The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-22

A
at Annapolis. The naval committee. with
the exception. OF Mr.. Cummings, strenu-
ously opposed proceeding with the work
OF rehabilitating the naval academy until
comprehensive plans had been decided
upon, but the house overrnled the com
mitteo and adopted the amendment.
TWO important provisions providing fol
the construction of new ships, went oui
on points Of order.
Washington, February 2l--ht the open
ing of the session of the house today
Mr. Brucker tMich.) denied that he had
voted in the negative yesterday on the
bill apprnpriating 500, oo0, 900 for the pay
ment of Spain. He said he had voted In
the affirmative. and the journal was cor
rected.
bill was passed TO grant the Sioux
! CITY ana Omaha railroad right OF way
| through the Winnebago reservation.
| Tho house further Insisted upon It's
| disagreement to the senate amendments
| to the bill for the allowance of certain
| claims under the Bowman act and agreed
TO another conference.
Mr.. Henderson (Rep,, Iowa), chairman
Of the committee on Judiciary, which in
vestigated the right OF General Wheeler
| tAla.), Mr.. Robins tpenn.), Mr.. Coson
| tKy) and Mr. Campbell Ill.), who held
| commissions In the army. and members
who served on various civil commissions 70
continue to hold their seats In the house,
formally presented the report of the COM
mttee. which was In favor of the view
that the four members who accepted mill
tary commissions thereby vacated their
seats in the house. The report went upon
the calendar. and Messrs. De Almond
tDem., MOI and Parker tRep., N. ~ were
given leave TO file a minority report, In
which they Will contend that the same
rule should govern members who accepted
civil commissions.
Mr.. Henderson did not give notice Of
the time when he would call up to the re-
port, but as 1t Is question of privilege
1t can be called UP at any time.
bill was passed to grant the Gulf and
Northern Railway company u right of way
through the Oklahoma Territory.
me house then resumed consideration
Of the naval appropriation bill The pend
ing question was on the amendment OF
VT. Mud to make an appropriation of
$4,000 for the completion of the buildings
authorized TO be constructed at the naval
academy by the last naval appropriation
bill and after short debate the amend
ment was adopted75 to 70.
The Mudd amendment was then adopted
--i5 to IS.
Mr. Todd (Dem Mich offered an
amendment to appropriate $4,000 for the
erection of a granite monument to the
memory of the late Captain Charles YER
non Gridley captain OF Dewey's flagship
olympia. It was ruled out upon point
of order raised by MIR. Boutelle
When the paragraph for the increase of
the navy was reached Mr. Dockery Dem,
MOD made point of order against the
language providing that no proposals for
any OF the vessels authorized In the bill
should be considered unless the bidder was
already In possession Of an adequate plant
Mr.. Hopkins tRep.. Ill) raised point OF
order against the language providing that
not more than two of the battleshps two
armored cruisers and two protected -ruis-
ers should be built in one yard or by one
contracting power.
Mr.. Dockery maintained that the lam
guage 10 which he took exception was de-
signed to limit competition, create monop-
ollss and was sinister legislation
MI Boutolle argued that the language
ala not change existing law. Besides, he
insisted that no concern should be al
lowed to bid for "A great battleship unless
VI mad ample facilities for doing the work.
Tho objection was to secure thep rompt
construction of The ships
Mr. sherman (Rep,, N. W who was
in the chair sustained Mr.. Dockerys
point of order
The chair also sustained Mr.. Hopkins
point of order
Mr.. Hopkins reserved point of order
against the following provision attached
10 The appropriation of 1000, 900 for armor
Plate. In all future contracts for armor
the secretary OF the navy Is hereby au-
thorized to procure armor of the best oh.
tainable quality at an average cost of not
exceeding $545 ton, including royal J
ties"
The chair held that che provision was
obnoxious to the rule, but indicated that
1t would be in order If limited TO the ap-
preparation In this bill and not general. |
Accordingly Mr.. Boutelle offered an
amendment so limiting the provisions.
To this Mr.. Hopkins raised another |
point of order. contending that 1t also was
a change of existing law. Under the cur. !
rent law $500 was fixed as the maximum
price for armor plate, This proposition |
Increased it to s5i5.
The house adjourned pending a decision
on the point of order.