Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-16
ONLY Z BATTLESH|PS
House Votes Against Presi-
dents Recommendation.
DEBATE FOR FOUR HOURS
Entire Session Devoted to Consider
ing Navy Increase.
THREAT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Public Buildings to We Vetoed II
White House Program Is
Not Executed.
DEBATE FOR FOUR HOURS
THREAT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Ry a vote of 100 to So the House OF
Representatives yesterday afternoon de-
cided against the Presidents program for
four battleships and adhered to the
recommendation of it's committee on naval
fairs for two vessels of that type. This
result was reached after debate which
lasted for four hours, and was received
with applause.
The entire session was devoted to con-
sideration of the navy increase provision
of the naval appropriation bill. AS TINS
increase was provided for In the last sec
ton of the bill. the measure was prac-
tically finished with the disposition OF the
provision.
California for Four Ships.
Mr. Hayes. California. said that he
voiced the desire of the people of his state
in speaking for four battleshfps. He de-
clared that there Is a race question on
the Pacific coast, an acute race question.
and we of the coast shall insist upon our
right not to be submerged by the hordes
of the orient who are streaming across
the western sea-coolies and laborers-to
take possession of American lands west
| of the Rocky mountains.
Mr. SIayden of Texas asserted that 1.-The
45, 10000 people Of japan are In the
| throes of bankruptcy" and he character
led as absurd THE fear that they men,
ace the 9O.OOO,OOO Of America
Mr. Parker, New Jersey, held up the
| territorial isolation of Alaska. as one ar
gument for a greater navy. He said ne
would vote with the decision of the chief
Mr.. Willett, New York. asserted that a
| few days ago 1.-The President said TO a
committee from this House who called on
him at the White House-said 1t in the
| presence of other people, with his CUSTOM
| ary yehemence and facial dstortions-that
| unless you give me four battleships
will veto your public buildings bill That S
the trouble with this situation. Mr.: Chair
man. The President attempts
The Presidents Threat.
| Mr.. Willett was interrupted by Mr.
Hobson, who, speaking with much feeling
said:
| "In justice to the President I wish to
| inform the gentleman from New York
| that I saw him minute after he said
| that and he told me he was forced to say
| it because knowledge had reached him
| of a threat circulated in the House that
| unless the naval program was cut to two
| ships the leaders in the House would see
| to it that there was no public buildings
| bills at ALL
Mr.. Lands, Indiana, spoke for four
battleships, saying he believed in pre-
| pairing against 'tust such crucial mo-
| ment as came to this country In 1898.
Mr.. Longworth Of Ohio favored the
four-ship program. He prefaced his re-
| marks with a request to extend his
speech to ten minutes. to which prompt
objection was made. Appealing to the
House on the ground that while in Con-
gress he had never spoken for more than
five minutes and had never asked to ex-
tend his remarks in the Record the OBJ
lection was withdrawn
II condemn" he said, "jingoism and
what some people call anti-imperialism.
The events of the last few years have
put US in the position Of a world power.
and 1 for one am proud Of it.
I'VE all know" he said. there are
many Japanese on the Pacific coast and
certainly the Caucasian race will never
amalgamize with the yellow race"
Appealing for four battleships Mr..
LOngworth continued:
The Presidents Interest.
1.-THE President of the United States is
interested in this more than any other
question in this Congress. Practically
every member on this side of the House
and many on the other side made it their
special plea for election that they will
stand by the President. You will never
get a better opportunity than you have
now to show the sincerity of your profess
sions. Vote for four battleships and you
will stand by. the President / do not
want any man to vote against his con-
victfon. but those who are rerplexed by a
conflict of authority will be safe in ac-
cepting the Presidents recommendation"
The gavel fell and with difficulty
unanimous consent was given for another
minute.
There is no politics in this proposition
for four battleships." added Mr.. Long
worth, 1T Is only question of patriot
ISM
Cochran Answers Criticism.
Securing the floor a second time, Mr..
Cochran of New York said, in reply to
criticisms of his course, that if he had
| to choose between consistency and his duty
he would not hesitate to be right, even if
| inconsistent. He said that In 1895 during
| the term OF President Cleveland he had
| urged intervention in behalf of Cuba.
9! now see." he declared. "a danger,
and for that reason 1 urge armament as
presaution, which IL it had been taken
| in time in 1896 would have made war un-
necessary. YOU" he declared, turning to
| the democrats in the House. have felt it
maintain your civilizations: will you be
dumb to your brothers on the Pacific
| coast?"
| AS the time FOR debate drew to a close
Mr.. Hobson was recognized and again
urged larger navy.
Army power" he said makes people
military: naval power leaves them free
| with their institutions"
\The debate was ended by Mr. FOSS
| chairman of the committee on naval af-
| fairs. who appealed Tor but two battle
| ships He said he was for building up the
navy, but was willing to do that at the
| rate of only two ships a year He re-
| minded the House that battleships in
| volve but part of the expense of naval
| enlargement and with them would come
| a necessity for men and accessories add
ing vastly to the expense.
Four Battleships Defeated.
The voting on the amendments on a reg
| ular division disclosed 70 yeas and 100
nays on Mr. Hobson's proposition to have
| four battleships. Mr.. Hobson then de-
| manded tellers and the count revealed So
| yeas and 1870 nays.
| Mr.. Tawney then offered his amend
ment reducing the number of battleships
to one, but it was defeated by 205 nays
| to Is yeas.
| Insisting upon some concession. Mr.
| Hobson moved an amendment providing
| for three battleships, which was voted
down by 2Os to u. a larger majority
than any developed on any other vote
| taken.
Mr.. Goldfogle of New York moved to
amend the bill by making mandatory the