Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-28

Neto nv tdti@CA VI wall Inc was no pub
llc sentiment asking for so large an out
lay, and because, in a spirit, not of econo-
my, but OF prudence, a Senator had sug-
gested that we should wait for a list of
the steel vessels now constructing. they
we're taunted with Indifference to the
national honor. and a public sentiment
that the gentleman imagined to exist.
was IN the Secretary Of the Navy and the
officers Of the navy.
ROACH'S MONOPOLY.
But few minutes ago. while in the
corridor, he (Nest) while in company of
the gentleman from Indiana, had been ap-
pealed to by an officer of the navy. An
old personal friend of his (Vest's) had
appealed to him, saying, "tOr Gods sake,
Vest, vote for this BILL" Vest had told hlm
that he was mistaken. 1t was for John
Koach's sake he meant. The Almighty
NAG nothing to do with it. John Roach
had been here for 20 years, assailing every
man who did not put money in his pOck-
cts. When steel vessels We're put up to
a public competitio there were but two
bids IN response one of CramD and one of
Roach. Nobody else in the country,
under the terms OF the bill, could bid for
them.
Mr.. Hale said that happily for himself
ne had not lived long enough to believe
that everybody holding an office under the
government was corrupt, and as to John
Roach the Committee on Naval Affairs
was sponsor to this bill, and that commit
tee had never seen or heard of John
Roach in connection with it. He had
made no approach to members of the
and Mr.. Hale had not seen him.
Referring to the bids criticised
by Mr.. Vest, Mr.. Uale said that
other bids had been put in, but the bid of
John Roach was IN the aggregate 100000
lower than the bid of any other builder.
ORATORICAL FLIGHTS.
e Mr.. Vest thought Mr.. Hale's Interrupt
ton something of an Oration in which
eplthets shot like metres from the north
ern skies. "Who," he inquired, brought
in the question of the inefficiency of the
navy yards? Was it not an ally of the
Senator from Maine? His Assistant Adj
Jutant General" alluding to Mr.. Butler.
who did not know that these navy wards
were the holders of political cOrruptien."
0lr. Butler with great warmth of man.
ner repelled the assertion that he was
the ally or Adiutant General
of anybody on this question. Il am here"
SAID he, "discharging weat | believe to be
a public duty, and l will say to the Sena-
tor from Missouri Vest) that he had bet
ter Eall spade spade; that when he
Ni'HN9No bAAto jill ht udU UcIieI SldIe III
plain and not III flights of rhetoric from
the northern skies what his real opposi-
ton to the bill is. 1t is that he has no
confidence IN the honesty of the present
administration of the Navy Department
OF the United States. 1t is that perhaps
some political advantage may accrue to
the party to which the Senator from Mis-
souri, and mYselfdO not belong. II we vote
this sum of money to build those ships. |
u nc rrfal
senator from Missouri. l hope | will be
found battling for its principles as ear
nestly as that Senator. But he will par
don me, Mr. President, if refuse to sub
ordinate high public duty to the achieve
ment of party advantage. He will par
don me if | take issue with him on that
point. AS | said in the opening of this
debate am not here to defend the Navy
Department. nor am | here to attack it.
but am here to be justif can, and shall
be just, whether that justice inure
to the benefit of those who are op-
posed TO me politically or those
who sympathise with me-" Continuing,
Mr.. Butler said that he had not charged
any Senator with disregard for the honor
OF his country. He was incapable of max
ing such charge. As for John Roach.
that gentleman seemed to be the bette nOir
OF the gentleman from Missouri and the
-NNbAN man AlOAi NEN UGIStAs
The debate lasted until 4 O'Clock. and
was participated in by Messrs. Jones. of
Florida, Mcpherson, Hale, Cockrel, Vest,
Butler, Beck, Morgan and SeWen. The
advocates of the bill were
Messrs. Jones, Butler and Hale, and the
opponents Messrs. Vest and Mcpherson. !
ALMOST A QUARREL.
The discussion ran in a great measure
TO sharp personal cOllOquy, and as be- |
tween MeSsrs. Butler and Vest Verged
closely upon quarrel. Messrs. SeWell |
and Morgan each presented an amend |
mcnt tOthe pending bill. Mr.. SewelPs |
amendment provides that the vessels au- |
thOrzed by the act Shall be constructed |
at one or more of the most suitable navy
yards of the government under the super !
vision of the proper officers Of the NAVY |
provided that the Secretary of the navy |
may be authorized by the President to |
procure the machinery from parties en-
gagged I'D constructing naval machinery.
the lowest responsible bid to be accepted |
after three months advertisement in the |
papers of New York, Philadelphia, Bos- |
ton and San Francisco, payment to be |
made as the work progresses. but |
at the same till it shall not |
to more than % per cent. of the
value Of the work and material. Mr..
MOrgan's amendment provides that no
vessel of the United States shall hereafter
be broken up or sold, the repairs or re-
building of which would cost less than 30 |
per cent. of the appraised value of the
vessel.
The Senate then adjourned.
IN THE HOUSE.
In the House to-day, Mr.. Morrison. of
Illinois, Chairman of the Committee on
Ways and Means, reported a resolution
the Secretary Of the Treasury to
inform the House how much money there |
is now in the Treasury, under what sew
eral provisions OF law it is there retained. |
and how much, in view of the current re- |
celpts, expenditures and legal liabilities |
Of the Treasury, can be applied at this |
time in the liquidation of that part of the |
public debt now payable, without embar. |
RAISING his department. 1t was adopted.
Mr.. Phelps, of New JERSEY. from the |
Committee on Foreign Affairs, reported |
back Mr.. Brumm's resolution directing |
that committee to inquire as to whether |
the Minister of any foreign power has en- |
1eavored to nullify the effect of a unani- |
nous resolution of the House bv reflec-
ton on the honor and integrity of it's |
members. The resolution was accom- |
panied by report stating that the COM |
mittee has made an investigation, but has |
been unable to obtain any information on |
further consideration of the resolution.
The report was agreed to without discus |
sion and the committee was discharged |
from further consideration of the subject. |
WAR ON FUTURES.
Mr.. LeFevre, of Ohio, offered a resolu-
Lion reciting that speculation and gam |
bling in American farm products have |
control of the market value of |
those products, and directing the Com |
mttee on Judiciary to prepare a bill |
the purchase or sale of wheat. |
corn, cotton, provisions, or other articles |
Of prime necessity, unless an actual |
transfer of the article or warehouse re-
eelpt accompanies such action. Also, a
bill authorizing such governmental inter |
ference as will give stability to the price |
Of those commodities.
PLEURO-PNEUMONIA,
The House again went into commit
tee of the whole and took up the pleuro- |
pneumonia bill. Two amendments to the |
fourth section were adopted, which Mr.. |
Hatch, of Missouri, said would utterly |
destroy the efficiency of the bill. He |
therefore moved TO strike out the fourth /
section as amended, and his motion was
agreed to. This is the section which an
-horlZes the President to quarantine |
states in which contagious disease ex-
sts when such States fail to make pro- /
visions for its eXtirpation, or to co-oner- |
ate with the plans of the Commissioner of
Agriculture.
Mr.. ThrockmortOn, Of Texas, moved to /
strike out the enacting clause of the bill. /
1t was lost by ia to 1lS.
DRIFT OF THE DEBATE.
The debate all day was rather drearv
and was confined principally to numer
DUS attacks UnOn the hill hx- Mr. TVoII,-