The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-07
Senate Practically Adopts Houses
Proposition.
Day One Of Strife and
Turmoil.
Debate Over Armor Plate Ex-
tremely Sensational.

Washington, June 6.-When the House
tonight at 1890 took recess until ten
o clock tomorrow morning, the two
chambers of the national Legislature were
in desperate struggle over the item in
the naval appropriation bill relating to
ocean surveys. The final adjournment OF
Congress is postponed until 1t is over.
The proceedings In the House during the
day were 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 Mr..
Lentz, an Ohio Democrat, to permit any
unanimous consent legislation until the
Republican leaders agreed to allow the
testimony in the Couer d'Alene investi-
cation to be printed. Except for privi-
legged matters, things Legislative, were
practically at a standstill. But tonight
there was enough excitement to compen,
safe for the dullness Of the day. The
House got Its dander up over the failure
of its conferees to abide by their instruc-
tions ON the ocean survey item and after
an exceedingly sensational debate In
which Mr.. Cannon, the chairman of the
appropriations committee, made some
startling disclosures as to tho manner in
which Commander Todd, the hydro
grapher of the navy. had waged his cam
paign against the stand taken by the
House in favor of the coast and geodetic
survey doing ocean survey work, the
House rejected the conference report by
an overwhelming majority and the
Speaker took the almost unprecedented
course OF appointing new conferees on the
part of the House who are not members
of the naval COMMITTEES.
At $50 p. ~, Mr.. Foss presented the
final report ON the naval appropriation
bill. A compromise had been effected
ON the provision relative to ocean surveys
which appropriated $4,000 for hydro
graphic surveys, while the House receded
from its provision abolishing the two
years sea course for naval cadets, but
secured an amendment to the present
law to permit an appointment from each
CONGRESSIONAL CNCAJ AohA gCeR D.
Mr.. Foss said the Senate conferees had
insisted upon the provision
relative to ocean surveys.
Mr.. Cannon, who had led the fight
against ocean surveys under the direction
of the navy department, was not salts
fled with the agreement reached by the
conferees. He said he should ask the
House to reject the conference report.
Mr.. Moody of Massachusetts, vigorous
ly urged that the report be rejected.
The question at issue he said, was
whether coterie of naval officers" or
the House was supreme. shall we. >"
he asked, indignantly, get down on our
knees to these bureau officers, because our
conferees have proved unfaithful to their
trust. We should teach them the lesson
they deserve" (Applause)
Mr.. Cummings of New York, said the
Senate conferees had insisted on the
word photographic.
Mr.. Cannon told how members had
been bombarded by letters and kilograms
in the interest of this photographic work.
He had suspected that they were
by the navy department and
had called ON the secretary for all letters
sent out from there on the subject. The
had replied that there was moth
ing
II knew that letter was falsehood in
continued Mr.. Cannon,
"that is strong language, but after
ward was able to prove that the secretary
as well as the House had been imposed
ON by the bureau of equipment.
Mr.. Cannon then related how subse-
quently Secretary Long had ascertained
that the hydrographer, Commander Todd
had sent out circular letter without
his Secretary Longs) knowledge and
for that act had been suspended. He
read the circular letter which had gone to !
bodies, boards of trade, |
exchanges, ETC., appealing for
influence and aid in forcing the appro- |
priation back into the naval appropria- |
lion bill. He had kept all these facts
secret, he said, because he knew the
secretary of the navy was an honorable
man and had been imposed upon. He |
had been compelled to disclose them in
The interest of the public service and to |
yindicate the honor and manhood of the |
House. Amid great applause he asked the |
House to send the bill back to conference
with three conferees in sympathy with |
the sentiment Of the House. The debate |