The Indianapolis journal., 1899-03-02
Makes Dewey an Admiral end Sends
the River and Harbor Bill and Me
aragua Rider to Conference.
SENATE PASSES NAVY BILL
AFTER FIXING THE COST OF ARMoR
PLATE AT $500 A TcN,
Also Provides for a Government Plant,
and Votes 500, 900 900 to spain
for the Philippines.

WASHINGTON. March 1.-The last lin
gering possibility OF an extra session OF
Congress disappeared to-day. when the
House passed the Senate army reorganiza-
tion bill. Very considerable and vigorous
opposition to the acceptance of the Senate
bill was voiced on both sides Of the hall.
and for time it appeared possible that the
bin would not secure the necessary two
thirds to pass 1t under suspension of the
rules. But the Republican leaders. Messrs.
Henderson Grosvenor and Cannon. came to
its support on the Republican side and Mr..
Bailey, the Democratic leader, threw the
weight of his influence in favor of IL on the
Democratic side. arguing that 1t provided
for only temporary increase OF the army,
which would be made permanent IL Congress
were convened in extra session. Another big
element in the vote Mr.. Hulrs recital
of statement made by the President TO
him that he would not construe Section u
authority TO conscript the minority in
volunteer organizations which should elect
to remain in the service. The bill passed
2O3 to 80 1t now goes to the President.
The decks were also cleared OF many 9TH
er important matters. The general def
cheney appropriation BILL carrying 81, 600,
was passed under suspension OF the rules,
without word Of criticism. This is the last
of the appropriation bills. The Senate
amendments to the river and harbor bill
were nonconcurred in and it was sent to
conference, the friends OF the Nicaragua
canal amendment having decided TO post
pone their fight until the conferees report.
The conference reports on the omnibus
claims bill, the naval personnel and many
Ot9,
to. The Senate bill making Dewey full
admiral was passed. The bill now goes to
the President for his signature.
After the reading OF the journal the
sundry civil bill sent to conference.
Mr.. Mahon Rep., Pa.,) chairman OF the
committee on war claims. presented the
conference report on the bill to pay certain
judgments Of the Court of Claims under
the Bowman and Tucker acts. The Senate
placed upon IL what is known as the omni-
bus claims bill. increasing IL to s9.03o0oo.
The conference report reduced the total
carried by the bill to $4,000.
PRAISE FOR CLEVELAND.
Mr.. Loud Rep.. CALI attacked the con-
fensnce report and the claims IL carried
He saw no reason why the claims OF Cali
fornia and Oregon should have been elini-
mated from the bill. but even those claims,
he declared. had no foundation in equity.
AS to the French spoliation claims. he said.
no one could read the veto message OF that
great man, Mr.. Cleveland" without recog-
nizing this as a fact. The mention OF Mr..
Clevelands name provoked some jeers from
the Democratic side. Gentlemen may
jeer," said Mr.. Loud, turning on them,
''but Mr. Cleveland had the courage OF his
convictions. the greatest factor In making
great man."
Mr. Richardson CDem.. Tenn..) one of the
conferees. defended the conference report.
All the State claims had been rejected.
and the conferees. he said, presented a
clean-cut bill which dealt justly with both
sections.
How much is carried for the French
spoIiation claims?'' asked Mr.. Hopkins
(Rep., ND
"one million, fifty-five thousand
II hope they will be voted down. There
is not an honest dollar in them," observed
Mr.. Hopkins.
'T agree with the gentleman" said Mr..
Dockery. They are 100 years old. musty
and stale with age. and IL there was a
billion dollars OF surplus 1 would not vote
for one of them"
The conference report was adopted-1is
to 81.
The conference report on the indianapolis
public building bill was then adopted.
was also the conference report on the naval
personnel bill.
nir. Burton, chairman OF the river and
harbor committee. then secured recognition.
and under suspension OF the rules. moved
to nonconcur in the Senate amendments to
the river and harbor bill and request
conference. No debate demanded. and
the motion was carried without division
Messrs Burton CRep.. o. Reeves CRep..
Ill., and Catchngs (Dem.. Miss..) were ap-
pointed conferees.
The conference report on the census bin
was called UP by Mr.. Hopkins. lie explained
the charges made by the conferees. The re-
port adopted
A Senate bill was passed TO set aside GER
tain lands in the Pacific forest reserves In
the State OF Washington for the Washing
ton National Park
TO REIMBURSE STATES
The conference report upon the bill 10 re-
imburse the Governors Of States for money
expended in organizing troops for service In
the late Spanish war was adopted.
Mr.. Cannon. chairman Of the appropria-
tons committee. was then recognized and
moved 10 pass the general deficiency appro-
priation bill under suspension OF the rules.
Under the rule twenty minutes debate was
allowed each side. Mr.. Allen Dem.
Miss). the wit of the House. who controlled
the time OF the minority, took this occasion
20 make characteristically funny speech
IL was common saying that IL would not
make much difference what we said one
hundred years hence. That might be true
or the great majority, but I'm 1893 ne expected
the people would look back confidently 10