The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-22

BILL IS PASSED.
Mr.. Keller Asserted the Fortifi-
cation OF Pearl Harbor Would
Protect Pacific Coast.
WASTE MONEY IN PHILIPPINES
Mr.. Tawney Warned House That
ii Expenditures We're Increased
There Would Be Big Deficit.

WASHINGTON. d. c., March FL
Wien consideration of the fortiilch'
tons appropriation bill was resumed N
the House to-day, Mr.. Keifer, of ONO
memper Of the committee on Appro-
prlations charged that large sums
had been wasted in attempting to pro
vido dcfenses on The Atlantic and Pa
cific coasts, "in pretending to do Ger
tain things that cannot be zone by the
engineers and officers in charge OF
the improvements
In other wc..ds. he said, defenses
never were completed. He believed,
however. in a sufficient appropriation
for Pearl Harbor as a naval base.
Should that he granted. he said ut
will be absolutely Impossible for any
Oriental country. however strong, to
assail orr Pacific coast"
BY properly fortifying Pearl Harbor,
he said. the country could dispense
with very considerable number of
battleships proposed to be constructed.
Mr.. De Almond, of Missouri, congrat-
1iiated the country on the fact that IL
the Philippines We're TO be fortifed
the army engineers had at least deter
mined that Cavite was the place. Had
that point been selected in the hrst
place. ne said there would have been
q IHlEO SdNlIS III iiSiNS NiiiNii '''iN
been. lost on Subig Bay.
The government, he declared. had
poured millions into the morasses of
the Philippines, and he was glad the
money now was TO be properly spent.
Discussing the estimates of the War
Department for fortifcations, Mr.. Smith,
OF Iowa, declared that the money ask
ed for could not have been spent III
ten years The amount allowed by the
committee. he said. while the largest
ever appropriated for fortifications in
a time of peace. was no more than
needed to meet the present require
ments.
Further condemnation of the War
Department in connection with its
recommendations in the past regarding
The fertilization of Subig Bay was
INDUCED in by Mr.. Fitzgerald of New
York. He was glad, however. he said,
that the department had not wasted
any money in Guantanamo.
He seriously reflected on the depart
ment officials when he charged them
with recommending an appropriation of
100000 for sea wall around "a GER
tain fortification,' when, he charged,
they knew the title to the property
needed for the sea wall was in ltiga-
ton.
Declaring that there was not sufi-
rient water at Cavite to accommodate
great war vessels. Mr.. Butler of Penn
sylvania, expressed the hope that the
House would exercise itl prerogatiyc
and prevent the removal of the naval
base from Subig Bay to Cavite. 1t was
not intended. he said that naval battles
should be fought in Subig Bay, but
that American warships should have a
and fight on the high seas, where lie
said future naval battles will be fought.
Discussing the expenditures made for
military and naval establishments of
the government. Mr.. Tawney. of Min
nesota. chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations, repeated his warming
OF a deficiency made earlier in the seS-
sion. He declared If expenditures for
these purposes increased in the next
two or three wears as they had in the
last two or three years, and the rev
enues continued TO decrease, it Will
not be two years hardly before we Will
be spending 10 per cent of our aggre-
gate revenue on account of wars we
have had or wars we are afraid Of
AT present he said, the rate was 60
per cent.
Believing 1t TO be TO the interest of
the country and the War Department,
Mr.. Shirley, OF Kentucky. offered an
amendment removing the restriction on
the Secretary OF War to buy abroad
War materials III Limited quantities.
The amendmeLs was lost.
An amendmedt by Mr.. De Almond
of Missouri, TO give the Secretary Of
War temporary" authority to pur-
chase war supplies, also was lost. Mr..
DE Almond declared that by limiting
the Secretary in these purchases his
hand would be partly stayed against
robbery.
A further amendment by Mr. De