Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-07
56th CONGRESS,
Fight Over Naval Bill Delays
Final Adjournment.
Bitterest and Most Heated Debate of
Session in the House.
Strife and Turmoil All Day in Senate and The
End Not Yet.

two chambers Of the national Legisla-
turc were i'll desperate struggle over
the item III the naval appropriation bill
relating to ocean surveys. The final
adjoui nment of Congress is postponed
until il is over.
The proceedings in the House, during
the day, We're tame. This was partly
due TO the fact that the firm position
taken by the House on the armor plate
provision transferred the fight To the
floor of the Senate and to the obstinate
refusal of Lentz. an Ohio Democrat.
to permit any unanimous consent lcgis-
lItiun until the Republican leaders
agreed to allow the testimony in the
Coucr d'Alcne investigation to be
printed. Except for privileges matters.
things Legislative were practically at u
standstill.
But. tonight. there was enough ex-
citcmcnt To compensate for the dull
ness Of the day. The House got its
dander up over the failure Of its con
fcrccs To abide by their instructions on
the ocean survey item ana after cX-
ceedingly exciting debate in which
Cannon. the chairman Of the appropria-
ton committee. mad" some startling
disclosures as Ia the manner in which
commander Todd. the photographer IF
the navy. had Wae-d his campaign
lgains; the stand taken by the House
in favor of the coast and goodrtic sur
ycy doing ocean survey work. ~
House rejected thu conference report
by an overwhelming majority ana the
Speaker took the almost unprecedented
10, e
the part Of the House who are men,
bers w the naval committee
The debate was 1nr # the hittercst
ana most heated nc TIN. session Can
non in the excitement oT thr moment
took off his collar ana necktie and with
sleeves rolled NJ aroused the House To
a tremendous pitch IF enthusiasm as H.
dealt the confcrerS sledga hammer
blows. The crowded galleries loudly
chccred him. The conferces defended
their course and Foss. acting chairman
Of the committee, resented with bitter
language the charge that he had be
trayod the House. Hot words We're
banded back ana forth. but the House
was resolved 10 fight the Senate to i
finish The Speaker appointed as con-
fc.eys Cannon. Moody ana Shafroth.
all Of whom are in sympathy With the
Houses position and assure no sur
render On their part until th4 Hous,
itself shall direct them to yield
\ handful If members We're On
hand when the House re-assc mbled. at
O'Clock this morning. after having
been" IN recess only a few hours
Speaker Henderson went home. about
a. NJ. and was again in the chair. at
O'Clock. tn" conference report On
the general deficiency bill showing a
complete agreement was presented and
agreed To. Cannon announced that the
contest over the sundry civil hill was
about concluded. only one item being
in controversy and h deferred report
ing until the attendance increased. As
the attendance was 50 slim a recess
was taken until $50 Additional mem
hers had come in when the House re-
assembled
The joint resolution expressing graft
tication over the unveiling of the La
flyctte statue at Paris was agreed To.
Cannon then submitted the confer
cnc" report on the sundry civil bill.
showing the item covering the claims
IF Nevada to he the only one in dis
putc.
Among the important items struck
out were those for the memorial bridge
across the Potomac river. salary of
woman commissioner at the unvoilinC
of the Lafayette statue in Paris. lcEa-
tinn buildings in Korea and Siam and
statue Of Eochamhcau.
Among tho important items retained
were those placing under the supervision
Of the secretary of the treasury the exc
cution of the Chinese exclusion and i'm
migration laws; providing plans for the
ur The White House ana he
velopmcnt of surrounding grounds The
Mississippi and Columbia river items were
retained. The Mississippi item for the
lower river WIS reduced to S2,210.000. The
provision as To state claims was com
ny an amendment that certain
federal claims against these states would
not De prosecuted.
Cannon explained that the Senate had
added about $4,000 600 to the original Sol
Doc 90 Of this bill. ana that by this report
he Senate yielded about Sl."no 900 ana the
House Si.Ooo000.
Considerable debate followed On the va
rioGS items. The Sundry civil conference
report WIS agreed to ana on The one item
still open. approrriating $lG2. 900 for
'laims Of Nevada. NcwIlnds. New. moved
hat the House concur with the Senate
amendment. This brought on sharp dc-
bate on state claims, Moody. Mas. urs
ns that the Nevada claim would set q
for other like claims aggre-
eating about s. Geo 0hl
Moody Conttndcd that the payment Of
-lda's claim would establish a dangerous
precedent. 1t wJS for extra pay given to
\oyada's soldiers during the Civil war
'aliiornia If this claim Were paid. would
nave a valid claim for si,GO0,G00 and Ore
5on for nearly $50o.0t0.
Newlands' motion to concur in the Sen
ate amendment was lost. Is to o. The
House further insisted on amendment and
he bill was sent back To conference.
As the day wore on there were some
amusing incidents. Corliss, Mich. Sc
-ured recognition ana asked unanimous
consent for the consideration of u claim
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