The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-09
Congress Win One Voice Meets Ile
FIIS| Coll |I0fIDe President iOTFuldS.
S5O,OO0,OO0 AADE AVAILABLE At ONCE
Many 5Gcmbcrs Who We're Paired
with Absent Colleagues, Took tho
Ncspnnsibithy 10 Break Their
Pairs, Something Unprecedented
In Legislature Annals.
Washington, March, S.

washington, March, 5.
In spirit Of patriotism, with elo-
quent words ringing in their ears,
every member of the House of Repre-
sensitive to-day responded to the
PreslG ent's first call 10 meet the Span
ish situation by casting his vote for
bill placing in President McKinleys
hands fifty millions Of dollars to be
expended at his discretion for national
defense. Party lines were swept away
and with a unanimous voice Congress
voted It's confidence in the adminstra-
tion. Many members who were paired
with absent colleagues, took the res
possibility of breaking their pairs, an
unprecedented thing in Legislative an
nuals, in order that they might go on
record In support of this vast app:o-
priation to maintain the dignity and
honor of their country. Speaker Reed,
who, as the presiding officer, seldom
votes except in Il case of a tie. had his
name called and voted in his capacity
as representative. The scene of en-
thusiasm which greeted the announce
ment of the voie-ayeS 81, ays none
has seldom been puralleled in the
House All day long the galleries were
jammei with enthusiastic spectators
applauding the patriotism of the words
OF eloquenc" which were uttered by
the members on the floor The
speeches were all brief. Although four
hours were allowed for debate 50 great
was the pressure for time that no mem
Der was given more than five minutes
and mCEt Of the m had TO content them
selves within a bagglrdly fraction OF
a minute. In all fifty nine speeches
were made. W.;h one acclaim, mem
bers from the North and South the
East and West the State and terrific
rics, battls-scarrad veterans of the
Union and ;hc Confederate armies, all
Joined in nr1clalming their support OF
;he country's Chief Magistrate in She
face of Il possible foreign war. In the
whole debate there was only 4 slight
dscordant note caused by the speech
OF General Bingham, of Pennsylvania.
who se.ved with distinction under
Hancock He spoke too conservatives
ly for the aroused temper of the House
ana when he insisted that our relations
with Spain We're as friendly as they
had been for years many Of the MEM
hers hissal him. While almost every
member spoke deprecated the possibil-
tiles of war, Il wide divergence Of opiI-
ion as 10 how close We're hostilit!GS
among them the leaders on both sides.
manifested itself In the debate The
general contention by the majority.
was that This appropriation by prepar-
ing for war would prove the sures;
guarantee of peace. Others insisted
tlelt war alirnS would soon be heard
and Mr.. Mann, Of Illinois, declared that
war actually existed in all save name.
The speeches which attracted most at
tcnt,on were those of Messrs. Cannon.
Henderson and Dolliver, on the Re
publican side and IMcssrs. Bailey and
Savers on the Democratic side.
MIR. Cannon, in opening Vhe 4 gate on
the bill. said that in the present cr.ti-
Cal condition Of affairs the Gmm!ttee
irad deemed 1t wise ito appropriate this
sum placing its expenditure In the com
plete discretion of the President. He
referred 10 the fact that the commh-
tie had been unanimous in Its action
t.i11 had only changed thc wording
cf the bill he ntlN>duced yeste rday by
making the appropriation available ln-
fil January 1st. 1899. instead OF June,
Goth, 1899.
I'VE have the money in the treasury
to meet Lh!s appropriation if 1T is ex-
Tcrded,' he continued, "and therefore
there is not presented with this propo-
SiiiOn one to borrow or TO increase tax
ation ITO which alm'cs7t any other ma
l.cT on earth would nave been obliged to
rch iHt." Tremendous applausc)
lie insisted that rlris appropriation
must not h= construed into q threat.
N-ehing was further from the minds of
thCsE' who rcpCrted Il. he said This
appropriation was TO be placed In the
hands Of a wise and patriotic executive
to make proper prcpara i'lon to maintain
this national Tcnor. nothing more
II Is mH "a war appropriation" said
he cmnhatically. "I say that in INV
judgment. measuring my words shat Il
IS p5ace measure. Great applausc)
The Government of the United States
would not, If it could, trench upon the
rights of any nation on earth" IRE
ncwed appiausc)
Mr. SayerS, OF Texas, the ranking
member Of the minority, followed Mr.
Cannon, his first statement, to the ef-
rect that in the presence OF possible
danger this appi-priatiGn had met with
ths hearty and unanimous endorsement
OF the ApDroIria tion Committee, with
out regard to parry, aroused the House
Ito enthusiasm
He too, declared shat il could no,
be construed as "a threat. II was sim
ply a wise and patriotic precaution-
the arm,ng of 'tha executive with power
to maintain our dignity after Congress
adjourned
Mir livingston Democrat, Gcorgia).
snnpcrtch the measure In n vigorous
speech, He said he took this position
because he believed that an emer-
gency exists but no oontended that If