The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-10
BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE
The Senate Passes the Bill for
National Defense.
MADE QUICK WORK OF 1T
Party Lines Were Swept Aside and Not
an Inharmonious Note Was Sound
ed-Seventy-Six Short, Sharp.
Emphatic Speeches.

Washington, March a-President
Mckinley's hands have been upheld by
both branches of the American con-
gress. With enthusiasm and prompt
ness almost unparalleled in the
senate in time of peace. that body to-
day passed the emergency appropria-
ton bill carrying siS300o OF deficiencies
and placing at the disposal of the pres
ident S50000.0o0 for national defense.
The vote by which the measure was
passed was unanimous. Seventy-six
short, sharp and emphatic speeches
| We're delivered in favor of the bill. each
| one being simply a ringing aye dur
ing the roll call upon the passage of
the measure Not only did every sem
| ator register his vote in favor of the
| bill but for every absent member the
| authoritative announcement was made
| that if he We're present he would vote
/ aye. From the time the bill was pre-
| sented to the senate by Mr.. Hale of
| Maine until it was passed. not an in
/ harmonious note was sounded. Party
/ lines We're swept aside. In the general
outburst of patriotic feeling, pairs
were broken, every senator being anx-
| ious to register his vote on the meas
| ure.
1t was just 1913 o'clock when Mr.
| Hale reported the bill to the senate and
| aShtd that IL Dt pid1tu 0li It's pdSSdEG.
| The members of the committee on APP
| preparations had previously effected an
| arrangement whereby there would be
no debate on the bill, and after il was
read Vice President Hobart placed it
Immediately on it's passage. Twelve
minutes after the bill was reported to
the senate the vice president an
nounced its unanimous passage. The
business was accomplished SO quickly
that most of the people who crowded
the galleries scarcely realized that the
measure, so far as congress was con-
cerned. had become 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 a dignified silence,
the realization among all of them be-
ing keen that situation which war;
ranted the passage of so unusual a
measure was too grave to prompt an
outburst of applause. The earnestness
and determination was evinced on both
sides of the chamber, but there was
not note of levity that would detract
from the seriousn zss of the work per-
formed.
Two hours before the senate con-
vened to-day spectators began to ap-
pear in the galleries to secure seats,
and long before noon the public and
reserved galleries were full In the
corridors outside were long lines of
surging people anxious TO secure adj
mission to witness the session of the
senate that gave promise of being mo-
mentous. In fact. 1t was thought the
senate's action to-day might mark the
beginning of new epoch in the coun-
try's history. On the floor of the sem
ate the attendance was unusually large
when the vice president called the body
of the house We're in the chamber.
Among the bills was one by Sewell es-
tablishing government protection of
homing pigeons.
AT the conclusion of the morning
business Hale quietly rose and said.
Il report from the committee on ap-
preparations without amendment an
act to supply urgent deficiencies for
the current year and for other purposes
and ask that it be placed on its pas
sage
The bill. which was the measure ap-
propriating s50,1SS.00a of which $50
900 was placed at the disposal of
the president for national defense, was
then, amid intense silence. read
in full. At the conclusion of the read
ing, there being no amendment to the
bill. II was placed on its passage. Hale
asked the yeas and nays be called |
Such unanimity as the roll call devei-
oDtI WIS dS unuSual as II Was SiCnifl- |
cant. Within 26 minutes after the SEN
ate had convened the roll call had been |
completed and the vice president an
nouneed the bill passed. rs senators |
voting in the affirmative and not one |
in the negative As the vice president |
made this announcement n slight rip |
pie of applause ran through the gal |
leries. but the members of the senate |
remained calm and dignified. repress- |
ing the enthusiasm which il was evil /
dent from the smiling faces and intense |
interest manifested in every look and |
gesture great majority of them felt |
During the roll call it was authorita-
lively announced for every absent SEN
ator that if he were present he would |
vote aye. Mr.. Allen Of Nebraska. max
ing the announcement for Mr.. Thurs
ton said:
My colleague Is unavodably de- /
tanned from the senate. but If he were
here he would vote aye"
MIR. Vest of Missouri suggested soto
yoee that Mr.. Thurston might vote in
Havana, where Mr. Thurston now is.
and the sally created laugh among
those near by.
Mr.. Chandler of New Hampshire pre-
sented the following resolution. which
indicates that the disaster 10 the bat
tleship Maine is to have a thorough in
yestigation by the senate.
That in conducting the inquiry into
the cause of the destruction of the bat
aeship Maine. in Havana harbor on
Feb. 15 1898. under resolution of the
senate Of Feb. p. the committee on /
naval affairs is hereby authorized ta
send for persons and papers, to employ |
q stenogranher and to make the inves-
tteatign by the full committee or BY
thereof; the expenses
ef said investigation To be paid from
tnH contingent fund ~ the ssnaIe'
The resolution was referred 10 the
committee on contingent expenses.
After short executive session the /
senate adjourned