The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-10

fore, feel much gratified that this es- sential initiative has been taken. The bill to erect a monument to John Barry, the Irish-American patriot, the father of the American navy. in which many of my constituents have l manifested a keen interest, was re- ported favorably and placed on the House calendar. but Speaker Cannon put his veto on it for the present. How ever he promised the chairman of the committee, having that matter in charge. that he would give it a clear right-of-way at the next Congress. 1t VIII then certainly pass. Then comes next the statue to Jeremiah O'Brien, who fought the first sea battle of the revolution.
 T was anxious to secure a soldiers home near Daphne in Baldwin County, and am working industriously to &C., compiish this result. but on account of the depleted condition of the treasury l could not obtain consideration for it in the Fifty eighth Congress.
 The general navy bill carries an ap- propriation of about $1O0, 900 900, for the building of battleships and armored cruisers and for the general purpose or maintaining that arm of the service as at present constituted, Two ad- ditional battleships, to cost about s14.- 100000. have been ordered built, not withstanding the fact that several war vessels are now lying idle, because of the inability of the naval recruiting off, hcers' thus far. to obtain sufficient crews to man them.
 speaker Joe Cannon, in the closing days Of an expiring Congress, seemed t" be seized with qualms of con science, on account of the alleged de- fcit of about $50.000. .00O in the treasu- ry, and began to economixe at the wrong end of the line. The omnibus public building bill--in the enactment of which the whole country was deenlv interested. because 1. provided build ings to meet the exigencies of the public business--was side-tracked and put under the ban of his disapproba- ton. While he frankly admitted that the measure ought to be passed. he protested that the condition of the na- uonal treasury compelled him to post pone It's consideration until the next session of Congress.
 The navy bill no. only imperiled the rivers and /harbors bill, but has killed Tor the present at least, the public buildings bill. In plain English. the people must be deprived of greatly needed Improvements in order to give the President a club with which to
 
 nigh seas. As a conseQuence. my hill appropriating $20.000 for the Interior decoration of the public building at Montgomery and for improving the sidewalks and beautifying the grounds adjacent thereto. as we'll as the post ofiice building in Troy. had to 20 down into the grave, dug by Uncle Joe" for the public buildings bill. But do not think there is any reasonable doubt about my getting these measures en- acted into laws at the next session of Congress.
 Tn the construction of the annex to the government building at Mont gomery, the supervising architect in the Treasury Department went se ooO beyond the limit of the appropriation. in purchasing a new elevator and in doing extra work not embraced in the contract primarily entered into with the builders. The public buildings bill provided for the payment of this ex- cess entertained the hope. when that measure died. 10 have this amount allowed in the civil sundry bill. but n point of order. that 1t was new IeRisIa- ton and not within the limit of inc original appropriation, was made against the fem. and 1t failed to re- ceive consideration.