Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-02
NECESSITY REMOVED ny PASSAGE
OF ARMY BILL.
SOME OPPOSITION IN HOUSE
MEASURE WENT THROUGH, HOW
EVER. BY VOTE OF .O3-3:.
Republican Leaders md Mr. bailey,
the Leader. Threw
Their influence for the bill
Deficiency bill Also
Passed.

IN'p o.\. MATCH L. iast h'-
Ceri1r possibility of an extra session of
congress disappeared to-day when the
house passed the senate army reorgan!za-
ton bill. Very considerable and vigorous
oppoSition to the acceptance OF the senate
bill was voiced on both sides of the hall,
and for 4 time it appeared possible that
the bill would not secure the necessary
two-thirds to pass it under suspension CT
the rules. But the Republican leaders,
Messrs. Henderson. GrosvenOr and Cannon.
came 10 lis support on the Republican side,
and Mr.. Bailey. the Democratic leader.
threw the weight of his influence in favor
of it on the Democratic side. arguing that
it provided for only a temporary increase
of the army. which would he made per-
manent If congress were convened in ex-
ira session.
Another big element in the vote was Mr..
Hulrs recital Of a statement made by the
president to him that he would not con-
strue section u as authority to conscript
the minority in volunteer organizations
which should elect to remain in the serv-
ice.
The bill passed. 2Ns TO %. 1t now goes to
the president.
The decks were also cleared of many
other important matters. The general de-
ficiency appropriation bill. carrying $2l.oSs,-
go. was passed under suspension OF the
rules without a word OF criticism. This is
the last OF the appropriation bills. The
900. r,ar. = n Tho riN-ar and har.
Dor bill were non-concurred in. and it was
sent to conference, the friends of the
Nicaragua canal amendment having de-
ciGed to postpone their fight until the con-
fere.s report.
The conference reports on the omnibus
claims bill. the naval personnel and many
other less important measures were agreed
TO. The senate bill making Dewey a full
admiral was passed. The bill now goes
to the president for his signature.
After the reading of the journal. the
! sundry civil bill was sent to conference.
Messrs. Cannon, Republican. of Illinois
| Moody. Republican. of Massachusetts, and
Dockery, Democrat, of Missouri. were ap
pointed conferccs.
Mr.. Mahon. Republican. of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the committee on war claims.
presented the conference Ie.'oIl uIou tHe
bill to pay certain Judgments of the court
of claims under the Bowman and Tucker
acts. The senate placed upon it what is
! known as the omnibus claims bill. increas-
| ing it TO 5000. 900. The conference report
reduced the total carried by the bill to
81. 10000.
Mr.. Loud. Republican. of California, at
| tackled the conference report and the claims
it carried. He saw no reason why the
claims of California and Oregon should
nave been eliminated from the bill. but
I even those claims. he declared. had no
foundation in equity. As to the French
spoliation claims. he said no one could
read the veto message of that great man.
Mr.. Cleveland" without recognizing this
as 4 fact.
The mention of Mr.. Cleveland's name pro-
voked some jcers from the Democratic
side.
Gentlemen may jeer.'' said Mr.. Loud,
turning upon them. but Mr.. Cleveland had
the courage of his convictions, the greatest
factor in making a great man.
MIR. Richardson. Democrat. of Tennessee,
one Of the conferees. defended the confer
ence report. All the state claims had been
rejected. and the conferees, he said. pre-
snted a cleancut bill which dealt justly
with both sections.
How much * carried for the French
spolia;ion claims" asked Mr.. Hopkins.
Republican,. of Illinois.
One million. nifty thousand dollars"
~ hope they Will he voted down. There
is not an honest dollar in Them observed
Mr.. Hopkins.
II agree with the gentleman said Mr..
Dockery. They are 100 years old, musty
and stale with age. and if there was a
billion dollars of surplus. ] would not vote
for one of them
Mr.. Evans. Republican. OF Kentucky. de-