The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-25
RIGHT ID TRE POINT
Are House Speeches on Naval
Appropriations.
FEW BEGRUDGE MONEY
General Regret at NiggardIi-
ness of Past Years.

great pressure Tor time, but the Leaders
desired to limit las far as possible. The
opportunity for inhammatory utteraaoes
The debate today was not on sensational
lines, but every radical expression was
cheered to the echo by the crowded gal
leries. The speeches of Messrs DAYTON of
West Virginia and Arnold OF tennsyI-
vania, both Of whom took advanced posi-
tons In favor Of aggressive action to stop
the war in Cuba, aroused intense enthu-
siasm. Messrs. Bouteile, chairman of the
naval committee. and Meyers Dem, Lao B.,
also member of the committee, confined
| their remarks closely to the bill and the
extraordinary emergency which necessi-
tated the large increase 1T carried. Several
! Of the other speakers discussed political
questions.
BOUTELLE OPENS FOR THE BILL.
The galleries Of the house were crowded
| In anticipation of some exciting speeches
! On the Spanish crisis during the consid-
! Grafton of the naval appropriation bill
| The leaders had arranged a program by
! which the general debate on the bill
should be confined to four hours. two
| hours on a side. AS soon as The journal
was read on motion of Mr. BouteIle,
chairman of the naval committee, the
house went into committee of the whole.
Mr.. Sherman, Rep.. n. W in the chair,
for the consideration of the bill.
Mr.. Boutelle stated that it was exceed
ingly important that the bill should be
| passed as speedily as possible. 1t was the
| most complete measure for strengthening
the naval establishment ever reported to
the house. The reasons were too obvious
to require mentioning. The committee
over which he presided had been impress
ed with an earnest desire to meet fully
and completely the expectations Of the
house and the country in providing this
great arm Of the naval defense with all
reasonable requirements TO meet any ex-
igency that might arise.
Mr.. Boutelle took occasion to resent
some of the criticisms which had been
made against the committee. The COM
mittee, he said, had periodically and ear
nestly labored to meet all the extraordin-
airy demands and as a result of the in
finite pains, had reported the bill With
this preface Mr.. Boutelle entered upon
detailed explanation of the bill and the
increase and extraordinary provisions it
replied to what he termed an "extraordin-
airy SANDER upon himself which appeared
in a New York paper yesterday charging
him with responsibility for the lack of
engineer officers in the service.
WRANGLING FOR TINE.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Boutelle's re-
marks he attempted to arrange a time
for closing general debate. He suggested
O'Clock tonight but there was chorus
of protests, whereupon he moved that the
committee rise for the purpose of fixing
the time at which the debate should close.
The motion was hotly contested. but it
prevailed by narrow margin. 1888.
Several Republicans voted with the
Democrats. Speaker Reed himself march
ed through the tellers. When the COM
mittee rose Mr.. Boutelle moved that gen.
eral debate close at O'Clock.
Mr.. Richardson Dem, Tenn moved TO
amend the motion by making the hour
4 o'clock tomorrow. but the chair declin-
statement of Mr.. Boutelle that he intend
ed to move the previous question on the
motion The latter motion was put after
some sharp parliamentary wrangling.
The motion for the previous question
telle demanded the ayes and nays for the
purpose Of putting on record the Repubn-
cans who refused to vote to sustain his
motion.
Before roll call was concluded a COM
promise was reached by which It was
agreed that the general debate should
close at J o'clock tomorrow, the session
OF the house TO De extended until o'clock
tonight. This arrangement was ratified
and then the debate proceeded.
THE NAvY'S GREAT NEEDS.
Mr.. Myer Dem, La. one Of the mem
bers of the naval committee, then took
the floor
Mt. Myer. after referring to the extra
ordinary circumstances under which the
naval bill came up for consideration at
this time. said that the tneater of war,
If such must come. could not be on land
but on the sea. Our army required no
addition to place us IN a position of de-
tense It was large enough for peace
purposes and could easily and quickly be
expanded IN event OF war.
But" said he. you can not improvise
navy. even with fifty or one hundred
millions placed at the discretion of the
Of officers, yet even these require exper-
fence in The handling Of ships and in
habits % command. Nor &c ~(u make a
sailor quickly as you can soldier.
Holding these views as 20 our duty and
the public necessities welcome the ex-
ceedfngiy modest and reasonable addition
of three bartlexnips and SIX torpedo boats
and six torpedo boat destroyers proposed
by the bill With eQual satisfaction 90
I hail the steps which propose to give
our warships adequate docking and repair
facilities upon the Atlantic. the Pacific
and the gulf coast.
The fifty million appropriation unan!-
rnously voted by congress was not only a
declaration Of our purpose 20 stand by TIE
country in time Of war; II was also a con-
tess.on b. congress that we are lacking
sadly lacking. II prepa "a ton for war and
that whatever money. freely voted would
do to atone fer cur past neglect and want
Of foresight. would be cheertuIly. prompt
y given.
HERE IT Is. IN A NUTSHELL.
Mr. DAYTON (Rep.. ". Va another
member Of the committee in discussing
the bi!. spoke fsel:1giy % the Maine ex-
ploslon. He said:
BUT THE BLOWING Up OF THE
MAINE Is a MERE INCIDENT con- /
PARED WITH THE GREATER AND /
MORE HORRIBLE TRAGEDY WHICH
IS TRANSFERRING DATLyBEFORE Our I
EYES. and which we as a great and en-
liEhtezed nation. INSIST must stop
Great applausel Two hundred and af-y-
seven American sailors have gene down /