Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-27

priation bill. A long discussion followed, in
VIII ich the motion was construed on both
sides OF the chamber, as having the affect to
dispose OF the. subject Of revenue and taxa
ton for this session, and to facilitate possible
adjournment in the course of few days.
The result of the discussion was that the
naval appropriation bill was taken up.
The senate then went into committee of the
whole (Haines in the chair and Hale, in charge
of the bill, addressed the committee. He said
the Legislative features Of the bill had their
root not in the action OF the senate committee,
but in the deliberate judgment Of the house of
representatives. He had been notified that a
motion would be made to strike out the
features. This would be virtually saying to
the house, we take issue with you at the out
set. and viii have nothing to do with you.
It had been said that the bill contemplated
a reorganization of the navy, but it
extent with thirty-n nine steam vessels in active
service. The navy has over $4,000 commits
stoned officers while the British navy with
over 800 steam vessels in active service has
between z, 600 and 2 700 line officers in com.
mission. This enormous overplus OF officers
in our navy and the application of grades
and ranks now existing had taken place after
the war closed, and the whole subject should
be Investigated. The effort now was the first
made in the direction, and no genuine friend
of the navy would object to applying the
remedy.
Senator Cameron, (Pa) chairman of the
| naval committee, at the instance of that CON-
instructions to the appropriations committee
| to eliminate all its provisions relating to the
reorganization of the navy. Passing over the
merits or demerits of these provisions, he pro-
tested against the usurpation by the appro-
priatlons committee OF the function " hich
| legitimately belonged to the naval committee.
The former having taken charge of the army
seemed to recognize no limit to their super
vlsory powers.
Senator Beck quoted from the official
records to show that the change in 1878,
| complained of by Senator Rollins, was made
upon report by the then chairman of the
naval committee upon direct vote of the SEN
| ate. He defended the appropriations committee
| from the imputation of having acted unfairly
| toward any other committee, and it is believed
/ IL the senator's would realize the extent of the
| opportunities to which the members of that
committee were subjected they would show
more sympathy with them in their labors
| Senator Hale said Senator Rollins was one
OF those who had been most persistent In i'm
portuning the committee IN season and out OF
season in behalf of certain amendments.
Senator Rollins said that In obedience TO the
| direction Of the committee and upon the re-
quest OF the secretary of the navy, he did
60 to the room of the appropriations commit
| one amendment. He would not soon forget
the character of the reception he received.
He was not told in so many words, "You had
better leave" but he was wildly impressed
with the idea that in the estimation OF the
gentlemen there it was no place for the SEN
ator from New Hampshire.
Senator Hale-We did not grant all you
wanted.
Senator Rollins-You have not granted a
single thing the naval committee asked for.
Not oHe.
Senator Logan urged that the conflicting
| rights OF the committees should be subor-
dinated to the merits of the provisions pro-
had not been objected to so far by the
senator from New Hampshire or
any one else upon their abstract justice
or necessity, but solely upon the ground that
they came from the wrong committee. If any
member was opposed to them on any consid-
Grafton other thar this one, he desired him to
| rise and state the fact.
Senator Williams replied that he, for one,
would not consent to see the grade OF commo-
dore abolished. The grade was an illustrious
one. 1t carried us back to Perry, Truxton,
Decatur, and host Of naval heroes.
Ssnator Logan said those distinguished off,
cisls never held the grade OF commodore, as it
l
simply captains. and the gentleman from Ken
lucky has betrayed his ignorance of our naval
historyin assuming otherwise. The title has
been popularity assigned to Perry and others
just as 1t was unfortunately applied to Van
derbilt, Garrison and others, because they
owned vessels.
| Senator Williams admitted the grade had
not been expressly conferred by law, but in
sisted it was one with which these illustrious
names had been associated and that it was
| equivalent to the inferior one of half GEN.
tury ago. The Office Of general in the army
was Of comparatively recent date.
Senator Logan explained that the latter was
specially created for a particular individual,
and reiterated his statement with regard to
the rank of commodore. He proceeded TO de-
tail the reasons for the repeal OF the law al
lowing promotions on the retired list, as pro-
posed by the bill. Aside from economical
| considerations involved, we would hold out a
bravery and skill in the navy.
Senator Hale explained that OF the present
| force Of twenty-five cemmodores, but one was
doing actual sea duty. Nineteen nominally
on shore duty were holding soft and easy
places, one or two being heads OF bureaus.
Senator Vance commented upon the in
| ference he drew from the statement by Senator
Logan that it was degrading to naval
engineers to keep them on the civil list, and
incidentally remarked that the bill would
turn out of the navy twenty-five commodores.
Senator Logan said the latter statement de-
monstrated the gentleman's ignorance OF the
provisions of the bill, as 1t did not turn sin
gle man out of his place. He went on to ex-
plain the contemplated reduction in the line
and staff officers. In the course of his re-
marks he was Intercepted by Senators Butler
| and Vance. The former having criticised
facetiously, a response made by him, Logan
rejoined: There is nothing smart in that. :"
Senator Butler replied he regarded Senator
Logan's manner as bordering upon something
else than smart. 1t was domineering.
Senator Logan pardon the senator's irri-
liability.
| Butler-I am not at all irritable.
| Logan added that he made no pretense 70
any superior knowledge, but did claim to
know something about the navy, and that
upon the subjects about which he knew moth
| ing he tried TO keep quiet. After replying to
there anything else on which the senator de-
| sires to be informed?
| Vance, would like to be informed, il it is
convenient for the senator, when he is gein z
to quit. [Laughter.]
Senator Logan said that upon looking
around he saw enough people to talk to yet.
Wht he proposed to speak on subject about
which he knew az little as did the senator
| from North Carolina about the tariff, on
which he had spoken at such length ON Tues
day, he would quit before he began. Laugh
| ter
Senator V4nce-The strict construction of
t TAT rule would consign my friend to the deaf
and dumb lum for the balance OF his days.
Renewed merriment1
Senator Logan-Perhaps that wonld be a