The San Francisco call., 1898-05-10
Fitting Tributes Are Paid Gallant Dewey and His
 SubOrdinateS.
All the Members of the Fleet Re- Ceived Special Distinction at
 the Hands of Congress.
Call Office, Riggs House, Washington. May g.

WaSnlngtOn, May ;.
 The greater part of the day in the House was consumed by war meas ures The recommendation of the President that a vote of thanks be rendered Commodore Dewey and his associate officers and men was followed quickly with a unanimous vote, and with equal concert the House passed the bill creating an additional rear ad- miralship for the hero of Manila
 The bill providing for the organiza- tion of a volunteer engineer brigade and enlistment of 10000 troops, immune to tropical diseases, was passed after two hours of debate. The principal ground of opposition presented was found in the features giving to the President the appointment of all off, cers. The Senate bill authorizing the army to distribute food among the suf- fering CubanS and to arm the Cuban people was passed.
 As soon as the journal had been read the Presidents message was presented and read. The closest attention was given by every one in the chamber. The reading was not interrupted by applause, but at the conclusion demonstration on the floor and in the galleries followed which continued sev- eral minutes.
 Hull called up the immune volunteer and engineer bill. An hour of debate upon each side was agreed upon. Hull said the Senate bill was wanted by the President and the Secretary of War, and its immediate passage was urged because the time for the use of the troops in Cuba was at hand, and the utmost haste should be made to pre- pare the troops contemplated in the bill.
 Cox of Tennessee opposed the bill principally because it took out of the hands of the volunteers the appoint ment of officers. He contended that the immunes would come from two or three Southern States, and they should name their colonels, lieutenant-col- onels, majors, captains and field of1- cers. To deny them that privilege would be unfair and would be a dis crimination between the volunteers called out under the previous act and those to be called out under the pro- posed bill
 King of Utah asserted the bill was unnecessary. that it discredited the bravery and power of troops in doubt ing that 150, 900 men already ordered, aided by our fleet, was inadequate to subjugate the island and establish peace.
 If we had landed 2500O men on the soil of Cuba two weeks ago." he de- clared with vehemence, "and had taken adequate arms to the insurgents and had deployed our fleet before Havana, Havana long since would have fallen and the stars and stripes long ere this would have floated over Morro Cas- tle."
 Hawley of Texas said the bravery of the bravest men could not cope with the hidden and insidious foe, yellow fever, before which armies bowed. The organization of immunes was impera- tive under the condition in Cuba.
 Grow of Pennsylvania, the veteran member of the House, took occasion to criticize those members of the House who assumed to know better how to conduct the war than the President and his secretaries of War and Navy. He said he had seen a similar exhibi- tion during the Civil War.
 Steele of Indiana approved the bill
 Savers of Texas said while he pre- ferred to have the bill amended, so as to leave the naming of officers with the volunteers, he would support it without such an amendment in the event it could not be secured.
 Lewis of Washington opposed the feature of the bill which placed with the President the power of appoint ments of officers and further opposed the bill because it was indefinite as to the determination of the question of the volunteers immunity.
 LentZ of Ohio opposed the bill and Bailey argued for the naming of the of- ficers by the troops to be appointed by the Governors of the States, in accord ance with the volunteer bill formerly passed.
 After a number of amendments in- tended to take from the President the appointment of the officers of the im- mune volunteers had been voted down an additional section offered by Gros- venor was adopted It declared spe- officially that the provisions relative to apportionment of volunteers to the sev- eral States under call by proclamation and to the appointment of officers as made in the recent act providing for 125, 900 volunteers shall not apply to the present act.
 A motion to recommit offered by Cox of Tennessee, was voted down and the bill as amended was passed.
 While District of Columbia bill was under consideration Bailey raised point of no quorum, and at 45O D. m. the House adjourned.