The daily union., 1854-07-25
CON CIR e SSION AL.
SPEECH OF HON. r.. II. STANTON
JF KENTUCKY,

House OF Representatives Jui9 ID 1904.
The House being in Committee Of the Whole the state
of the Union on the army bill
Mr.. STANTON of Kentucky said am directed by the
majority of the select committee appointed to examine in
to the affairs Of the national armories TO report the follow
ing amendment 10 come in at the end Of the clause just
read:
Prorided That much OF all laws heretofore passed
authorizes the appointment of military officers to spernend
the operations the national armories be, and the
hereby repealed and from and after the passage OF this act
shall be the duty OF the President OF the United states by
competent and well qualified civilian as superintendent at
each of said armories
deeply regret that this bill not postponed until the
return of the honorable gentleman rom Virginia. Mr.
FAuLKNER He is the acting chairman OF the Committee
on Military Affairs and feels socitude upon this
subject perhaps than any other member OF the House He
represents district in which Of the armores is oea
ted his constituents deeply interested in the measure
proposed by the amendment he is fully prepared to enter
into its discussion and is thoroughly informed upon the
subject in all its bearings He is absent from necessity
which he could not control and think it somewhat un
kind and discourteons TO him thus TO force upon us the
consideration of this bill in his absence when there
many Others upon the calendar which might be acted
upon 49,
upon me duty which know would have been performed
by him with infinitely ability and success and feel
that in entering upon this discussion unexpectedly and
with scarcely moment to arrange thoughts collect
my references shall fall far short of doing justice to the
very important interests involved in the question know
that deep and intense interest felt in many sections OF
the Union only by those Immediately in the locality
of the arories but by others who sympathze with them
on the subject for the of the change contemplated
by the amendment Should it fail for want of proper
prcsenaion of the considerations which make necessary
no one will regret it more sincerely than shall.
Attn very early period of the session tie proprety of
restoring the civil superintendent the national
moric submitted with other kindred subjects to the
select committee, of which have the honor to be chair
do but justice to the members OF that committee
when soy that they devoted themselves with great indus
try for three or four months the investigation of the
subject They ayaed themselves of all the in their
power to obtain such information would enable them to
arrive at just conclusion They not only carefully
amhed the record evidence relating to the management of
the armores and various witnesses who had practical
perence under both systems but obtained elaborate opn
ions and arguments from the Secretary of War and officers
Of the Ordnance department and may here be permitted
to say that the military gentlemen referred to not
less industrious in furnishing arguments and testimony in
defence of the military superntendency than the commit
in examining and considering what they submitted
majority of the committee aer patient and searching
Inquiry into the subject in al its Details arrived at the
conclusion that public policy and public interest mpera
lively demanded restoration OF the armories TO civil
troll The amendment under consideration designed
to accomplish that object @
The establishment of the national armories almost
coeval with the organization of the government They de-
rived their existence from the suggestions of Washington
and authorized by law in the year 1894 1t does not
from any record to which the committee had access
that the idea of subcctng them to the control of military
officers ever entered the mind OF any connected with
their establishment They very properly regarded
civil establishments intended for manufacturing purposes
and called manufactures The law required the Presi
dent appoint the officers control ana manage them
These officers civilians They selected for their
practical knowledge and experience in manufacturing
From 1904 througha period of foryseyen years and down
TO l84l the armores remained under the control of such
None but civil supentendents were in charge OF the
armories during all this period. Now sir, manan-and
in the face OF the recorded history Of these
tablishmen deny it-that while tho armores thus
under the management of civilians experienced in the art
of manufacturing and selected from the body of the people
they were not only efficiently and economically managed
but gave entire satisfaction to the government and the peo
pie That they economically managed is proved be-
yond all controversy by the expenditures compared with
the products for the period named And that they gave
entire satisfaction to the government is equally well est
ished by all the reports made to Congress from the War
Department
1t is significant fact and one which those who resist
the change from military to civil control very careful
to notice and deny that during the whole period
while civilians had control of the armorcs not single
report was made to Congress from the Secretary of
War or Ordnance department. which complained of any
evils abuses resulting from the system of management
No sir; not one On the contrary, the management and
efficiency Of the armories themes of and
remitted commendation. These high officers as will be
from the official documents took peculiar pleasure in
extong the economy of the establishments the good
der which prevailed among the workmen the great
perfection to which the manufacture of had been
red by the civil superintendent. know, sir, that now
when it matter Of great Importance to retain military
officers in control OF these national workshops those inter-
esed charge that great abuses existed under the admins
tration of civilians, that the workmen were allowed
to do rs they pleased, that the superintendens
controlled by the arnlorers and that there in
many other respects much bad management and many
gricvous evils In the face of the published reports Of
the War Department to the contrary, be
convinced that these charges have foundation in truth
believe they urged now because they but
because they may be used argument to deter Con
grcss from restoring The civil system in the management
Of the armories And by whom are they made? BY the
very department which permittedshe alleged abuses to
exist without word of complaints by the very
wo required by their position to inspect these establish
ments had opportunities OF knowing, and did expose
heml Can any believe that il is.nanagelnent dis
ardt and waste had prevailed at the armores to such
extent Ms Is alleged, Of the many inspection
officers OF the ordnance corps would not have had the firm
ness the integrity the patriotsm bring these evils
the attention of Congress The very fact that did
is conclusive proof that such abuses existed That
they did not exist IN fact only well established by the
uniform concentrations of the War Department in its re-
ports to Congress- but by the testimony OF of high
character and intelligence who for many years
nected with the arnores while under ii superntend-
clce r,fft = $3.50 n ~
IN lsal these charges first made however, Off
claiy They were used to induce the Secretary Of War;
contrary to the existing law, which authorized the Presi
aeht o ana with the consent Of the Senate appoint the
supertendents TO remove the civilians and appoint
bes of the ordnance corps They had their effect and ac
cordingy military oihcers appointed II was known
ana acknowledged to be contrary to law AppIicaop
was subsequently made to Congress to sanction The action
OF the secretary OF war and with much difficulty that
sencnon WIS ootahcu- An amendment placed upon the
army BILL after being rejected by the House and agreed 10
only through the nsrumentaity of committee Of confer
ence authorized the appointment Of military officers The
history Of this matter will show that but for the dre IN
reference OF tie head Of the Ordnance Board with the
ation OF Congress this reuctan. sanction of that
BODY would not have been obtained The countrv moi
aware how much the action of Congress controlled b
military officers whose position the seat of
gives them facilities of intercourse with those TO whose
hahus legislation is ntrused How many apparently in
significant amendments which provide snug positions for
army oihcers are attached to bills without attracting OBJ