The herald., 1898-04-26

not indicated any date for the beginning
OF hostilities. but that he had rather shown
in his message that he considered that the
negotiations had by no means reached the
point of hostilities.
"The president speaks" said the senator,
"of our reasonable demands on Spain.
Does he." he asked, expect Spain to take
the view that his demands were reason
able, when he had asked Spain to part
with large portion of her kingdom, and to
come up smiling, In view of this polite re-
quest?"
Continuing, White said that 1t was his
purpose to support the administration In
all reasonable measures for the prosecu-
tion Of the war, but he did not regard
the fixing of this date as in any sense a
response to the presidential request. There
was a general plea for speedy action on
this bill, and no amendment was pressed
for q change of dates. This motive also
actuated Senator Davis to withdraw an
amendment suggested by the committee
on foreign relations, directing the presi-
dent to prosecute the war to successful
termination. This amendment was with
| drawn in order to leave the bill just as
1t had passed the house, thus dispensing
with the necessity of conference and
making 1t possible to send the bill to the
president today.
There was no division on the passage
of the bill.
War Measures Debated
| War and war measures were the only
| topics discussed by the senate today dur
ing more than four hours of its session.
The body had scarcely convened when the
message of the president. urging con-
gress to declare the existence Of war be-
tween the United States and Spain. was
laid before 1t. Without comment, the mes
sage was referred to the foreign relations
committee.
Allen of Nebraska introduced the fol-
lowing joint resolution. which he asked to
have referred to the committee on foreign
relations:
"That state of war now exists and sipce
the 18th day of February, 1898, has ex-
listed between the United States of Amer
! lea and the kingdom of SPAIN"
| Consideration of the naval appropria-
ton was then resumed, the pending ques-
tion being upon the amendment offered by
Butler of South Carolina, to regulate the
price of armor
The amendment provides that for the
| armor for the three battleships now In
course of construction the government
shall not pay to exceed $500 ton, including
the nickel, and that subsequent contracts
for armor shall not call for greater price
than $500 per ton.
In case the price cannot be obtained, the
secretary of the navy is authorized at
once to purchase or establish govern
ment armor factory, for which $3.50 900 Is
appropriated. and, in addition, 81 100000 is
appropriated for the manufacture Of ar
NOR.
Stewart of Nevada inquired Of Hale
whether the naval bill in any way COM
mitted the government to pay $500 ton
for armor for the proposed battleshirS au-
thorized by the bill.
Hale replied that nothing In the bill
could be construed as committing the gov
ernment to pay any particular price for
armor.
T1llman made an extended speech in
favor Of the proposed amendment, in the
course of which he had a passage at arms
with Chandler based on a report made by
the latter favoring a reduction of the
price of armor.
Hale then moved to lay the amendment
upon the table, and it was so ordered by
a vote of 36 to 49,
! Hale offered an amendment authorizing
the secretary Of the navy to enlist at
any time after the passage of the act as
many seamen, landsmen and boys as he
| may deem necessary to man the ships of
the navy or for use Of the navy as tempo
rary force, and appropriating IS, 83O, 900 for
that purpose. Hale agreed to an amend.
ment offered by Cockrell of Missouri that
the time limit should be during the exist
ence of war.
The amendment was agreed to, the
amendment making the appropriation i'm.
mediately available.
An amendment was also agreed to, pro-
viding that hereafter all Grst class battle
ships and monitors shall be named after
the various states.
The bill as amended was passed.
The amendment for better organization
of the line of the army, providing for the
three battalion formation, was called up by
Hawley.
The amendments offered by the commit
tee were agreed to without division. One
of the amendments is an addition to the
proviso Of section 3, authorizing the presi-
dent to accept the quotas of troops of the
various states and territories. The COM
mittee amendment requires that these
quotas shall be "in companies, troops and
batteries, each to contain as far as prac-
ticable the number of enlisted men au-
thorized in this act for each arm of the
service, and battalions of not less than
three such companies, and regiments Of
not less than ten nor more than twelve
such companies; but this proviso Shall
apply to companies, batteries and regi-
mental organizations and none other"
Provision is also made for the increase
of the signal corps in time of war to the
extent of 10 corporals, 100 first class pri-
Yates and 40 second class privates, who are
to have the pay and allowance of engineer
troops of the same grade.
An amendment to section 6 gives the
president discretion to employ retired Of
ficers of the army on active duty except
in the command Of troops. While so en-
ployed they are to receive the full pay Of
their grade.
The bill was placed upon its passage and
passed within twenty minutes Of its intro
duction.
| At 1:55 p. m. the message clerk Of the