The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-05
APPROPRIATION OF
100000 BY
CONGRESS
Nearly a Million for Earthquake
Sufferers
FINAL ACTION TAKEN TODAY
Slight Hitch Between House and SEN
ate Causes Delay-The Presi-
dents Message.

Washington, Jan. 5.-Congress tried
hard yesterday TO appropriate $500, 600
for the relief of the sufferers from the
Italian earthquake, but failed to get
through with it, although one resolu-
ton was passed by the house and two
were passed by the senate. The
trouble is that neither was signed by
the presiding officers of the two
houses, and as they cannot be signed
except when the houses are in session,
the Joint resolution had to wait until
the Senate and House had convened
today.
Then the resolution will so to the
president for his signature. which will
give ii the force of law. All the after
noon the President waited at the
White House for the joint resolution
to come down from the capitol. Word
was received that it had been passed
by the house and that the senate, af-
ter having passed a resolution appro-
priating 100000, had then accepted
the House resolution, which appro-
PIRATES 100000. Still the resolution
did not reach the White House for the
Presidents signature.
In anticipation of the authority
given by the resolution, $4,000 had
been cabled to Italy for use of the
earthquake victims, in addition to the
orders TO the two navy supply ships
to deliver their stores for that pur-
pose.
The action of congress was taken
unanimously in the House. and with
only one opposing vote i'm the Senate
/ The lone voice raised against the ap
| preparation was of Senator Bailey
who explained that he believed con.
gress had no constitutional right to
dispose of the public money in such
fashion.
Immediately after the reading OF
the message in the Senate, Mr.. Hale
asked that the matter be referred to
the committee on appropriations
where suitable worded resolution
might be drawn. He called a meeting
at once of the committee, and within
a half hour reported to the Senate q
resolution which appropriated $500,
600 in money and authorized the pres
| dent to dispatch at once to the deyas
tated districts 100000 worth of pro
| visions on the navy supply ships Celtic
and Culgoa, This was passed
Meantime the house had passed a
resolution appropriating 100000, but
| saying nothing about the use of the
supplies OF the two navy ships, Culgoa
and Celtic. The senate had just con
cluded its own action when this house
resolution was brought in AS soor
as it was read Senator Hale objected
to It.
/ Il am not in favor of accepting the
| House substitute said he. The sen
ate resolution, as drawn, is specific
| This is not
/ Senator Lodge suggested that &
committee be appointed at once tC
| confer with the house, to which Mr.
Hale agreed. AT this juncture it was
announced that the house had ad
| iourned for the day.
| Well. said Mr. Hale. with evident
resignation, there is nothing for us tC
do but accept the substitute"
And 1t was passed.
The text of the Presidents message
| is as follows
To the Senate and House of Rep
| resentatives:
The appalling calamity which
has befallen the people of Italy is
followed by distress and suffering
throughout wide region among
many thousands who have escaped
with life, but whose shelter and
food and means of living are de-
stroyed The ordinary machinery
for supplying the wants of civiiz-
ed communities is paralyZed; and
an exceptional emergency exists
which demands that the obliga-
tions of humanity shall regard no
limit of national lines.
The immense debt Of civiliza-
ton to Italy, the warm and stead
fast friendship between that coun-
try and our own; the affection for
their native land felt by great
numbers of good American citi-
zens who are immigrants from
Italy; the abundance with which
God has blessed us in our safety;
all these should prompt us to i'm
mediate and effective relief.
Private generosity is respond
ing nobly to the demand by con
tributions through the safe and eff
ficient channel of the American
Red Cross Society.
Confident OF your approval, |
have ordered the Government sup
ply ships Celtic and Culgoa to the
scene of the disaster, where upon
receiving the authority which
now ask from you they will be
able to dispense food, clothing,
and other supplies with which
they are laden to the value OF
about 100000 The Celtic has
already sailed and the Culgoa Is
at Port Said. Eight vessels of the
returning battleship fleet are al
ready under orders for Italian
waters and that Government has
been asked il their services can
be made useful
recommend that the Congress
approve the application of sup
plies above indicated and further
appropriate the sum of 100000 to
be applied to the work of relief
at the discretion of the Executive
and with the consent of the ltal-
ian Government.
/ suggest that the law follow
the form of that passed after the
Mount Pelee disaster in 1902.
Theodore Roosevelt.
The White House, Jan. 4, 1909.
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