The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-02
Twelve TORPEDO BOATS
The House Passes the Naval Ap-
preparation Bill.
De ARMOND is FOR WAR
He Makes Strong Plea for Immediate
Action-we Should Strike Before
We Are Stricken Have
Waited Too Long.

Washington. April 1.-After an ex-
ceedingly turbulent session of six
hours. the house to-day passed the
naval appropriation bill and then ad-
journed until Monday. The war spirit
was manifested in all the speeches and
overrode the naval committee itself by
increasing the number of torpedo boats
and torpedo boat destroyers TO "a. the
bill reported providing for but L.
The amendment Of Mr.. Cannon, chair
man of tae appropriations committee,
to reduce the number of battleships to
one. was buried under an overwhelm-
ing majority. The provision relating to
armor plate, which in ordinary times
would have precipitated debate o;
several days, was disposed Of in 10
minutes. a proposition to decrease the
price agreed TO in the bill. from $500 to
5000 per ton. being drowned in a Ger
feet chorus Of noes. Mr.. Cannon. dur
ing the course of the day. announced
the belief Of majority of the men,
bers tnat war would Re upon US within
a week and Mr.. De Almond of Mis-
souri, made a notable speech declaring
that IL hostilitieS were near. IL was our
duty 10 strike the first blow.
Long before the house convened
every inch of available space in the gal
leries was taken and hundreds besieged
Mr.. Boutelle. chairman OF the naval
committee. desired to go ahead with the
naval Appropriation bill despite the facs
that under the rules this was private
bill day. He explained briefly the ur-
gent necessity of getting the bill
through at once. A very significant
incident occurred while an attempt was
being made to effect an arrangement to
postpone private bill day until Tuesday.
The speaker himself seemed to hesitate
about asking the consent of the house.
whereupon MIR. Bromwell rep, Ohio,
asked II Tuesday was set apart for pri-
vate bills whether IL would interfere
with a report from the foreign affairs
committee
1T certainly would" replied the
speaker promptly.
Then l object" shouted Mr.. sBrom-
we'll
Subsequently he withdrew his objec-
tion with the understanding that Tues
day should be private bill day provided
the foreign affairs committee had no re-
port to make to the house. The naval
bill was then taken up.
MIR. King, DEM. Utah. made a point
of order against the provision for new
battleships and torpedo boats. Ii was
overruled by the chair.
Mr.. Cannon. chairman of the appro-
priation committee. offered a substitute
for the paragraph in the bill providing
for the battleships. six torpedo boats
, and six torpedo boat destroyers. The
substitute provided for one battIeship
to cost $4,000. 900, exclusive of arma-
ment. IL torpedo boat destroyers and IL
torpedo boats to cost not exceeding
81. 100000. Mr.. Cannon supported the
amendment in a brief speech. arguing
that in case of necessity the torpedo
boats and the torpedo boat destroyers
would be much more valuable than the
/ h.n hax h.
quickly built.
How long does IL require to build q
battleship?" asked Mr.. Dockery.
Three years
How long to construct torpedo
boats?'
"Ur'ier stress utilizing all the ship
yards of the country. from three to
eight months
Mr. Cannon appealed to members
without passion to act as wise men
should act
What objection asked MIR. Norton.
dem, Ohio. have you to leaving the
battleships in the bill and increasing the
number OF torpedo boats To the number
provided in this amendment" Tire
mendous applause in the galleries)
Most gentlemen believe" said Mr..
Cannon. that within week we will
be at war with one of the countries
Of the earth. That will mean additional
$500. 900. 900. IL means that those burdens
shall be put upon the people. Let us
double taxation il necessary. but let US
net authorize a single dollar that Is not
necessary TO meet the emergency just
in front Of us"
Mr.. Hilborne. rep, Cal, member Of
the naval committee. argued earnestly
in favor Of authorizing the permanent
increase to the battle line provided in
the bill.
Mr.. Cummings. dem. n. Y. declared
that the value of the battleship had
been demonstrated at the battle Of the
Yalu and with the subsequent action OF
Japan and China in ordering battle
ships. not TO speak OF the fact that Ger
many. France. England and Russia
were building immense ships Of the
heavy fighting type, was conclusive OF
their value.
Pearce's Anne endmemt.
Mr.. Pearce. rep. Mo-. offered an
amendment to increase the number OF
torpedo boats and torpedo boat de-
stroyers authorized by the bill to II
each. and TO increase the appropriation
from s.. 800. 600 TO 81. 900. 600. He quoted =
high naval officer as stating that these
torpedo craft were absolutely necessary
TO the protection of the battleships OF
the navy. IL was little short of crimi-
nal. he eontended. to subject fleets to
dangers from a torpedo boat.
Mr.. Boutelle said the committee WAS
perfectly willing TO accept the Pearce
amendment. but he pointed out that
under the emergency appropriation the
administration was buying and build
ing torpedo and other boats OF the mos
quito fleet for the protection Of our
lighting ships.
The debate drifted into a discussion
of the respective merits of battleships
and torpedo craft. Mr.. Dockery. dem.
No. strongly opposed the Pearce
amendment. He said that congress. In
the present emergency. should vote ev-
cry dollar the department asked. but
here was a proposition indorsed neither
by the department nor the committee
II was important. he said. that time
honored customs be observed. and that