The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-07

the naval appropriation Dill, ana 1t
was submitted to the senate.
Senator Hale explained that the re-
port of the conference committee fixed
the price of armor for the ships au-
thorized by this bill at $500 a ton, no
contract for the hulls to be made until
the contracts had been made for the
armor The number of battleships, ar
mored cruisers and protected cruisers
are as fixed in the house bill. The sec
retary of the navy is authorized to
contract for armor for the ships pro-
vided for in the naval appropriation
bill of 1898 at $400 a ton. That" said
Senator Hale, sis the meat of the whole
proposition. The report Of agreement
leaves out the provision for an armor
plant because we could get no recog
milton now from the house for such
a proposition. / am frank to say that
the result of the conference does not
suit anybodyeNery well. 1t does not
suit me, but Mr.. President, it is the
best we could do
Senator Butler: "Will we conclude
any contracts for new war vessels un-
der the pending bill if it becomes a
law?"
Mr. Hale: mo, I think not 1 be-
lieve we shall do no more than get out
the plans and specifications for the
authorized ships and decide about tur-
|, ate conferees had to yield something"
Senator Tillman: But we seem to
have yielded everything and the house
nothing"
Senator Hale: THE senate conferees
cannot settle this controversy alone"
After some further discussion, the
conference report was agreed to with
out division
This was the last of the conference
agreements on the appropriation bills
to be acted upon by the senate and it's
acceptance caused a general sigh of
relief. The action did not, however,
cause an immediate restoration of that
harmony which had been expected, as
a result of the disposal of the supply
measures.
Senator Pettus, Of Alabama, moved
a recess until 10:30 o'clock, which SEN
ator Mason, of Illinois, antagonized
The motion was finally adopted.
When the senate re-cOnvened at 10:30
o'clock Senator Mason entered his mo-
ton for printing the testimony taken
in the investigation of the bureau of
engraving and printing. The motion
prevailed.
Senator Fairbanks moved the con-
sideration of the bill extending the i'm
migration laws Of the Hawaiian is
lands. Senator Pettus objected on be-
half of his colleague, Senator Morgan.
Senator Pettigrew spoke upon it.
Senator Morgan had entered the cham
ber at this juncture and moved an
executive session. The motion prevail
ed-32 to %.
At II AS the doors of the senate were
opend and the senate began it's last
legislative session of the present con-
gress.
Senator Hoar offered a resolution to
| inf mil of fvr-o fnv
| to join the similar committee of the
| house to wait upon the president to
inform him that the senate was ready
| to adjourn and to inquire whether or
not he had any further communica-
| tion to offer The resolution was adopt
| ed and Senators Hoar and German were
| named as the committee.
Senator Hoar reported that the COM
| mittee had waited upon the president
| Of the United States and had been in
| structed by him to say that he had
| disposed Of the public business, which
| had been laid before him, by the two
| houses and that he had no further COM
| munications to make; that the two
| houses have reached the end of a very
| laborious and important session and
that he wished the members a safe re-
| turn to their homes.
| Senator Cockren presented the usual
1 resolution of thanks to the vice presi-
| dent and Senator Vest that to Senator
Frye, president pro tempore, for the
| very able courteous and impartial man
| ner in which they had presided over
| the deliberations of the senate. Both
| resolutions were unanimously adopted
| Vice President Hobart then briefly ad-
| dressed the senate in which he spoke OF
| the immense amount Of work done by
congress and thanked the members Of
| the senate for the kindness received al
l q
| adjourned sine die.
| There was no demonstration what.
ever in the senate. There was genera
handshakinr among the senators and
many expressions Of regret were heard
| that many senators whose terms ex-
| pired today were not to be here wher
the senate met again.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Wearily the house sat through tn,
silent watches of the night, recessint
from time to time, while awaiting con
ference reports upon the appropriation
bills. The floor of the house was lit
! tered with waste paper which driftet
! ankle deep about the desks and mad,
the hall look as if it had been swept b,
a snow storm. Still the weary ant
heavy-eyed legislators kept at thei
| posts through the night. The Leaders
| upon whom the strain and burden O
the closing hours fell most heavily
and the speaker, who had the great
est responsibility of all, remained con
stantly in their places, watching vigi
lantly the progress of the contests be
tween the two houses.
The final agreement on the river an,
harbor bill containing the compromis
on the Nicaragua canal was secure,
about $3.50 o'clock a. m; the sundr,
civil bill. in which the house forced tn
. senate tn surrender the proviSioy, fo