Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-12-08
SENATOR CHANDLER WOULD GIVE
FORMER A BETTER CHANCE.
BILL TO PROMOTE ATHLETICS
APPLIES TO WEST POINT AND AN
NAPOLIS ACADEMIES.
Provides for Football I'm Place of
Higher Matllematics. and Golf
Instead of Foreign Languages
Some Important Bills
Introduced.

WASHINGTON. Dec 7.-Routine pro-
ceedings of the senate to-day were en-
livened' by colloquy between Mr. Chand-
Ter. of New Hampshire, and Mr. Hale. of
Maine. over bill introduced by the former
TO promote athletic sports at the military
academy at West Point. and the naval
academy at Annapolis Both senators be-
came facetious and at times sarcastic. over
the growth of athletics at American COL
leses and Mr.. Chandler advanced the prop
osition that the cultivation of such sports
as football and similar sports at the gov
ernment academies ought to be given the
sanction of law
Mr. Chandler's bill providing for SYSTEM
attic athletic exercises at West Point mil
ltary academy and at Annapolis naval
academy. The title of the bill sets forth
It's object to be Ito increase the efficiency
Oh the West Point military academy and
the Annapolis naval academy and to quail
ify and stimulate the American youth for
actual military service by suitable physi-
cal training instead of excessive mental ed
ucation. 1t provides that the course of
instruction at the academy shall dispense
with the study of higher mathematics and
the foreign languages and substitute a
course in athletics to embrace especially
golf. bicycling. football and baseball. The
bill also provides for annual athletic con-
tests between the students of the military
and naval academies at Boston, New York.
! Philadelphia. Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chi
cago. st. Louis, Richmond. Atlanta, New
Orleans, Omaha and San Francisco, at
which suitable prizes shall be awarded. An
appropriation sufficient to pay the prizes
is provided for. but the railroads are re-
quired to carry free the cadets to the
places of contests and also the representa-
tives of such reputable newspapers as the
secretaries of war and navy may desig-
nate.
Mr.. Chandler asked that the measure be
referred to the committee on education and
labor.
Mr.. Hale took 1t. he said. to be bill
games. and he could hardly stand as
sponsor for such proposition.
In facetious speech, Mr.: Chandler re-
piled that he thought athletic contests
among the college men ought to be en-
couraged. THE proposition / present is. -
he said. that these athletic contests shall
be regulated by law and that international
and intercollegiate contests shall occur at
salient points Free trains are run by the
railroads to these affairs in order to in
crease the interest and attendance, and
propose that this shall be done without
violating the interstate commerce law"
The bill was referred as desired by Mr..
Chandler.
Among other bills and joint resolutions of
the day werefthe following:
Mr.. Foraker: to Increase to sl0o per month
the pension of Nelly Young Egbert widow
| of the late Colonel Henry Clay Egbert. OF
the Twenty-second infantry, who was kill
ed in the Philippine war.
By Mr.. Harris. joint resolution providing
for the limitation of the time a president
! shall be elected to one term of six years
| and making the terms of members of the
| house four years.
BY Mr. Tillman, bill giving soldiers OF
| the Spanish war the same preference in
| civil service appointments given to sol
| diers of the civil war.
BY Mr.. Stewart, bill appropriating sl15..
| 900 for the purchase of the submarine tor
pedo boat Holland
BY Mr.. Harris, a bill granting pensions
| to persons who served in the Confederate
| service and afterward in the army and
navy of the United States.
| The senate adjourned until Monday.