The sun., 1900-05-15
THE EWORK OR CONGRESS-
Favorable Report to Senate on Mica
ragua Canal Bill.
APPROPRIATIONS In HOUSE.
Secretary Root Appears Before Conn
mittee on Military Affairs Re-
garding the Army Bill Pass
ed by the Senate.

Washington, May 14.-The senate COM
mittee on interoceanic canals ordered
favorable report on the Nicaragua canal
bill as it passed the house.
There were only five members of the
committee present at the meeting. A mo-
tion was made to report the bill and
without debate the vote was taken, Sena-
tors Morgan, Mcbride, Harris and
Turner voting in the affirmative and
Senator Hanna in the negative.
A bill providing for the appointment OF
a collector of customs for the customs
district of Hawaii at salary of $4,000
per year and for such deputies as may
be necessary was reported by Mr.. For
nker from the committee on Pacific is
lands and Porto Rico and passed by the
senate.
Mr.. Hale then called up the naval ap-
oropriation bill, and the senate resumed
its consideration, the pending question
being on the amendment of Mr. Chan
dler, substituting III Mr.. Tillman's
amendment S425 for $500 as the price
of armor. The amendment was rejected
% to 21.
Mr.. Hoar offered the following amend
ment to the committees proposition with
reference to the construction Of an ar
NOR plate factory:
"That if Under the operation of the
above provision no government armor
plate manufactory is begun or built the
secretary of the navy shall submit to
congress ut the beginning of its next ses-
sion a detailed report, in which he shall
estimate the entire cost of a fully equip
ped government armor plate manufacto-
ry, including site, and the probable time
in which the best modern armor plate
could be produced at said factory and
ready for delivery"
The amendment was accepted by the
committee and agreed to by the senate.
: AS amended the committees proposition
, was then agreed to-32 to 10.
The next proposition of the committee
! provided for the purchase of FIVE Hol
land submarine torpedo boats at a price
! of $4,000 each. Mr.. Stewart (Nev.
E offered an amendment increasing the
number of boats to be purchased from
five to ten and addressed the senate il
g support of his amendment.
: When the house met, Mr.. Cannon Glls
/. reported the general deficiency appro
priation bill, and Mr.. Hull Ia.) reporte,
: the Military academy appropriation bill
Mr.. Cannon Immediately moved that thu
house go into committee of the Who'll,
> to consider the former bill. General de
bate was limited to one hour on side
The general deficiency appropriation
bill carries S3,S39,O21. The bill cover
i many items not covered in the genera
U bills.
Root on Army Bill.
= Secretary Root was before the hOus
d committee on military affairs concernin,
;. the army reorganization bill reccntl
fl PASSED by the senate. He went over tn
4 advantages of the measure and wa
~ questioned ut considerable length On tn
: proposed increase of the artillery arm
ii and the provisions giving General Mile
The rank Of lieutenant general ana Adiu
taat General Corbn the rank Of maio
, general.
le The secretary pointed out that the ei
v feet of the bill us passed by the scnat
n was to increase the army 5000 or 600
entirely in the artillery. this increase Is
tending over Il period of years.
) While differing from the provision
is originally recommended, Mr.. Root nj
u proved the senate amendment, us i
would permit the war department to g
\, to work and put the artillery in shap,
le The situation now in caring for seacoa.
e. fortitication was just as foolish and in
10 practicable, the secretary said, as woul
be that of a man who built a fine hous,
= equipped it in the most perfect mannt
~ and then went away and left it to tax
e. care of itself. There are millions an
as millions invested in fortiticatons, he sal,
with no one to take care of them.
az Chairman Hull remarked that the d.
tie probation was estimated at % per cent
70 year because of inattention.
al Secretary Root asscnted to this al
said it was something like the troub
e. with the Spanish ships-they were n,
as taken care of.