The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-09
qHEDEFENSEFUND
House Unanimously Passes the
S50,00O,000 Appropriation.
MANY PATRIOTIC SPEECHES.
Congressman From All Sections Raj
ly to the Presidents Support.
THE OUTLOOK MORE PEACEFUL.

THE OUTLOOK MORE PEACEFUL.
The Passage of the Appropriation, It
Is Held by tho Majority, VIII by
Preparing For War Become the
Surest Guarantee of Peace-Our Rcp-
anime War Vessels Which May he
Purchased by tho Government-C Con-
sui General Lee Has No Intention
OF ResIcning.
Washington, March 9.-In spirit of
patriotism, with eloquent words ring
ing In their ears. every member of the
house of representatives yesterday re-
Eponded to the Presidents first call to
meet the Spanish situation by casting
his vote for bill placing in President
McKinley's hands $50. OO0. 900 to he ex-
pended at his discretion for the ma
ttonal defense. Party lines were swept
away, and with unanimous voice con-
xress voted Its. confidence In the ad-
ministration. Many members who were
paired with absent colleagues took the
responsibility of breaking their pairs,
An unprecedented thing in legislative
annals. In order that they might so on
record In support Of this vast appru-
priation to maintain the dignity and
hanor of their country. Speaker Reed,
who. as the presiding officer, seldom
votes only in caae of d tie, had his
name called, and voted in his capacity
as q representative. The scene of en-
thusiasm which greeted the announce
nent of the vote--33l yeas and no nays
has seldom been paralleled in the
house.
All day long the galleries were jam
med with enthusiastic spectators ap-
pauding to the echo the sterling pa
Llotism of the words of eloquence
which were uttered by the members on
the floor. All the speeches were brief.
Although four hours were allowed for
debate, SO great was the pressure for
Time that no one member WAS given
more than five minutes, and most of
them had to content themselves with a
bsggarly fraction of a minute. In all
- speeches were made. With one ac-
Claim members from the north and
SOUTH the east and west, the states and
the territories, battle SCARED veterans
Of the Union and Confederate ar
niles, all Joined in proclaiming their
support Of the country's chief magit-
trate in the face Of a possible foreign
war.
General Grosvenor, Of Ohio, said that
III n nf 80
propriated by this bill would be wisely
expended If 1t only served 10 show the
world that when threatened from with
Dut the hearts of the American people
beat as one. In the whole debate theru
was only slight discordaat note caus-
ed by the speech of General Bingham,
u Pennsylvania, a gallant soldier who
served with distinction under Hancock
He spoke too conservatively for the
aroused temper Of the house, and when
ht insisted that our relations with
Bpain were as friendly as they had been
for years many of the members Kissed
him While almost every member who !
spoke deprecated the possibility of
mar wide divergence Of opinoa as to
how close were hostiitIes manifested |
Itself In the debate
The general contention by the ma |
3oqity, among them the leaders on both !
sides, was that this appropriation, by |
preparing for war, would prove the |
Bnrest guarantee of peace. Others in |
Bisted that wars alarums would soon |
be heard, and MI. Mann. Of Illinois, |
declared that war actually existed in |
m save maine. The speeches which at
tmcted most attention were those of
Messrs. Cannon, Henderson and Dolll-
yer en- the Republican and Messrs.
Bailey and Sayers on the Democratic
side
Yesterdays session of the senate was
largely devoted to the consideration of
the District of Columbia appropriation
Dill. The bill. containing & provision
for the reduction to about one-half of
the present rates OF telephone charges
In the district, was passed A bill ap-
propriatng S26S,000 for the relief of the
book agents of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South was also passed As it
has already passed the house the
measure now goes to the president for
his signature.
Despite numerous conferences of Of
hcials, of the continuance of the prepa-
rations now in progress on a large scale
to put the country in state of defense,
or the outburst of patriotic speeches IN
congress, there was a certain feeling
apparent in the best Informed circles
that the situation AS to our relations
with Spain were yesterday much more
favorable than it was on Monday Per-
hSps the semi official advices received
from Madrid, indicating peaceful
purpose on the part Of the Spanish
government. contributed in large meas
llre to that feeling. or it may have been
that the growing knowledge Of the
vast extent of our own resources tend
a to the belief that they would i'm
press others with the futilty of at
lacking the United States. However
that may be, the feeling prevailed, ana
ut the White House, too, after the cab
lnet meeting, wherein all of the facts
that were known to the president as
to the existing state of affairs were
laid unreservedly before the cabinet
members and discussed.
While Captain Brownson Is going
abroad for the government to learn
what ships Of war are for sale, and
their condition, he will not necessarily
make any purchases. The officer loft
Washington last night, and will take
The st. Paul to Southampton. sailing
form New York. He will report his
arrival immediately at the United
Btates embassy in London, but further
han that the captain declines to in
1ioate the places he will visit In Eu-
'sps He has been furnished all Of the
Information in the possession OF the
navy department respecting the ship