The times., 1898-06-30
SOME WAR BILLS PA SlD
The Engineer Complains About the
Mines in the Potomac-Thc Cues
tioR of Erecting n Catholic Chapel
at West Point Bitterly Contested.
Bill Defeated.

bill. II was the same report that was
agreed to by the Senate yesterday.
Mr.. Cannon said that the current fiscal
year would expire tonight, and unless the
sundry civil bill was passed within that
period, resolution TO extend the current
years appropriation would be necessary.
He hoped the bin would pass.
He added that five points of disagree
ment remain. One was the appropria-
ton of $4,000 for a public building at
Annapolis. The Senate contended that it
had been the practice of the Government
to erect public buildings at State capi-
tails; that Annapolis has none; that pub
lie buildings at State capitals had been
authorized on appropriation bills. and
hence the Annapolis item should stand.
The other questions OF disagreement
were: Fifty thousand dollars for pub
lie building at Butte, Mon; $4,000 for
Yaquima Bay, Ore; $4,000 for a SOL
diers home sanitarium at the Hot
Springs OF South Dakota. and relating to
the office Of United States attorney for
the District of Columbia.
The last amendment, Mr.. Cannon said,
was new legislation, as il amended the
law.
Mr.. Cannon said the Senate ought to re-
( cede, and he would, If he could, force il
10 recede. He wanted 20 submit the
question TO the House. He would not re-
cede unless instructed TO do so by the
House.
Mr.. Dockery remarked that il was the
rule for the body proposing legislation on
appropriation bills TO recede.
Several members spoke in favor of in
ssting upon the disagreement and of
fighting il out with the Senate.
a motion agreeing to a further con-
/ ference was agreed TO, and. at the sug-
gestion of Mr.. Cannon, 10 show the Senate
that the House was in earnest, il was car
ried by a rising vote and unanimously,
III members voting.
The bill on which the House was voting
when il adjourned Tuesday night was
/ called up by Mr.. Hull, Chairman of the
! Military Committee.
Mr.. HanGy suggested that the bll-to
authorize the appointment of Charles
( LOeffier. of the White House. to be mill
tary storekeeper-be withdrawn. Mr..
! Hull refused TO withdraw It, Mr.. Handy
persisted in opposing the bill and de-
manded a division. The vote stood ayes
| p. nays a.
! Mr. Handy made the point of no quo
| rum. The Speaker counted 80 members
! twenty-nine short of a quorum. The doors
were ordered closed and The clerk pro-
ceeded TO call the roll on the passage Of
the b1l
On roll-can the bin was passed by a
vote of yeas. l09; nays. 6S; present. %; to-
tai 195.
The Senate bill to protect harbor de-
fenses. mines. mine-felds. arsenals and
other Government property from wi,iful
trespass or injury was passed. 1t was
amended so as TO authorize the Secretary
of War 10 prescribe rules and regulations
/ TO prevent trespass upon or injury of
I such property.
IN this connection communications were
received from officers of the engineer
corps making specific complaints and
charges against the Randall line of
steamers. plying between WASHINGTON
and River View.
Col. Alien, of the engineers. reported
! that this line of steamers had disputed
the power of the Government to make
| and enforce regulations that would pre-
! vent them from running the Potomac at
will He explained that the steamers of
/ this line carried passengers and that they
! in defiance of regulations passed over
that reach of the river between Fort
! Washington and Sheridan's Point during
night hours.
The bill was passed.
The bill to authorize the enlistment of
! cooks in the volunteer army to instruct
the enlisted men in the preparation of
| their food was passed.
joint resolution comforting the rank
| of lieutenant colonel upon the chief sig
nal officers of the Army was passed.
The next bill called up was one to au-
| thoriZe the Secretary of War to grant 10
any religious sect or organization per-
! nit 10 erect a chapel or place of worship
on the reservation at West Point.
Mr.. Bromwell of Ohio promptly inter-
! posed an objection, saying he would de-
mand a quorum.
The debate became general and it took
q very decided sectarian turn. The in
fiuence of the notorious "A. p. A" mani
Tested itself.
Mr. Suizer of New York made candid
statement. He said the object of the
| bill was to enable the Catholics to build
and maintain at their own expense a
chapel at West Point.
Mr.. Belknap, who had been one of the
| Congressional visitors TO West Point.
earnestly advocated the bill. He said
! the Catholics of the West Point Acade-
my were compelled to worship in an old
dilapidated building at a temporary al
tar, while a Protestant Church was main
! tanned at the cost of the United States
| Government.
Mr.. Hull. Chairman of the Committee
/ on Military Affairs. Mr.. Cummings, Mr..
! Sulzer and others earnestly advocated the
| passage of the bill in the name and in be-
/ half of the religious liberty of the land.
Mr. Bailey said he was astonished at
! the character of the opposition. He
! thought that a Congress that main tanned
barroom in the National Capitol and
denied church the privilege of setting
up a place of worship on a Government
reservation would be disgrace TO the
| civilization of the land. This declaration
was loudly a2plauded.
The debate increased in intensity as it
! progressed. 1t became apparent that the
"A. p. As" were very much in the mi
| nOrity. They scarcely had more than the
necessary strength to force quorum.
Gen. Henderson of Iowa delivered an
eloquent and telling speech in support of
| the bill. He proclaimed himself a Prot
estant but with his characteristic liberali-
" of spirit he contended for religious lib
| erty.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois, in his pointed
manner. said there was no reason Cor op-
| posing the bill. He declared himself a
brother jn-law' of the Methodist
Church, much to the amusement. of the
House and the galleries.
Gen. Grosvenor made the telling point
| that Congress had authorized th.. erec-
| ton of a big hotel with a barroom at
tached at Fortress Monroe, another mill
tary reservation, and he could not see
| why church should not be permitted -
erect place of worship at West Point.
Gen. Grosyenor asked Mr.. Hull if ii
were not true that Congress had author
lied the building of a hotel, with a bar
room attached at Fortress Monroe
Mr. Hull replied that he could testify as
to the hotel. but he would refer the ones-
ton OF the barroom to Gen. Grosvcno-,
| who was better qualified to speak
/ After further debate, the bill to au-