The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-17
ARAY BILL REPORTED
And the Navy Personnel Bill
Read in the Senate.
NO ACTION UPON EITHER
Fast Mail Clauses Restored in
the PoStoffice Bill.

cut, chairman Of the military affairs COM
mittee. gave notice that he would move
to proceed to its consideration at the
earliest possible time. The naval person
mel bill was taken up and read, but no
effort made to proceed further with its
/ consideration The military academy ap-
preparation was passed. The postottice APP
1 preparation was under consideration during
the greater part of the afternoon, but was
not disposed Of finally. a spirited debate
/ occurred over the amendment of the SEN
ate committee providing for an appropria-
ton to secure fast mail service between
New York and Washington and Atlanta
and New Orleans. The amendment was
retained in the bill.
Soon after the senate convened, houss
| joint resolution authorizing the secretary
Of the navy to pay certain laborers, work
men and mechanics at United States navy
I yards and naval stations 80 per cent addi-
tional for work performed in excess Of
: eight hours per diem, was called up Mr..
/ Hawley of Connecticut inquired Of Mr..
Burrows of Michigan, who had the mea-
sure in charge, if it applied to existing
/ contracts He said if it did so apply, it
might bankrupt some contractors. Mr..
/ Burrows explained that it applied only to
regular employees of the naval establish
ment. The resolution was adopted.
The military academy appropriation bill
/ was passed without debate. and consid-
Grafton OF the naval personnel bill begun
! Mr.. Hale. having got the personnel bill
/ before the senate did not press 1t, and Mr.
/ hit ia h.
| bill enabling soldiers who served in the
! Spanish war who had previously been
/ pensioners, again to obtain their pensions.
and had it reconsidered. The provision OF
| the bill that applicants for pensions should
! file their claims within a year was stricken
out and the bill was then passed.
/ Mr.. Morgan OF Alabama offered the Mic
aragua canal bill as an amendment 20 the
1 river and harbor bill and had it referred
/ to the committee on commerce, now con-
! sdering that measure. The bin offered
/ by Senator Morgan is substantially the
! Hepburn bill, offered in the house, with
some notifications. The notifications Of
/ the bill relate to the method of acquire
ment of right-of-way. The provision in
! the Hepburn bill requiring purchase from
| Costa Rica and Nicaragua is stricken out
| and the first section is changed TO read as
follows: THAT the president Of the Unit
ed States be and is hereby authorized TO
acquire for and in behalf of the United
! States, such portion of the territory now
belonging to Costa RIGA and Nicaragua,
and such rights or privileges therein or
| connected Herewith, as may be desirable
/ and necessary to excavate, construct con-
| troll and defend canal OF such depth and
/ capacity as will be sufficiet for the move
ment of ships" etc, the remaining Ian
! guage of the amendment being substan-
TALLY that of the Hepburn bin.
| Mr.. Hawley of Connecticut, chairman of
| the military affairs committee, reported to
| the senate the army reorganization bill
Mr.. Cockrell of Missouri, speaking for the
other five members Of the military affairs
committee, presented a written statement
/ in the nature OF a minority report. He
| agreed with Mr.. Hawley that the reorgani-
| cation of the army was a project of the
/ highest Importance. The proper reorgani-
/ cation of the army, he maintained, could
/ not be effected in so brief a time as would
I be allowed before this congress adjourned
/ He declared that he and those for whom
P
( .arge increase in the army. He regarded
/ the authority given the president by the
/ bill reported TO reduce the army 10 50 975
men as virtual confession that that num-
! Der would be sufficient Mr. Cockrell said
! that he and those who believed with him
! had no desire, disposition or intention to
/ withhold from the president all the men
and money he might eed. He referred to
the act1o Of himself and his associates in
/ upholding the hands of the president prior
! TO and during the war with Spain. and al
/ luded 10 the fffty-million appropriation as
/ an unprecedented act" He then said
that he was willing 10 have a bill ,enacted
/ which, he declared, would afford the presi-
! dent ample power. The bill he proposed
provided that within a blank number Of
I days the volunteer force now in the ser
/ vice be mustered out and discharged: that
/ the act OF April q. 1895 be continued in
I full force until July !. 1901. and that the
/ president be authorized to enroll military
, force OF 5000 men in the Islands Of Cuba.
/ Porto Rico and the Phi,ippine@these
/ troops to De differed as the president NAV
! direct, restricted in service to their re-
/ spective Islands and not to be considered
a part Of the permanent military estab-
/ lishment. Such an act Mr.. CockreH sad.
would continue the military establishment
( at $500 men and in addition would afford
/ the president an additional force Of 35 900
men from the various Islands. This force
would De absolutely at the disposal Of the
! president until peaceful conditions we're re-
| stored il the various new possessions OF
/ the United States. We offer" said Mr.
| Cockrell in conclusion. everything in rea-
son. everything that viii enable the presi-
/ dent 70 establish order. Everything for
| the establishment Of order and protection
20 life and property IS IN the bill which I
( offer"
house biz setting apart a certain tract
Of land containing ten acres IN Oklahoma.
! 70 the Stella Friends Academy and Church
association was passed
Consideration was then begun on the
/ postoffice appropriation bill. Practically
the only oostac.e encountered by the bi1
was the committee amendment crowd NJ
for special mail facilities on the trunk
lines from New York and WASHINGTON 70
Atlanta and New Orleans and from Kan
sas City. No. 20 Newton. Kan Nj. VOL
colt OF Colorado strongly opposed the sp-
1 Pcoprtst lions tor this special service de-
caring thai they indicated only zee in
d1ence certain railroads had over coz
gress-' Mr. Sullivan OF Mississippi. NJ
Bacon q Georgia M Chandler q New
Hampshire. Mr. Morgan OF Alabama ans
others supported the aneu3neat. IL Oh
position % 1he anendmsnt Mr. Bate OF
Tennessee M Lodge q Massachus.tts