The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-10
ACTION OF THE HOUSE.



The BnI Was Debated. but Discussion
Of a Patriotic Nature.
Washington March Sin spirit Of
patriotism. with eloquent words ringing
In their ears, every member Of the house
Of representatives yesterday responded
TO the presidents first call 10 meet the
Spanish situation by casting his vote for
a bill placing In President McKinley's
hands $50 100000 To BE- expended at his
direction for the national defense.
Party lines were swept away, and
with n unanimous voice congress voted
~ confidence In the administration.
Many members who woru paired with
absent colleagues took the responsibility
Of breaking their pair, an unprccedent.
cd thing In legislative annals, in order
that they might 90 on record In support
Of this vast appropriation 10 maintain
the dignity and honor Of their country.
Speaker Reed, who A. the presiding Of.
iicer seldom votes, and then only In case
Of a tie, had his name called aud voted
IN his capacity as representative. The
scene Of enthusiasm which greeted the
announcement Of the yotc-ayes, 81;
nays, 0-has seldom been pamlleled In
the house.
Allday long the galleries were iammed
with enthusiastic spectators applauding
10 the echo the sterling patriotism or the
words Of eloquencc which were uttered
by the members on tho floor. All the
speeches were briof. Although four
hours were allowed Tor debate, 10 great
was the pressure FOR time that no one
member was given morc than five min.
utes, and most Of them had 70 content
themselves with bcggarly fraction Of a
minute. In all, 80 speeches worc made.
With one acclaim, members from the
north and south, from the east and
west, the states and territories, baltic
SCARED veterans Of the Union and Con.
fedcate armies, all joined in proclaim.
ing their support Of tho course OF the
president.
In the whole debate there was only
slight discoriant note, caused by the
speech Of General Bingham Of Penn.
sylyania, who served with distinction
under General Hancock He spoke 50.
ycrcly Of the aroused temper Of the
house, and when he insisted that our ~.
lations with Spain were a. friendly as
they had been for years he was Missed
by many Of the members
While almost every member who
spoke deprecated the possibility Of war,
there was a wide divergence Of opinion
as 20 how close were hostilitios. The
general contention by the majority
among the leaders on both sides was that
this appropriation by preparing for war
would prepare the safe guarantee Of
peace. Others insisted that war s sori.
Gus alarm would soon be- heard, and Mr..
Mann Of Illinois declared that war OK.
listed IN all save name.
The session of the senate was largely
devoted 10 the consideration of the Dis.
trict Of Columbia oil After an extend.
cd discussion the bill oontaininga proyis-
ion for the reduction of about one. half
Of the present rates Of telephone charges
In the District was passed
The bill appropriating s22S, 600 for the
relief Of the publishing house OF the
Methodist Episcopal church, SouthNat
Nashville, was then passed after brief
debate
4 A message was received from the
.iousc conveying TO the senate the bill
. apprupriatiug $4,000 600 Tor national
defense fund just passed by the house.
The bill was laid before the senate aud
and referred 10 the committee ON appro.
, priations, after which the senate ad.
, iourod.