Daily Kennebec journal., 1903-01-14
57TH CONGRESS-.
Grosvenor and Clark Have
Lively, Good-Natured Tilt.
Former Claims Democratic Party Is
Extinct latter Says No.
Senate Wakes Warm Over the Reciproc-
ity and Coal Tariff.

/
time since the opening of this session
of Congress the House was RECALLED,
today, with lively political debate.
| Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio, and Clark of
Missouri. crossed swords during the
general debate on the army appropria-
| tion bill and for two hours both sides
of the House cheered on their re-
spectixe spokesman.
The contest was entirely good ma
| tured. It grew out of controversy
which Grosvenor and Clark have been
carrying on in the newspapers over the
| formers statement in the House, last
December, that the Democratic party
had been wiped out at the last general
election.
Gen. Grosvenor, today, undertook
with figures to sustain his contention
and Clark also with figures, endea-
vored to prove that the Democrats had
an "eyen chance" to win the Presi-
dency III 1904. There were several
brilliant clashes and the House and
the galleries were greatly entertained
The remainder of the day was occu-
| pied by Hull, Rep, Ia. who argued
against the abandonment of the army
transport service; Mr.. Shattuc Rep.
Ohio, who assailed Edward Atkinson and
the anti-imperialists; Moon, Dem, Tenn,
VINO denounced the refusal of the House
leaders to allow the consideration of the
Indian Territory bill, and who announced
a policy OF obstruction which he intended
| to pursue unless consideration was given
it; Swanson, Dem. Va, who argued the
necessity of tariff revision, and Gaines
Dem Tenn. who urged the immediate
advisability of placing coal on the free
list.
When the House met, on motion of
Cushman, Wn., the bill providing for 4
delegate in Congress from Alaska was
made a continuing order beginning
Jan q.
The House went into committee Of
the whole and took up consideration of
the army appropriation bill, which car
ries s73.S75,276, being S4,613,065 less than
the current law.
Hull. Iowa. in charge of the measure,
devoted some time to the discussion of
the army transport service. arguing
that the present service on the Pacific
organized since the Spanish war, is the
best in the world.
He was strongly opposed to the aban-
donment of the present transport SyS-
TEN, maintaining that soldiers especi-
ally sick soldiers, returning home could
not have equal or as healthful accom-
modations aboard ordinary merchant
men. He insisted that a transport was
la necessary adjunct of the army and
that in end its cost would be cheaper
than transportation over private lines.
He cited the case of the transport Lo-
gan which took 1892 military passen-
gers from New York to Manila at
cost of $4,000 which included 900 for
passage throughout the Suez canal. The
same transportation under contract
with commercial line he said. would
have cost double that sum.
''ls there anything in the pending
bill touching this question:" asked
Shafroth. Colo.
mo, but there is a proposition before
The war department and this is the
place and time to discuss this sub
ject," lepliel Hull.
Hull declared he had no interest in
the fight between San Francisco and
Seattle. He argued that the dervice
should be maintained and that the
transports not needed should be placed
out of commission, not sold. If there
was no other way to prevent the
abolition of the service, he said. ne
would favor an amendment which
would prohibit the sale of the trans
ports without action by Congress.
AT the conclusion of Hulls remarks
the committee of the whole rose tenn
porarily and Payne from the commit
tee on ways and means reported the
bill to provide a rebate on coal and
gave notice that he would call it up
tomorrow.
The debate on the army bill was re-
sumed. Shattuc. Ohio, ridiculed Ed |
ward Atkinson and his imperialstic |
campaign.
Grosvenor. Ohio, made an extended |
argument, designed to sustain the as |
sertion made by him before the holi- |
day adjournment that the Demo- |
cratic party had been wiped out" in the |
election, last fall.
Clark, Mo-. replied to Grosvenor in a
Continued on page 81