The Portland daily press., 1898-04-26

Washington, April 25.-War and wal
measures were the only topics discussed
by the Senate today during more thar
four hours of its session. The body hat
| scarcely convened when the message O
the President urging Congress to decIar,
| the existence of war between the United
States and Spain was laid before it
Without comment the message was re
fsrred to the foreign relations committee
Consideration of the naval appropria
ton bill was resumed, the ponding ques
ton being upon an amendment of Mr.
Butler, Populist of North Carolina, to re
duce the price of arInor plate, or as al
alternative, to establish an armor factory
After long and bitter debate, in tn,
by Mr., Hawley of Connecticut, of making
what in the circumstances would be re.
garded as reasonable utterances, the
amendment was defeated. An amend
ment of great Importance was attached to
the bill at the last minute by Mr.. Hale,
chairman of the naval affairs committee.
1t authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to
enlist as many men as he may deem
necessary to man the ships of the navy
during the existence of the war and ap-
propriates IS, $50, 900 to enable him to
carry the amendment into effect The
naval bill was then passed.
The army reorganization bill was re-
ported to the Senate with some amend
ments by Mr.. Hawley of the military
affairs committee and passed within
twenty minutes. 1t was not completed,
however, as the House non CONQUERED in
the Senate amendments and asked for a
conference. At three O'Clock the Senate
went into secret legislative session and
passed the bill of the House declaring the
existence of war between the United
States and Spain. Subsequently a brief
open session was held during which
minor business was transacted.
Washington, April 25.-The announce
ment that the President would today send
| to Congress. recommending that war
against Spain be declared, was apparent
| ly not a powerful magnet on the Senate
side of the Capitol.
Almost Immediately after the chaplain s
| invocation, the Vice President recognized
Major Pruden, the executive secretary of
the President, with message from the
President. The message, which was q re-.
quest that state of war be declared as
existing between the United States and
Spain, was laid before the Senate and
read. At the conclusion of the reading.
Mr.. Davis, chairman of the committee
on foreign relations, moved that the mes
sage be referred to his committee and it
was so ordered.
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska, introduced the
following joint resolution, which he asked
to have referred to the committee on for
eign relations:
''That state of war now exists and
has since the 18th day of February, 1898,
between the United States of America
and the kingdcm of SPAIN"
Consideration of the naval appropria-
ton bill was then resumed, the pending
question being upon the amendment Of
fered by Mr.. Butler of North 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 pay not to exceed $500 a ton, includ-
ing the nickel and that subsequent con-
tracts for amor shall not call for great
er price than $500 per ton. In case the
price cannot be obtained, the Secretary
of the Navy is authorized at once to pur-
chase or establish a government armor
factory for which ST. 100000 is appropri-
-