The Elbert County tribune., 1899-03-02
CONGRESSIONAL NOTES
AND WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

vestigating the beef charges preferred
by General Miles continued Tuesday
the hearing of testimony bearing upon
the controversy. A number Of army
officers who participated in the Santa
go campaign were heard. Practically
without exception the officers con-
demned the canned roast beef fur.
nished as a travel ration and re-
viewed complaints about it which the
men generally made. declaring 1t un-
palatable and wanting in nutriment.
On the other hand. the refrigerated
beef suffered but little Mt the hands
of to-day's witnesses. IT being general
ly conceded that 1t was good when
delivered from the transports and
when IL escaped the decomposing eff
feet of the tropical sun en- route to the
several commands it was found to be
satisfactory.
The administration and its rcpresen-
tatives In Congress have reached an
agreement with the minority in Con-
gress respecting the army reorganiza-
ton bill, which 1t is believed will be
satisfactory to all interested. 1t is prob
able that the formal ratification of the
agreement between the majority and
minority will soon be had. The COM
promise is based on an army of 1OO,-
600 men, of whom 30 900 will be known
as the provisional army and will be en-
listed to serve until 1901. Arrange.
ments are made for full staff corps
as in the Hull bill, and generally speak
ing Il Is said that the arrangement eff
fected saves the features of that meas
ure, which is regarded as most essen
tial, while in a large measure the OBJ
lection of the majority based on a fear
that the regular establishment was to
be permanently increased.
The naval appropriation bill finally
passed the House this afternoon, after
four days of acrimonious debate, most
of which was spent upon the question
of rehabilitating the naval academy at
Annapolis in accordance with the
scheme inaugurated by the appropria-
tion of half million in the last naval
bill and the proposition to increase the
maximum price TO be paid for armor
plate to S545 per ton, the existing law
limiting II to S4OO. Upon both propo-
sltlons the naval committee suffered
signal defeats. The amendment to
build great armor plant was ruled
out upon n point of order. but after Il
rancorous debate in which the price to
be paid for armor was cut down from
S545, the price which the committee in
sisted was being paid for the new
Krupp armor, to S445, n provlso was
also added precluding the government
from paying more than was paid by
any other foreign government for
similar armor.
The Virginia Democratic Assoc.a-
tion of the District of Columbia cele
brated Washington's birthday by a
largely attended banquet at the Ma
tonal Rifles armory. Hon. William
]. Bryan was the guest of honor, and
among those present were Senators
Daniel, Martin and Stewart. In the
course of his address Mr.. Bryan said:
"The people have not voted for i'm
perialism; no national convention has
declared for it,: no Congress has
passed upon 1t. To whom, then, has
the future been revealed? Whence
this voice of authority? We can all
prophesy, but our prophecies are
merely guesses, colored by our hopes
and our surroundings. Mans opinion
of what is TO be is half wish and half
environment. Avarlce paints destiny
with a dollar mark before. it, militar-
ism equipped 1t with a sword"
The river and harbor bill, as passed
by the Senate last Friday, carries ap-
preparations for 100000 TO be expend.
ed in advancing irrigation in the arid
ervoirs and surveys of sites. Wyoming
gets the first direct benefit from the
new policy which is thus inaugurated
The sum of $4,000 is set aside to be
used In the preliminary work of con-
structing an immense dam on Piney
creek, at Devils Gate. The amount of
money made available is about one
fourth the estimate for completing the
work, and its appropriation involves
practically the completion of the work
by succeeding appropriations. The
other $4,000 will be largely expended
in seeking out sites for reservoirs, sur
veying them and investigating the
available water supply for filling them.
A study will be made of the whole arid
land ana irrigation problem so that a
report can be made n year or so hence
for the guidance of Congress in pro-
viding for the needs of the far west
ern states. Though the amount given
bears a small proportion to the total
of the bill, the western men are much
encouraged by their success In max
ing this start, as 1t in a measure binds
the government to take up and solve
the irrigation problem.
The week will open with the compro-
mise army bill still before the Senate,
but 1t is impossible to say how long 1t
may continue to demand the attention
of that body. The best opinion is to
the effect that vote will be secured
Monday, but this depends largely upon
the temper of Mr.. German and his
friends, who insist upon the amend
ment of the army bill so as to further
curtail the size of the army in 1901. It
is not, however, believed that they will
press their opposition to the point of
entering into an extended controversy
over the merits of the measure and the
friends of the bill count confidently on
vote before adjournment Monday, If
the debate should be continued to any
considerable length, the action would
be generally accepted as Indicating n
purpose to force an extra session, as all
admit that with as many appropriation
bllls as are now pending, 1t is imprac-
ticable to give much more time to the
army bill and still pass the supply bills
before the 4th instant. There Is yet no
danger of failure of either the army
bill or the appropriation bills. No SEN
ator can be found who avows himself
as desirous of forcing called session.
There is no doubt of the passage of
the army bill by large majority when
the vote is taken. The appropriation
bills will demand almost all the atten- |
ton of the Senate after the army bill
Is out of the way, and the Senate will |
have to increase materially the length
or sessions In order to secure their on |
actment into laws. There are still five I
OF these bills which have not as vet re- |
ceived attention from the Senate, and
nve others which are In conference |
and which require more or less consid-
Grafton In conference reports.