The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-02
Senate Rapidly Clearing Its Decks
for Final Adjournment.
The Naval Appropriation Bill Disposed Of
at Yesterdays Session.
The Twenty-Million Dollar Appro-
priation to Pay Spain for Re-
inquishment of Philippines in
Accordance With the Paris
Treaty Passed Without a Word
of Debate.


of Debate.
| WASHINGTON, March 1.-The Sem
ate is rapidly clearing it's decks for
final adjournment. The naval appro-
priation bill. which ordinarily consumes
the time of the Senate for several days,
was passed this afternoon after Less
| than five hours of debate. In that time.
however, it was amended radically in
one respect. The price to be paid by
the Government for armor plate was
fixed in the bill at $500 a ton, reduce
ton of the amount fixed by the House
of S14o a ton. In addition, the SeCre-
tary was authorized in the event OF
the refusal of the armor plate compan-
les to supply the armor at $500 per tons
to proceed with the construction of am
armor factory, to cost 81 500, 600, and
placing in the Secretaryis control
So, 100000 with which to control an,t
operate the Government plant. The
! fight for these amendments was mada
by Tillman of South Carolina, who
! made a enthusiastically sensational
speech in support of the propositionss
The Senate passed resolutions of re-
gret at the death of Lord Herschels
and concluded the days session by
pronouncing eulogies upon the lata
Representative Dingley.
One of the first acts of the Senates
when that body convened at IL o'clock
to-day, was tie consideration of the
bill carrying S20O0O,O00 with which to-
pay Spain for REIMBURSEMENT of the
Philippines, in accordance with the
Treaty of Paris.
Allison of Iowa reported the measure
from the Committee ON Appropriations.
and asked for it's immediate consider
alton The bill was laid before the
Senate, and in half an hour passed
without a word of debate.
Just before the final vote was taken
on the sundry civil appropriation bill
an amendment was voted on, at the IN
stance of Senator Allison, Chairman or
the Committee on Appropriations, ap-
propriating money for the work next
year on all the public buildings which
have been authorized by the present
Congress, the appropriation for the
year generally being one-half the total
limit of cost Following are some or
the amounts appropriated in each case'
Oakland, Cal, $125,O0O; Butte. Mont'
500, 900; Salt Lake, Utah, SloooW''
Seattle, Wash, $15O,O00; Stockholm
Cal, $4O,95O; Salem, Or, $4,000. The
amendment also authorized the Secre-'
tary of the Treasury to enter into cori-
tracts for the completion of the build
ings within the limits provided.
Cullom of Illinois, a member of the
Hawaiian Commission, addressed the
Senate briefly upon the bill creating a
form of government for the Territory
of Hawaii
Perkins inquired of Cullom whether
any provision existed regarding the
alien contract laws applicable to the
States and Territories of the United
States.
s.None whatever replied Cullom.
..JJnless we take action before the
close of the present session.. suggested
Perkins. as many contract laborers as
desired may be imported into Hawai-.
DOUBTLESS that is true, replied Cul-
lom
After some formal amendments were
made by the committee and agreed To-
Gray of Delaware called attention 10 a
provision of the bill appropriatinS
81 100000 for the purchase ana manu-
facture of smokeless powder IL
seemed to be a policy of our people nou
to bring the Government into compeu-
tion with private industry. He there
than not more than $4,000 of the SUM
shonld be expended in manufacture.
Hale accepted the amendment, and III
was agreed to.
Senators Frye, Elkins and White were
apnointed as conferees upon the river
and harbor bill
An amendment was agreed to author-
ling the Secretary of the Navy to con-
tract for two submarine boats OF the
Holland type at a. cost not to exceeu
S135, 600 each.
Hanna offered an amendment authofs
izing the Secretary of the Navy IN MS
discretion to purchase from the Catham
Torpedo Gun Company of Chicago the
gun equipment for one or more harDor-
defense monitors, subject to the usuar
inspection of the Bureau of Ordnance,
at a cost not exceeding $2oO,OOO me
amendment was agreed to.
The Secretary of the Navy was au-
thorized to- appoint q commission 10
report on a location for coaling sta
ton on the Pacific Coast south of San
Francisco; to appoint a board to con-
slider the construction of drydoclS in
the Columbia River, and to appoint
similar board to consider the desirable
ity of constructing a drydock at Key
West or near by waters.
The controversy over the price OF ar
NOR plate was then precipitated by TILL
man. who offered an amendment reduce
ing the price fixed by the bill from
$445 per ton to $780,
Tillman's amendment was adopted
"a to 90.
Butler of North Carolina then offered
an amendment providing that IL the
companies refused to accept $500 a ton
the Secretary of the Navy should pros
coed to erect an armor factory, at a
cost of S1.500,0O0 and appropriating
1000, 900 for operating the plant
Buffers amendment was adopted-oa
to 81.
The Senate adjourned at 7:15 p. m