Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1898-03-09
ALL VOTED AYE
House Passed the Fifty Million
Defense Appropriation With
out Dissent.
Four Hours Of Patriotic Utter
ances From Members of '7
All Parties.
A Credit of Many Times That
Amount Would Be Voted IF
Called For.

WASHINGTON, March 9.-The CALLER
les of the house were packed to the
doors, and long lines of people, unable
to gain admission, surged about the cor
ridors. Public interest in the debate on
the bill appropriating S50,000,000 for
the national defense was reflected in
this large attendance in the galleries.
On the floor almost every member was
in his seat. On the faces Of the leaders
on both sides sat an air of stern reso-
luton, indicating their deep apprecia-
ton of the business upon which con.
gress and the country were entering in
making this vast appropriation for pos
sible war. AS soon as the journal had
been read, the speaker raped for order
and, amid deep silence, Chairman
Cannon arose and presented as def
cheney bill, the measure appropriating
$50, 900, 900 for the national defense. It
includes also several other items, among
which are 800, 900 for coal for naval
vessels.
When the reading of the bill was
concluded with the item of $50,000,000
for the national defense, a spontaneous
outburst of applause went up from the
members and galleries.
Agreed on Time of Debate.
Mr.. Cannon and Mr.. Sayres, the mi
nority member of the appropriations
committee, then mutually proposed the
agreement they had private made be-
fore the house met for three no urs gen.
eral debate on the bill, to be followed
by one hours debate under the five
minute rule.
Mr.. Barrett (Rep., Mass. asked if op-
portunity would be allowed for amend.
ment, and when Mr.. Cannon answered
that he did not know, he objected. His
objections were greeted with misses
and loud cries of "Vote, vote.'
Mr.. Barrett, yielding to the urgent
appeals of the Republicans about him,
withdrew his objection.
After the confusion which followed
this dramatic scene had subsidized, Mr..
Cannon took the floor to open the de-
bate on the bill.
He spoke calmly and briefly, explain.
fng that the items in the bill, save the
last, were strictly deficiency items.
Coming to the all absorbing item, he
said that in the present critical condi.
tion of affairs, the committee had
deemed it wise to appropriate this sum,
placing its expenditure in the complete
discretion of the president. He referred
to the fact that the committee had been
unanimous in its action, and had only
changed the wording of the bill he in
troduced by making the appropriation
available until Jan. ], 1899, instead of
June 30, 1899.
Have the Money to Meet 1t.
He pointed out this would give the
administration funds over the time of
the probable adjournment of congress.
"We have got the money in the treas.
ury to meet this appropriation if it is
expended, he continued, land there.
fore, there is not presented with this
proposition one to borrow money or to
increase taxation to which almost any
other nation on earth would have been
obliged to resort" Tremendous ap.
plause. 'S''"- "e'5@%'tAaS:ss+ -'''"-
The appropriation, he conceded, was
extraordinary. It's object was to en-
power the president in an orderly way
to prepare for contingencies. He in
sisted that this appropriation must not
be construed into threat. Nothing
was further from the minds of those
who prepared it, he said. This appro.
priation was to be placed in the hands
of wise and patriotic executive to
make proper preparations to maintain
the national honor, nothing more
I'm Not War Preparation.
AE11Ss" .-~-ass9 -
sit is not war preparation, y said
he, emphatically. 81 say that in my
Judgment, measuring my words, that
it is peace measure. [Great applause.
The government of the United States
would not, if it could, trench upon the
rights of any nation upon earth. Re.
newed applause
Mr.. .Sayres of Texas, the ranking
member of the minority, followed Mr..
Cannon. His first statement, to the ef-
feet that in the presence of possible
danger this appropriation had met with
the hearty and unanimous endorsement
of the appropriation committee with
out regard to party, aroused the house
to enthusiasm.
Breathed Patriotic FervoP.
Mr.. Livingston Dem, Ga.), Mr..
Allen (Dem., Miss.) and Mr.. McRae
Dem, Miss. J, all strongly supported
L. h;ll and declared all the Snnth