The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-28
LATEST I'ELEGRAMS.
XLVII CONGRESS
REGULAR SESSION.
SENATE

Washington, 27.-The naval APP
preparation bill Was taken up. The
question was upon motion
of Cameron, Of Pennsylvania, to re-
commit the bill with instructions te
eliminate all general legislation
changing existing laws in regard to
the navy.
The debate was interrupted by
Williams who offered an amend
ment to the proposed sundry bill,
directing the encouragement to
ascertain whal would be reasonable
compensation to Charles II. Reed in
the defense of Chas. J. Guiteau and
to make an allowance therefor not
exceeding $4,000. Referred. The
debate was then resumed.
Davis, of West Virginia, asked
that the bill be proceeded with at
once, end discussed item by item.
The reduction in the item for the
miscellaneous pay of the navy I'M
der the new arrangement, was
$186,525; similar savings occurred
in other items. If the pending
motion prevailed. the appropriation
committee would have to draft a
bill upon the basis of last year,
which appropriated $4,000 more
than the one now pending. He
therefore opposed the motion in the
interest Of economy.
Plumb said The controversy was
one between the naval committees
and House representatives of the
appropriations committee, Of which
Davis is a member. He was not
directly concerned IN the latter but
had merely reported the bill after
it had come to them from the House
and called attention to several par
ticulars in it which he thought re-
formatory provisions. The bill
might be improved but would largely
diminish higher grades and leave
more men in lower grades, the whole
providing more literally for build
ing ships.
Hawley thought the matter of re-
casting the personelle of the navy
ought not to have been entered upon
without more deliberate considera-
ton. He suggested the appointment
of a commission to report upon this
subject at the next session, and men
toned various particulars in which
the service might be improved,
among them striking off masters
and ensigns by way of facilitating
promotions. He was net opposed to
reform nor to necessary reduction
of officers, but the extraordinary re-
duction of the bill in apparently re-
ducing the cost Of the navy so we
might complete some old monitors
was a surprise to him. The
public sentiment of the country
had demanded this for four or FIVE
years. and government been re-
preached for keeping up its old
tricks. We were at the mercy of
the most contemplate governments
in the world and dare not to-day
resent insult from Chill. Instead of
responding to the popular demand,
we were called on to reduce the
personelle which represented ali the
good left of the navy.
Hale, after calling attention to the
reduction contemplated by the bill
in expenditure for navy yards of the
country, said when it was proposed
to strike this cut IN the interest of
economy, every navy yard man
in the Senate was seized with spasm
of interest in the navy and felt it to
bs his duty to picture the glOries of
our past naval history. He would
say the American navy needed to
be delivered from friends who
would perpetuate its abuses. The
bill had come from the House which
more directly represented the people,
and the Senate could not afford to
strangle it.
After further discussion Came
ron's motion to recommit the bill
was defeated-29 yeas, 81 nays. The
bill went over without action until
tomorrow.
The conference on the Japanese
indemnity bill reported disagree
ment and adjournment ordered.
After.eXecutiVe session adjourned.