Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-10
THE CLOSE OF CONGRESS-.
How the Work of an Important
Session Was Finished.

ThrOugh---InterestI Details OF IN.
Naval Appropriated BiII---An Extra
session Not Probable.
The Fifty-ffth Congress died a compara-
lively easy and peaceful death at the ap-
pointed hour last Saturday. The last dav
of the session, which began at IL O'Clock
Friday morning and closed at noon on Sat-
day, was crowded with legislation. the
most important measures of this or anv
previous session for years being passed in
that time. These large appropriation meas
ures we're passed: River and harbor. sun.
dry civil, army, naval, general deficiency
and District of Columbia. All these meas.
ures we're subject to conference after con-
ference, and in some cases angry discus
sion in both houses The chief fight was
on the river and harbor bill, which the
Northwestern senators antagonized be-
cause of its failure to provide for an an.
preparation for irrigation reservoirs for
arid regions. They finally gave way, how
ever, and allowed it to pass. The army
appropriation bill passed with an amend
ment which provided that no franchises
we're to be bestowed in Cuba by this gov
eminent. The sundry civil bill contains
no provision for the Pacific cable.
The Naval Bill.
The House won great victory over the
Senate in the conference on the important
naval appropriation bill At 8 o'clock in
the morning after a continuous struggle
through the entire night, Senator Hale
and his associates gave in to Congressman
Boutelle and the complete House provision
for new ships was adopted in its entirety.
This insures IL new ships, of which three
will be battleships of the heaviest class,
three armored cruisers of an improved
type of the Brooklyn and six protected
cruisers. The Senator only yielded to the
House after a bitter fight and after four
separate conferences had been ordered.
The House also came out victorious in the
contest over armor plate. The Senate had
stood out for the construction of a govern
ment armor plate establishment, but in lieu
of this was willing to permit the purchase
of the material at $500 ton. Under the
leadership of Mr. Boutelle the House con-
ferrees fought both of these provisions so
vigorously that the Senate was forced to
compromise. The terms of the agreement
were advantageous to the House. The Sem
ate armor factory paragraph was dropped
and the secretary of the navy authorized
to contract for armor for vessels now build
ing at the rate allowed by existing law,
which is $500 a ton. For the warships
provided in the new appropriation bill the
government is not to pay more than $500
ton.
Chairman Boutelle said after the confer
ence that it would be impossible to buy ar
NOR for this price. "At the next session."
he said, 1--WE will repeal that statute and
permit the secretary to negotiate for armor
at a reasonable sum. The new ships will
not be ready for their armor before next
spring, so that by changing the law in De-
cember no delay will occur in the compile
ton of the battleships and cruisers"
A compromise was effected also upon the
question of the number of enlisted men for
the navy. The House placed the limit at
10000, as asked by Secretary Long and
the Senate clipped off 5000, leaving but
Is, 900 men. Secretary Long Friday night
appealed to Mr. Hale not to cripple the
effectiveness of the vessels in commission
by not giving him enough sailors to man
them. He said he could not keep the nee
essary number of ships in service with
fewer than 1850 men. Upon receiving
this statement compromise was fixed by
splitting the difference between the Senate
and House provisions and placing the total
at II, 800. 1t is believed that with this
force the department will not be compelled
to make any extensive discharges at the
Brooklyn and other navy yards.
Dewey was nominated and confirmed as
admiral and Gen. Otis as ma jor- general, as
elsew here stated The contest and bitter
feeling between the friends of Sampson
and Schley leaves the two officers standing
relatively just as now, with Schley two
points ahead of Sampson. No action was
taken on the special nominations of the
President of promotion of army officers for
services in the Santiago campaign.
Busy Time for the President.
For two hours before adjournment Pres
ident Mckinley sat in the Presidents room,
and, as one Senator expressed it, she
signed everything set before him." This
is literally true, for no bill was vetoed and
none died because of the Presidents failure |
to sign it. 1t is a billion-and -a-half dollar |
Congress that is left behind, but made so
because of momentous historic events that |
but for the valor of American arms and |
the wisdom of American craftsmanship |
might have made it ten-billion Congress |
and without the glory that shines over this |
one.
Joe wheeler Refused a Hearing.
An unusual incident marked the last few |
minutes of the life of the House when |
Gen. Joseph Wheeler of Alabama, and of |
the volunteer army, tried to get a hearing |
for three minutes, but the speaker refused |
to recognize him. What Gen. Wheeler |
wished to say, he afterward said, was with |
reference to the attempt to unseat him be- |
cause, while a member of Congress, he ac- |
cepted a commission in the army. He had |
found that, out of hundreds or thousands
of members of Congress who had accepted
temporary appointments to office in all the |
years past none mad ever been unseated,
and he wanted the matter brought up in |
the House and discussed and understood.
A Dramatic Climax.
The scene which followed the final ad-
journment in the House was a dramatic
and almost thrilling one. The singing of |
songs on such an occasion has become a
common occurrence, but not such singing |
as was heard on this occasion, when every |
member who could sing at all, and few
who only thought they could, gathered in |
the area facing the speakers desk, and,
under the leadership of Gen. Henderson of |
Iowa, struck up America" This was
followed by other patriotic songs, the wav-
ing of the American flag by John Murray |
Mitchell, and other patriotic demonstra-
tions for nearly half an hour, which we're |
answered by the waving of hundreds upon |
hundreds of handkerchiefs in the crowded |
galleries.
In the Senate there was no singing of |
II l. 4