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Show DEMOCRATS PUN ARETKEICHIEIT WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 There will be no appropriations for battleships battle-ships or public buildings at this session ses-sion of congress. This was the decision de-cision of tho Democrats of the "house iftcr a splrlted-jfcaudus tonight, ' Elimination of a battleship appropriation appro-priation was a surprise, the caucus having been called for the purpose of considering a $1G,000,000 public building build-ing bill recommended by the committee com-mittee on public bulldlngB and grounds Representative Burnott of Alabama, however, offered a resolution to dispense dis-pense ulth tho public buildings bill, that no battleship appropriation be reported to the house. Representative Hobson of Alabama headed a bitter attack on the amendment, amend-ment, but It was passed, 9S to 68. The savings resulting from this ao-tlon ao-tlon of the caucus Is estimated by the Democratic leaders to aggregate about $40,000,000, 524,000.000 required for two modern battleships and $16,-000,000 $16,-000,000 for public bulldlnga. In tho caso of public buildings, however, thero may bo some appropriation for emcrgoncy After tho caucus It was declared that tho cutting off of tho battleship appropriation wbg forced by members mem-bers who were piqued by their defeat on tho building appropriation. Representative Hobaon and others announcod that a petition for a special spe-cial caucus on tho battleship appropriation appro-priation would he circulated at once and that It would contain an appeal to rescind tonight's action Representative Fitzgerald of Now York, chairman of tho appropriations committee, offered a resolution that the state of the government flnancos did not now Justify a public building bill The caucus was by no means harmonious, har-monious, many members of the country coun-try districts pleading the necessity of such a bill to safeguard tho welfare wel-fare of tho party In tho approaching campaign Majority Leader Undor-wood Undor-wood controverted the argument of tho public building champions. Ho warned thorn that to saddle the treasury with a $l6,000,0u0 chargo at this session would bo too apparent an effort to court favor without sincerity Spenkcr Clark was of tho same mindjj |