Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-04-26
IN CONGRESS.
That Body Attending Carefully
to Welfare of the Nation.
A Great Cry Of ayes" Passes Dec
aration of War Measure.
Goes to the President Who at Once AHixes
His Name.

Washington, April 25.-War and war
measures We're the only topics discuss
ed by the Senate, today. during 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 VIZ
between the United States and Spain
was laid before it. Without comment
the message was referred To the foreign
relations committee.
Consideration of the naval appropriate
ton bill was resumed. the pending
question being upon an amendment Of
Mr. Butler, Pop, \. G., to reduce the
price OF armor plate, or as an alterna-
tive. to establish an armor factory
After a long and bitter debate in the
course of which, Alr. Butler was ac-
cused by Mr. HaWley. Conn. of MAX
ing what in the circumstances would
he regarded as reasonable utteranccs.
the amendment was defeated.
An amendment of great Importance
Was attached to the bill at the last
minute by MIR Hale, chairman of the
naval affairs committee. 1t authorizes
the secretary Of the navy to enlist az
many men as he may deem necessary
to man the ships Of the navy during the
existence of the war and appropriates
$3.50, 600 to enable him to carry the
amendment into effect. The naval bill
was then passed.
The army reorganization bin was re
ported To the Senate With some amend
ments by Mr. Hawley of the military
affairs committee and passed within %
minutes It was not completed. how
ever, as the House non-concurred in
the Senate amendments ana asked for
a conference
At o'clock, the Senate went into
secret legislative session, and passed
the bill Of the House declaring the cX-
istencc of war between the United
states and Spain, subsequently
brief open session was held during
which minor business was transacted.
Almost Immediately after the chap
1aiuH Invocation. the Vice President
recognized Major Prudcn. the eXeCu-
tive secretary of the President with /,
message from the President The mos
sage. which was Il request shat a state
of war he declared as existing between
the United States and Spain. was laid
before the Senate and read.
At the conclusion of the reading,
Davis chairman of the committee On
foreign relations, moved that the mos
sage be referred to his committee ard
ii was SO ordered.
Alien. Ncb.. introduced the following
joint resolution which h asked 10 have
referred to the committee ON foreign
relations:
THAT q state Of war now exists and
has since the 18th day Of February,
1898, between the United Stutes ~
America and the kingdom Of Spain
Consideration Of the naval appropIia-
ton bill was then resumed, the pending
question being upon the amendment Of
fered by Butler, \. G.. to regulate tia
price of armor
The amendm ut provides that for tho
armnT for the three battIeshins now ia
course OF conStr&c tion the government
shall pay not to exceed $40o a ton, in
Guiding the nickel. and that subse
quent contracts for arlnor shall nut
call for a greater price than $500 PEI
ton
In case the price cannot be obtained.
the secretary of the navy Is authorized
at once To purchase or establish . e"}
eminent amor factory for which 81
800 900 is appropriated and in addition
81 900. 600 is appropriated for the manu-
facturc of armpr.
Butler strongly advocated the adop-
ton Cf the amendment pointing 1ai
that the Senate had twice voted in
favor of paying not to exceed 5000
ton for almor plate. Congress and III"
country had been warned that in cas-"
of Wal the "armor plate gtfust' would
exact the uttcrmost fa9thii18 and prob
ably find the guycrnmei5 'unprep&l"d.
For the country vas 'in the midst Of
war" and the government was III tn"
unfortunate position S%vhere il was
obliged to pay the price demanded Iy
the trust" He argted that ii had
been demonstrated that the a'laor
could be made for 1925 a ton and -
pressed the nope tnat no nIpp~iil"l
would he raised to a proper Cu"h
in the price Of armor in the future.
Butler charged that the ships of this
country We're covered With defective
armor HaWiey challenged that state-
ment. Il cmphatcalIy deny" SAID
he that there is any such amount Of
defective armor on our Warships as the
senator from North Carolina declares
there is. And even if the statement
We're true. | leave the country to iud"'
of the propriety Of haunting the defects
before Spain"
While | am in entire agreement with
the senator from Connecticut, inter
jected Chandler, \. H.. Il am satisfied
that the senator CButler) is mistaken. /
investigation has shown that the bal
listic tests oH the armor We're salts
factory"
Chandler appealed 10 Hale, chairman
Of the naval affairs committee, and the
latter said:'"The armor upon our ships
is the best in the world. No European