New-York tribune., 1879-01-23

NOTABLE SPELCIiEN ON SiIllINF'
srv,roR BIAINu PRESENTS TIE CAUSE OF A%ERI-
cas- NAVIGATION NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. EItk
v.krs A NGEY COMPACT ARGUMENT FOR FREE
TRADE.
lBY TELEGRAPH 10 THr TIBUNEI
W.sTrvGroN Jan. 22.-Thc debates which ordi-
,,riIv take place when one of the regular ap-
r,,riqfion bills is being considered hy
eit1er House of Congress, are proSy
and tiresome to the average listener, except
when some political advantage is sought to be
drawn from them by one party or the other NoI
80 however, was the controversy between senator
Blaine and Senator Beck, for which the regular
Naval Appropriation bill was made the occasion
IN the Senate tins afternoon. Almost every ques-
tion which enters prominently into the science
of political economy-frce trade, protection the
mechanical and agricultural interests, labor and
elpitaI. economy in public expenditures ANA briefly
oven the Chinese qucstion-came in rs incidents OF
the debate But the main features which ran
through the whole argument were the questions oi
free ships and subsidized steamship lines.
The arguments on both sides were the moro val
u,b}e because hardly an allusion was made to inc
PARTISAN aspect of the questions considered Each
senator spoke behalf of the Interests OF the sec
tou which he represents, and each apparently used
only those arguments which were supported OJ 'Ao
convictions OF his own mind.
The amendments to the Approximation bill which
Senator Blame offered created something of SEN
t3ton and gave rise TO the belief that he meditated
a general onslaught upon tho Navy, similar
in character TO that which the Demo
Gratis of the House have been con-
drctinc against the Army for the past three
years, The first amendment provided for the ap-
routment of a commission to take INTO consdera-
ton the question of a reduction IN the number OF
officers in the Navy as well as a reduction in the
fld
tbat after July /, 1883, no midshipmen shall be
appolDted to the Navy, except to fill vacancies IN
that grade aud requires the Secretary OF the Navy
10 fxa Iimit TO the number of midshlpmen. Inc
amendments were offered IN good faith and were
supported with an array of facts showing the
"topbeavruess' Of the naval establishment which
no one venturcd 20 cOnrovert. Yet the senator eA-
plained that he was friend to the Navy. tie
wanted an efficient Navy to protect the merchant
marine. but he first wanted a merchant marine TO
le protected.
HIS speech, which lasted nearly an hour in de-
livery. was OF the kind to which no synopsis
cau do Justice. Even those who are op-
l,osed 10 the general principles Of subSdH-
ing steamship lines and to the present
protective laws for American shipping interests adj
mi. that it was crammed full Of sense from begln-
Muc 90 end.
NoIe,. worthy of the close attention which it re-
(tAtN
As the Senator from Maine wandered far
away from the subject matter of his
amendments, so Mr.. Beck did not conhne
himself to the QUESTIONS touched upon by senator
blame hut took the occasion TO dcINCf
an elaborate free trade speech. Although
beialpd into making on eXtcmpoF2hr"u7
speech be found a convenient letter Whch had been
prepared for use on another OCCASION ana llo" ID
read one of the most sucCnct and Colhpdts a.
pTotrctIon arguments 10 be fodnd IN The record "l
Congressional debates.
senator Blaine a,ain took the floor and pointed
80 what he sad was a most crushing re-
DIV - the argument of senator B,'t, iEt
present condition OF affairs b. England win
Starvation staring Lrr laborHG classes ~ iir t'r'
a.d hyr business interests I an .pua;rniN iHciId-
Ll, state of confusion. England. be >3id. hd~ i"r
thirty years enjoyed al tha' the senator from hr-
tucly was pleading for and the world could ,'e the
result.
With the exception Of few bomnaNtIe all ''uslons
tDt.c STAR aud stripes. which are tiaiIng M thr
Crt. and .. are tIe rare>t CuIloS.tl"S 20 Pee iodId
co.. t.r li-h ~aas these ~uccche, ere "olihN oi
l.o4Iucut place among thc poHtco-c'"uonIc writ
lu-s "a tac day.
lac amendments were objected 0undcr the IlleN
as containing matter not Ecrm&uc 10 the Naval Ap-
Fonrauon blll. IhcrrupOn senator Blame pat
Then. together aLG introduced them a a separate
Drill