The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-03-03

that no great standing army should
be fastened upon the country without
full and free discussion. The postof-
fee appropriation bill was passed, Mr..
Butler Of North Carolina and Mr.. Pet
ugrew of South Dakota having con-
cluded their speeches.
Soon after the senate convened Mr..
Pettigrew presented resolutions of the
legislature of South Dakota urging the
senators of that state to support the
treaty Of peace. Commenting upon
the resolutions Mr.. Pettigrew said that
he denied the right Of the legislature
to instruct him, although he was al
ways glad to hear from that body.
The House.
The house reached the last page of
the naval bill yesterday and adjourned
with point Of order pending against
the provision fixing the price Of armor
plate at $545 per ton. The provision
in the bill went out on point of order
on the ground that it was not limited
to the armor to be purchased with the
appropriation in the bill whereupon it
was modified to meet this objection,
and against it the point of order pend
ing an adjournment was raised.
Much Of the time was occupied in de-
batting the amendment offered by Mr..
Mudd (Rep., Md.) appropriating $780,
600 to complete the three buildings au-
thorized to be erected at the naval
academy at Annapolis. The naval
committee, with the exception of Mr..
Cummings, strenuously opposed pro-
ceeding with the work of rehabilitating
the naval academy until comprehensive
plans had been decided upon, but the
house overruled the committee and
adopted the amendment Two impor-
tant provisions in the paragraph pro-
viding for the constructing Of new
ships went out on points of order. One
provided that no more than two battle
ships, two armored and two protected
cruisers should be built at any one
yard. and the other provided that no
bid for the construction of ships should
be entertained from any firm or COM
pany which had not at the time Of
bidding an adequate plant.
Washington, Feb. 23.-The house in
augurated the session by listening to
the reading of Washingtons farewell
address on Washington's birthday.
The address was read at the request
of Mr.. Bailey of Texas. the Demo-
cratic leader. Two hours We're de-
voted to the naval appropriation bill,
but. seemingly, only the Threshold Of
the debate upon the cost Of armor plate
has been passed. Mr.. Boutelle's amend
ment fixing the maximum price OF
armor plate at $545 per ton, but re-
stricting the provision to the appropri-
alton made in the present bill, was
ruled out of order. whereupon another
proposition was offered by Mr.. Under
wood Of Alabama for the erection Of
an armor plate plant by the govern
ment. A point Of order against the
latter proposition was pending when
the consideration of the naval bill was
suspended to allow the members Of
the house to pay tribute to the memory
Of the late Senator Morrill, of Vermont
The Senate.
The session of the senate was de-
voted to two special orderss, reading
Washington's farewell address. an an
nual custom Of the senate on. Washing
toms birthday, and the pronouncing Of
eulogies on the late Senator Morrill,.
Washington, Feb. 24.-The naval ap-
preparation bill finally passed the
house after four days of acrimonious
debate, most Of which was spent upon
the question Of rehabilitating the
naval academy at Annapolis in ac-
cordance with the scheme inaugurated
by the appropriation of half million
dollars in the last naval bill and the
proposition to increase the maximum
price to be paid for armor plate to
$54a per ton, existing law limiting it
to $500 Upon both propositions the
naval committee suffered signal de-
feats. The amendment to build q
great arlnor plant was ruled out upon
point of order. but after rancorous
debate in which the price to be paid
for armor was cut down from S545.
the price which the committee insisted
was being paid for the new Krupp
armor, to $445, and proviso was also
added precluding the government from
paying more than was paid by any
other foreign government for similar
armor When the bill was reported to
the house Mr.. Boutelle attempted to
secure a reversal Of the verdicts of the
committee of the whole on the naval
dCdueluy dlIu uIlllOI plulc uuclu.
ments, but in both cases he was de-
feated. a motion to recommit the bill,
made by him, being voted down-151
to 20.
Another victory over the committee
was secured by the adoption Of pro-
vision to the naval bill creating the
rank of admiral of. the navy. This
was accomplished by Mr.. Moody of
Massachusetts. who offered copy Of
the senate bill creating this rank as
an amendment to the naval bill. The
amendment was clearly subject to the
point Of order against it raised by Mr..
Boutelle, but the sentiment of the
house was so apparently unanimous
in favor Of the amendment that he
withdrew the point of order and it
was adopted without q dissenting
vote. The naval committee had
amended the senate bill so as to also
create the rank of vice admiral, but
Mr.. Moody's amendment was the
original senate bill without the latter
provision.
The Senate.