Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-26
HOUSE CONCURS WITH SENATE.
Provision for Two Ba,tIcships and Two Cruis-
crs Rejected in House.

Washington. Feb 35.-The House, to-
day. icttsoncd the authorization for
two battlcShipS and two cruisers which
were in the naval appropriation hill
as il passed that body. The Senate
had rejected the proposition and
against tine appeals of the House con-
fcrecS the House. today. voted 10y a big
ma jority to agree to the Senate amend
mcnt striking out the authorization.
Chairman Cannon of the opropr:Gtion
committee contributed largely to this
result by vigorous speech in favor of
the Senate amendment.
\ partial conference report ON the
naval bill was agreed to and the bill
went back to conference. The House
also agreed to the conference report
on the bill tn create a commission of
five to adjudcate the claims of Init
ed States citizens against Spain as
sumed by the United States. under the
treaty of Paris. Just before adjourn
mcnt. TaWneY. chairman of the St
Louis exposition committee, asked
unanimous consent to disagree I" the
Senate amendments to the exposition
bill, but sheppard. Texas. objected.
The House entered upon the last
week Of the session with a fun attend
ance of members on the floor and
thronSs OF spectators in the galleries
Dayton. W. VA. called up the confer
ence report upon the naval appr"pri-
atiCn bill.
1t was only "A partial report agree
ing to about tWo-thirds Of the items
in dispute between the two Houses.
The conference report was adopted.
Bixby. Va. then moved that the
House recede and concur in the Sena'c
amendment striking out the provision
for two hattleships and two cruisers.
Pending action upon this motion the
Senate amendments were non-coucurr-
ed in. Il was arranged that Their"
should be an hour of debate on each
side upon the BiXby motion.
Dayton vigorously opposed it, II"
contendcd that to strike out the lu-
thorization for new ships would check
the building up of the navy ana open
up a long controversy over the various;
types Of ships. armor plate. etc.
BiXby argued that the Senate's nro-
position was emnentIy fair. 1t simply
proposed tn postpone the building OF
new ships until the next session of
ConGlc and that meantime Congress
could be informed upon the questions
as to whether the ships should be
Sheathed or not. as to the thickness of
armor and kindred subjects.
Bixby said the ship yards through
out the country were already fun Of
work on war ships.
Dayton answered that he had i'm his
pocket a telegram from the great ship
yards in Bixby's own state saving tiat
they could build four more ships. while
= dispatch from the Union Iron Works
stated that they could build several
more vessels.
Hopkins. Il".. Supported RiNcy's mo
tion
Cummings, =. y. opposed Rixcy's mo-
ton. secretary of the Navy Long II"
said had recommended the construction
Of two haltlcshipS ana two cruisers aud
he believed tn" secretary kew what re-
was talking about.
After som" further debate by Nandiv"r
Mo. Kitchen. n Gil. King. Utah ;tnd
briggs y. ". III faror ~ thr motion. ann
,i- Nh. Erown; ohi" Adnms. "a.
il. Cannon closed the dobatr in support
of the motion
DAYTON charged Cannon with incon-
sistency. The Rixcy motion was carried
Iaus"n, iowa. Called up the conference
report on the hill to create - commission
To adjudiCate tn" claims of United States
citizens against Spain assumed by the
United States under the terms If the
treaty of Paris.
Underwood. Ala, made tho point of or
der that the cuufcrees had exceeded their
authority. The speaker ovcrruled the
point Of order.
Henry. Miss one of the confcrccs w
planned that ne mad not signed The con
ference report because tho House h.,u
twice refused to authorize a commission
to adjulicatc those claims.
Tnc conference report wa agreed to
III to 81.
he forifcations bin was sent To con-
ference with fiemenway. Ind, Pagh. Ky,
and MCRac. Ark. conferc,g.
Some time was spent IN clearing mp
conference reports upon District Of Co
iimhia business. Just before the adj
iOur1meHt, TaWUCy. chairman Cf tie
special committee on the 81. Louis expo
Sitiou. asked unanimous consent 10 dsa-
gree 70 tho Senate amendment to nc
Louisiana purchase exposition bill ami
send the hill to conference. bat Sheppard
Texas. objected.
Senate bills for the relief Of Francisco
Y. DcCoste and to create the eastern di-
vision Of the northern Judicial district of
Georgia. We're passed.
The Senate resolution to donate certain
letters of the early governors of Iowa.
now in the interior department to the
state of Iowa was adopted.
At 6.1o the House adjourned.
Presidents Nominations.