Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-03-09
wln0.uP IN THE SENATE.
Closing Hours OF the session in the
Upper House.

Upper House.
Washington, March All night the
senate labored under a terrific nervous
strain to complete necessary legisla-
tlon in order that congress might adj
Journ at noon with the decks compare
lively clear. Few, If any, members had
wink of sleep, and the drawn faces
ana heavy eyes of many of the Oldest
senators indicated the stress under
which they were working.
The anxiety of the early night over
the fate of the river and harbcr bill
was partially dispelled at $3.50 o'clock
this morning. A determined effort
was made from o'clock last night
until this morning by several western
senators to secure recQmmittal of
the conference report on the river and
harbor bill, because of the refusal OF
the house c0nferees to consent: to the
senate amendment making MI appro-
priation TOR the construction of reser-
voirs at the head waters Of the Mis-
souri, river. ..,
Senator Frye, of Maine, in charge Of
the conference report, steadfastly re.
fused to permit the report I'd be re-
committed to the conference commit
tee. holding that such action would
defeat the measure, and just as stead
tasty he was sqssainef by. thu, major
ity Of che sesiasf '.:l:*';:':::s
WeSesrn.s Senator's Fight Hard.
senat6rWr.ren, of Wyoming, Sccu-
pied the floor in discussion of the res
ervoir proposition five hours. Occa-
slonany he was relieved by other sem
at9rs. who talked briefly. The situa-
Won had every appearance of deter
mined effort not only to defeat the
river and harbor bill. but to prevent
the enactment of other great appro-
prlatiOn measures.
Finally, at 2 o'clock, Frye consented
to make one more effort to induce the
house conferees to accept the senate
reservoir amendment.
At $3.50 o'clock Frye reported that
the senate conferees had been unable
to induce the house conferees to re-
open the agreement, and that the
measure must stand or fall according
to the report made.
Then Senator Warren yielded and
the river and harbor report was
agreed to.
Then Senator Hale. of Maine, in
charge of the naval bill conference,
said the confcrees had been unable to
agree upon the senate amendment re-
ducing the price of armor plate to $500
per ton and that authorizing the con-
struction of government armor
plant. He moved the senate recede
from the amendment.
The motion created lively debate.
In the end the motion was lost and the
bill sent back to conference.
Pacific Cable Defeated.
j At $3.50 Senator Allison of Iowa, pre-
scented partial report on the sundry
civil bill, showing disagreement on
several items, including the Hawaiian
cable. The report was adopted, the
senate receding from the amendment
and inserting several public building
projects.
Senator Allison then moved that the
senate recede from the, remainder of
the amendments, including the Pacific
cable project. After sharp discussion
the motion prevailed and the bill was
ready for the presidents signature.
The final conference. report on the
district of Columbia hill was agreed to
and at z o'clock the senate went into
executive session.
tAt oFd. III. tne senate resumed OuSI-
ness in Legislative session. Senator
Hale presented the conference report
on the general deficiency bill. 1t was
agreed to. s.
At 1885 Senator Hale presented the
final conference report on the naval APP
preparation bill. He announced that
the house refused absolutely to au-
thorize the construction of govern
ment armor plant. Hale explained that
the report of the conference commit
tee fixed the price of armor at 5000, no
contract for hulls to be made until
contracts had been made for armor.
The number of battleships, armored
cruisers and protected cruisers remain
as fixed in the aotuse biz The secre-
tary of the NAVY is authorized to con-
tract for the ships provided in. the. ma
val appropriation bill of 1898 at s4oo
per ton. Z. - '''
Senator Butler asked: a-AyyAl we con-
clude any contracts fcr4tBh war yes