Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-08
ARTILLERY INCREASE BILL PASSED
ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY.
PATRIOTISM WAS RAMPANT.
MANY REPRESENTATIVE BELIEVE
WAR INEVITABLE.
Mr.. Bailey Wanted to Speak In Favor
of the Bill, and, Because He
Could Not, He Set Up a Fill
ibuster to Vent His
Spite.

Washington, March THE spirit OF
patriotism was rampant in the house to-
day, and by almost an unanimous vote the
Hawley bill providing for two addition
al regiments of artillery was passed under
suspension of the rules. No effort was made
to obstruct action. but Mr.. Bailey, the
Democratic leader, pleaded for more time
than the forty minutes allowed under the
rule, and because it was refused after the
bill had been passed he inaugurated a fill
buster against District of Columbia leSis-
lation that continued all day. MIR. Bailey
desired to speak in favor Of the bill, but
could not get time.
Mr.. Hull, in opening the debate, explained
briefly the necessity for these men to man
the coast defenses of the country. By July
l, he said. pa big guns and 800 mortars
would be mounted. These guns required
eighteen men each to handle them. and.
in time Of war. sixty. There were 4.O2o
artillerymen, all told. in the service. The
guns emplaced July 1 would require 1000.
regardless Of any exigency. that might arise.
Even If no exigency arose, these men, he
insisted, would be necessary to care for
the fortificatiOns and guns upon which We
were expending millions of dollars. The
charge that this bill was an attempt to In
crease the standing army, to be used posi-
bly, to overawe the cities, he said, he con-
sidered too frivolous to discuss.
Mr.. Cox. in opposing the bill. said he
would vote as cheerfuily as any man in
the house for this bill If it were needed for
the national defense as war measure, but
he argued that the president as command
detail men T from me the otber braaehes Of the
service, the cavalry and infantry. and that
such details could man and care for the
coast defenseS without increasing perman-
emily the standing army.
Mr.. Belknap. Republican, Of Illinois, son
Of ex-Secretary Of War Belknap. and Mr..
of General Mcclellan. both warmly adyo.
speeches and Mr. Hay. Democrat. of vir-
declaring himself in favor Of taking every
step necessary now to prepare for the emer-
gency which eonfronts the country;
Democrat who opposed the bill, insisted
that the bill was not a war measure, as it
had been recommended for several years
Mr.. Shafroth. Populist, of Colorado.
caused round of applause when he ex-
pressed his regret that a single voice should
be raised against such a bill at such time.
There was no denying the fact that our our
eve of a rupture. War ought to be averted
if possible, but we ought to prepare at
once he said, for every emergency.
said that while his voice was now, as ever.
for peace, it seemed absolutely certain that
Spain was forcing us into war to extricate
the regning family from the desperate
straits into which she was placed by her
futile attempts to subtugate Cuba. He had
been for Cuban belligerency and Cuban in
dependence, and IL war was to come as d
result of our sympathy for those who were
struggling for their freedom, he would not
refuse to give his vote to any measure
designed to prepare us to meet the enemy.
and Mr.. Bailey. who had not been able to
get the floor. asked for unanimous consent
fer three minutes. Mr.. Hepburn, Republic
an, of Iowa. objected.
4 ovric Nf a npfn ut
tempted to offer an amendment prohibiting
the use Of these two regiments to suppress
strikes.
The bill was then passed without division.
The great chorus of ayes was offset by
three voices on the minority side. Messrs.
Cox. Democrat, of Tennessee: Jones. DEM
ocrat. of Virginia. and Todd. fusion, of
District of Columbia business was then
taken up and Mr.. Bailey. a method OF
resenting the refusal to accord him the
priyilege of addressing the house on the
call followed roll call for two hours. When
the confusion of the floor became such
that order was called for. the speaker re-
Mr.. Bailey retained his place on the
floor. Again the speaker requested mem
bers to take their seats. II take my
seat" said Mr.. Bailey, as he finally sat
down, because the rules of the house re-
quire IT.
1.-The speaker exercises no authority ex-
cept that conferred by the rules" said
the speaker. He holds no other authority,
| and he expects none"
There were several exchanges after that.
Compartment of Republican jeers and
could not be "badgered' by the speaker.
Then: turning to the Republican side; in
demonstration either indicates lack of
decencey or lack of sense. and I suspect
both
E.An e1s