Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-22
COST OF MR.. CHANDLER's NAVY.

The Scheme That as to Gice Him Cruisers
and Poy RobeSOn's Old Debts.
Washington Special (Jan. 16) to n. Y. Sun
Secor Robeson's naval bill was reported
to-day. 1t is the handiwork of Robson,
with some unpalatable amendments by
E. Chandeliers finger marks. The bill APP
propriates $37S,623 more than the bill
last year did, but this comparatively
slight increase was reached By tinkering
with the appropriation for the monitors
and steel cruisers. The appropriation OF
last year fd9 the construction
of the monitors and The
engines for them was cut down S1,350,0O0,
while the appropriation for the steel-cruis-
ers was Increased $250,0O0. This looks as
though Robson had given up his monitor
job5. But it is all blind The estimates
fer these monitors, for repairs and the en-
gines, for this year were $2,950,000. The
appropriation for the same purpose last
year was $3,370,000, while the bill this year
calls for only $2,00o,00O.
But the bill also provides that the secre-
tary of the navy may take possession of
these monitors, and remove them to the
navy yards, and shall determine the
amout which ought to be paid the old con-
tractors for the use and occupation of their
Yards by the monitors, and for the care of
them, and report the same to
congress. If this clause, which is the milk
in the cocoanut, passes, then congress will
endorse the supremest piece of assum ption
that has been forced upon it for many
day The clause authorizes Chandler prac-
tically to validate the illegal contracts that
Secor Robson made on the last day of his
service as secretary of the navy, contracts
which Secretary Thompson repudiated, and
for which congress refused for four years
to appropriate penny. If this clause is
in this bill when it passes, Robson will
have accomplished all that he came to
congress for. Besides, Chandler was the
chief of John Roach's lobby when these il
legal contracts were made. This clause
plays we'll into the hands of the contrac
tors, VIM. E. Chandler and Secor Robson:
The bill appropriating $1,3O0,0O0 for
the construction of the steel cruiser now
authorized, two cruisers of not more than
5000 tons, and one despatch boat. 1t also
authorizes the secretary to contract for the
construction of all these at total cost
of not more than that estimated by the
naval advisory board and he may apply to
the construction and finishing OF that
cruiser any balance of the appropriation
made to the bureau of construction and
repair, that is, having got authority to pay
for the use of the shipyards of contractors
for the monitors, he can use just so much
of the appropriation of 100000 for
these two bureaus as possible for the com
pletion of the steel cruisers, and if William
E. Chandler doesn't save very handsome
part of the sum and put it into the cruis-
ers, he is less prudent than ne is given
credit for being.
The bill is worthy of the cunning of
Robson and Chandler. It appears to give
up the fight for big appropriations for the
monitors, but if the contractors do not get
very handsome profit for the work on
them thus far, it will be because Chandler
does not know how to figure. Meanwhile,
by indirection, he will get a considerable
part of the sum estimated as being~ neces
sary to build the cruisers by taking hand
some balance from the sum appropriated
for the repairs and engines of the moni-
tors. He will then have the monitors in
the navy yards, and the old contractors
handsomely paid for their Illegal work on
them. Then when the cruisers are we'll ad-
vanced toward completion, he can next
year say to congress that he has the moni-
tors in his hands in the navy yards; that q
good deal of money has been spent on
them; that they are no longer i'll the hands
OF contractors; and that congress might as
well vote the money to complete them.
That is Secor Robeson's and Wm. s. Chan
dler's scheme.
He Comes from jVashinOton t. SCI the
'.FeeJFe KindcG."
Pioneer Press-Wlndom orgar-Jan. 1871
The choice of a United States Senator
is committed by law largely to the petty.
FEEBLE MINDED creatures who usually
constitute a large section, and sometimes
a majority, Of either party in the legis-
latIIre