The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-03
OUR SEA 0 A DEFENCES.
THE FoRTIFIoATIONs APPRoPRIA-
TIoN BILL IN THE HOUSE

Reduced by tho Committee from
o1s. ~ 900 to "a, 1tS. OOO-Protrsts from
Both Sides orthe House Against the Reduction
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-Tho introduction Of
the Notifications Appropriation bill into tho
proceedings of the House to-day gave rise to
two or three spirited colloquios between MIR.
Hemingway (Rop., Ind J, in charge of the meas.
urc, and members WHIT antagonizcd the reduc.
ton by the Committee on Appropriations OF
the estimates OF tho ordnance bureau from
S13,375,0O0 to u little over 81, 1A5,0 900. Mr..
Hemingway endeavorod to defend the action OF
the committee on the ground that the Republic.
cans had been moro liberal in regard to appro-
~priations for this purpose tn an tho Democrats.
In answer to questions by Mr.. Mcclellan
Dem., n. w, Mr.. Hemingway said that in the
opinion of tho chief Of ordnance n fleet Of vos-
sells capable Of seriously ~injuring Now York
could DO assembled at or near that port. It
was true, he said further, that the dcfenccs of
any ono port were not complete. but that at the
end Of the next fiscal year the scheme of de.
fences would be substantially completed. This,
in the face Of the fact that the plans outlined
by the Endicott Board In 1885, contemplated
an expenditure Of 1925, DOC. 900, and that the
appropriations made on that account are less
than that amount by some $500 600 or $780,.
600, 900.
A statementby Mr.. Underwood of Alabama
that the only visible reason why the committee
brought In a bill appropriating so much less than
the estimates was q desire to bring the expen-
dituTes within the limit OF revenue provided by
IN the tb Din sosysa si u RRSIcS Sl. q b SIs Ge ta pafp dssatsdl
his first joke. Mr.. Mcclure Dem., CALI had
asserted, in response to a statement by Mr..
Dingley, that Increased importations and con.
sequent revenue might come from a return of
prosperity and be coineident with increased pro.
then had nothing to do with the condition OF
MT. Dinsley-why. Mr.: Chairman, ! don't
oxen to draw, that inference:
Mr.. Mcclellan of New York arraigned the
mates Of the Board Of Ordnance,
Mr., Hemingway endeavored to Offset this
criticism by asserting that Republican Con.
three times as much as Democratic Congresses.
Mr.. ,McClellan-Does the gentleman take tho
partisan pollticsl That because my party was
wrong. that that rights the present wrongi
show that the gentleman on the other side Can't
conscientiously or honestly ~criticise the Repub-
licans.
Later, while Mr.. Fischer was arguing in favor
of an amendment providing for establishing a
fertilization on Romer Shoals, New York har-
Hsmi f t%r.pG and doi MTe. Me SciSfpHa in n'! Which the the
former asserted that The Democrats were play
ing pure politics in the general debate. urging
large appropriations to enable them to go be-
toro their constituents and charge extravaganza
upon q "billion-dollar Congress"
MIR. Foster rep, n. Y.l-Isn't it just as we'll
to be honest with ourselves, and admit that
these reduced appropriations are due to. poll
tics on our sidef We don't want a billion-dollar
Congress. SO We leave the coasts of the country
unprotected.
Mr.. Hemingway-They are not unprotected.
We appropriate over S4,OC0,OoO for continuing
the work next year.
Mr.. Foote-It ought to DO $50, 600. 600.
The committee rose, and at 5 o'clock the
House djourne ed.
Before the Notifications bill came up the
House had finally disposed Of the District of
Columbia Appropriation bill, after five days
discussion.