Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-04-19
FIFTY.SIXTH CONGRESS-.
Washington, April 10.
sKNATR.

Washington, April 10.
SENATE.
Mr.. Peprose from the committee on
commerce. reported favorably q bill 10
provide for q revenue cutter for use at
Philadelphia. 1t was passed.
Mr.. Foraker introduced Q resolution
to provide for the administration of civ.
il affairs in Porto Rico pending the ap-
poiniment and quail g cation OF the civil
officers provided by the act passed by
Congress 10 provide revenues and civil
government for Porto Rico. II went
over temporarily.
After routine business was disposed
of Mr.. Forsker's resolution was again
called up. In response to an inquiry
from Mr.. Tillman, Mr.. Foraker ex-
planned that the resolution was offered
because the President did net have
sufficient time to make his selections
for civil offices in Porto Rico. 1t was
merely intended to continue for o few
weeks the military officials.
Mr.. Tillmsn contended that the con.
stitution had not followed the flag, but
be presumed the military had to be
preserved 10 order to have great pow
WOW when the new governor of the is.
land is installed.
Mr.. Daniel offered an amendment
that no N litary officer holding a civil
position should receive additional SAL
sry. Rejected. The resolution was
then passed.
Mr.. Chandler introduced resolution
that the committee Oh printing be d.
rected to investigate facts connected
With the compilation and publication
of the messages and papers OF the
Presidents.
This ia directed at Repre- sentative
Richardson, the democratic leader Of
the House.
The House today resumed consider.
alton OF the naval appropriation bill
Immediately after the reading of the
journal. The pending question was an
appropriation Of 500, 900 for ocean and
lake surveys under the authority OF the
Secretary of the Navy. These proposed
surveys ioclude the coasts and harbors
of the various islands acquired from
Spain aud the chsrting OF distractions
to navigation in the great lakes.
Messrs. Cannon, Moody and Bron-
we'll led fight against the provision on
the ground that the work should be
done by the civilian coast and geodetic
survey instead OF by the military au-
thorities Mr.. Moody took the floor in
behalf of this position. He said navai
officers could not do the survey work
90 well as the trained sCieuti6c civil
isns OF the coast survey.
Mr.. Foss. in charge of the naval bill
denied Mr.. Moody's assertion that it
vas intended to abolish the coas, and
geodstic survey, but to condoe its juris-
diction to the coasts of the United
States. The navy had always made
surveys of the ocean ard Of the islands
in it. No cnange was proposed in this
bill. Every navy 10 the world made its
own coast surveys except that OF POrtu-
gal and of the Uoited States. He be-
lleved it to be essential that the navy
should make its own charts of the Gu
ban, Philippine and Porto Rican waters.
Mr.. Berry and Mr.. Cummings favor.
ed allowing the navy to make the sur
veys. The latter characterized the coast
and geodetic survey as political bu-
resu, run by civilians with uniforms
more ornamental than those worn at
the battle at Manila. The superlnten.
dent OF the bureau bad adopted q flag
for himself very similar design 10 that
Of Admiral Dewey but he was neither a
nor seaman.
Mr.. Littlefeld said that the nav-l
ships now 10 the Philippines could make
the necessary surveys 10 that archipe-
iago, without much additional expense,
while if the work was done by t 9
coast and geodetic survey men ard
boats would have to be hired and the |
fnal cost would be great
Mr.. Cannon offered an amendment
substituting for the original provision
new paragraph appropriating $l0,0 C0
"for special ocean surveys" and spoke |
at length 10 favor of leaving the sur
veys OF the island coasts to the civilian
coast survey bureau.
He said nsv,l officers in command Of ships |
and behind the guns were the most compe. |
tent in the world, bot when they were placed |
in position to do work that belonged to civil |
life they were the most incompetent class in |
the world and the most expensive.
Mr.. Dayton followed in defense of the |
proposition to give the navy the coast and |
Reodetic survey work.