| necessity the torpedo boats and the tor
pedo boat destroyers would be much
more voluable than the battleships be-
cause they would be quickly built.
How long does it require to build
battleship?" asked Mr.. Dockery.
Three years"
How long to construct torpedo boats?'
Under stress. utilizing the shipyards
months
Mr.. Cannon appealed to members with
cool heads and without passion to act as
wise men should act.
What objection" asked Mr.. Norton
Dem, Ohio), ''have you to leaving the
three battleships IN the bill and Increas- /
ing the number OF torpedo boats to the
number provided in this amendment"
Tremendous applause in the galleries..
BETTER WHIP SPAIN FIRST.
Most gentlemen believe" said Mr.. /
Cannon. that within a week we will be
at war with one OF the countries Of the
earth. That will mean additional taxa
ton and authorizations to borrow $500 /
600, 900. It means that these burdens shall /
be put upon the people Let us double /
taxation If necessary. but let US not au-
thorize a single dollar that is not nee
essary to meet the emergency just in
front Of Us. Long before these battle |
ships can be launched the war will be
over. kand I fear these battleships will t
Ut. Bouteile, in a spirited reply. declar- /
ed that the history OF naval warfare /
showed that the great naval battles of
the world had been won by the ships OF /
the battle line
Mr. Hilboru (Rep.. CALI, a member Of
the naval COMMITTEES. argued earnestly IN /
favoring the permanent increase OF the 4
battle line provided in the bill.
Mr.. Cummings Dem. n " declared
that the value % the battleships had
been demonstrated az the battle n the
Yalu. and that the subsequent action ot
Japan and China IN ordering hattieships. .
not TO speak OF the fact that Germany. +
France, England and Russia were build
ing immense ships OF the heavy fighting
type was conclusive Of their value
TO INCREASE TORPEDO BOATS
Mr.. Pearce CRep.. MO- offered IN
amendment 20 increase the number Of
torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroy
ers authorized by ire bill 20 twelve each.
and 10 increase the appropriation from
s.. 90. oce 10 &.so0ooo He quoted a high
naval officer as stating that these tor
pedo craft were absolutely essential %
the protection % Tire battIeshiD< q the
navy. II vas little short Of criminal. ~
cvoutsr6ed. 70 subject fleets % dangers
from = torpedo boat
M Boutelle said the COMMITTEES was
perfectly willing 70 acoept the Psarcs
amendment but Re pointed out thai IN
der The emergency appropriation tHe a.