Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-09
NO EXTRA SESSION.
Its Possibility Removed by the
Passage Of the Army Bill.
GENERAL DEFICIENCY BILL PASSED.
Tbs River and HarDOr Bill Sent Back to
Conference.-The Naval Appropriation
Bill Gets Through the senate
Senator Aliens ValedIcuOry,

| Contsroncs-TheN NAVAL Appropriation
Bill Gets Through the senate
senator Aliens vaIedIct0ry.
Washington, March 2-The last lin.
gering possibility Of an extra session
OF congress disappeared yesterday
when the house passed the senate
army reorganization bill. Very con-
siderable and vigorous opposition To
the acceptance Of the senate bill was
voiced on both sides Of the hall. and
for a time 1t appeared possible that
the bill would not secure the necessary
two-thirds to pass it under suspension
OF the rules But the republican
leaders, Messrs. Henderson, Grosvenor
and Cannon, came to its 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 temporary in
crease OF the army, which would be
made permanent if congress we're con-
vened in extra session. Another big
element in the vote was Mr.. Hull's
recital Of statement made by the
president TO him that he would not
construe section l2 as authority to
conscript the minority in volunteer Or
CARNATIONS which should elect to re.
main in the service. The bill passed,
2O3 to 80. II now goes to the presi.
dent
The decks were also cleared OF many
other important matters The general
deficiency appropriation bill, carrying
SCI, Os9, 600, was passed under suspen-
sion of the rules without word of
criticism, This is the last of the APP
preparation bills The senate amend
ments to the river and harbor bill
were n.concurred in, and it was sent
to conference, the friends OF the Mic
aragua canal amendments having de-
cided to postpone their fight until the
conferees report. The conference re-
ports on the omnibus claims bill, the
naval personnel and many other less
important measures were agreed to.
The senate bill making Dewey full
admiral was passed. The bill now
goes to the president for his signature.
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Washington, March 1.-The senate
is rapidly clearing its decks for final
adjournment. The naval appropria.
ton bill, which ordinarily consumes
the time Of the senate for several days,
was passed yesterday afternoon after
less than five hours of debate. In
that time, however it was amended
radically in one respect The price to
be paid by the government for armor
plate was fixed in the bill at $500
ton, reduction of the amount fixed
by the house of Sl45 a ton. In addi-
ton the secretary of the navy was au-
thorized, in the event of the refusal of
the armor plate companies to supply
armor at $500 ton, to proceed to the
construction of an armor factory to
cost 81 600, 900, and placing in the Sec
retary's control 50, 0OO,O with which
to operate the government plant.
The fight for these amendments was
made by Senator Tillman, of South
Carolina who made characteristical-
Iy sensational speech in support of the
propositions. The senate adopted res.
olutions of regret at the death of Lord
Ilerschell, and concluded the days
session by pronouncing eulogies upon
the late Representative Dingley.
Shortly after the senate convened,
Senator Allen, of Nebraska, called
up the resolution of Senator Vest in
relation to the acquisition of foreign
territory by the United States and de-
lvered upon it his valedictory. Six
years ago, he said he had entered the
senate chamber as the single member
in this body of new political party.
40 be pioneer of new political
party" said he was by no means an
easy task but he would retire from
the senate with the consciousness of
having done his duty as best he could
and of not having committed an act or
said word that he would not repeat
in like circumstances. lie had lived,
he said, for 40 years in the west and
was essentially product Of that re-
gion. He would return to it with
gladness and take up his work among
his friends Of lifetime.
Washington, March g. - During
almost the entire session yesterday,
the senate was engaged in routine
business, Three score or more of
minor bills were passed, the calendar
being cleared entirely of private PEN
sion bills and of measures correcting
military and naval records. Two
measures of national Importance were
passed, the Notifications appropria-
tion bill and the bill providing code
of criminal laws for the district of
Alaska, A provision for the high
licensing of the liquor traffic in the
latter measure created considerable