The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-26
CONGRESS FAvoRS ACoNFLICT
DECLARATION OF WAR PUT
THROUGH WITH A RUSH.

One Minute and ~ Seconds All the
Time Required in the House and
the Bill Not Debated at AII-Sennte
Authorizes Enlistment in the Navy
of All the Men Needed to Man the
Ships-Army REORGANIZATION Bill
Debated.
Washington, April 25-War and war
measures were the only topics discussed
by the Senate to-day during more than
four hours Of its session. The body had
the President urging Congress. 20 declare
the existence of war between the United
States and Spain was laid befoEe it.
Without comment the message was re-
ferred to the foreign relations committee.
Consideration of the naval appropriate
ton bin was resumed. the pending question
being upon an amendment of Mr.. Butler
of North Carolina. TO reduce the price of
armor plate, or as an alternative, to es-
tablish an armor factory
After a long and bitter debate, in the
course of which Mr.. Butler was accused
by Mr.. Hawley of Connecticut of making
what, in the circumstances, would be re-
garded as reasonable utterances, the
amendment was defeated.
An amendment of great Importance was
attached to the bill at the last minute BY
Mr.. Hale. chairman Of the committee on
naval affairs. Ii authorizes the Secretary
of the Navy to enlist as many men as he
may deem necessary to man the ships of
the navy during the existing war and APP
propriates $S,S30,o00 to enable him to carry
the amendment into effect.
An amendment was also agreed to pro-
viding that hereafter all second-class bat
tleships and monitors shall be named after
the various states.
The naval bill was then passed.
The bin for the better organization of
the line of the army of the United states.
providing for three battalion formations.
: was c@lled up by Mr.. Hawley It was read
and then. the amendments offered by the
committee were agreed to without divis-
ion.
One of the amendments Is an addition TO
the proviso of section 8, authorizing the
President to accept quotas of troops of the
various states and territories. The COM
mittee's amendments requires that these
quotas shall be lin companies, troops and
batteries, each to contain so far as prac-
ticable, the number of enlisted men au-
thorized in this act for each arm of the
service and battalions of not less than
three such companies, or regiments of not
less than ten or more than twelve such
companies But this proviso shall apply
TO companies, troops. batteries, battaions
and regimental organizations and none
other
Another amendment authorizes a hos.
pital steward for each battalion. Provision
is also made for the increase of the sigma
corps in time of war to the extent of Ter
corporals, 100 first-class privates and for.
ty second-class privates, who are to have
the pay and allowance of engineer troop:
of the same grade.
An amendment to section gives IN,
President discretion to employ retired off
GERS of the army on active duty except IN
the command of troops. While so EN-
ployed they are TO receive the full pay o
their grade.
At o. clock the Senate went into score
executive session and passed the bill of tn,
House declaring the existence of war be
tween the United States and Spain.
Subsequently a brief open session wa
held, during which minor business wa
transacted.
Vice president Hobart signed the bill de
claring the existence of war between III,
United States and Spain at clock.
A few minutes later a message was re
= ceived from the House announcing its dis
agreement with the Senate amendments /,
the reorganization BILL and asking for
conference. The conference was agree,
TO, and Messrs. Hawley. Proctor and Cock
rel were named as the Senate conferees
Al 5;S5 O'Clock the Senate adjourned.