The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-28
Senator Beck Says Some Hard
Things About the Navy Department.
BUTTER BEARS THE BURDEN OF
DEFENSE, AND PITEOUSLY
PLEADS F." rHsCH AND
OTHLi. y. IS.
The Democratic Congressional Cam
paign Committee Coming up to
the Help of the Lord Against
the Mighty.
SENATE.

ments of lands in severalty to th,
Indians at Umatilla reservation
Oregon.
Bills introduced and referred
By Maxey-To improve the channe
between Galveston and the Gulf Of
Mexico.
A cablegram was received by the
secretary of state from st. Peters
burg, announcing the death of minis.
ter Hunt. 1t says he died from
dropsy, superinduced by chronic in.
flammation of the liver.
VanWyck offered the following
resolution, for which he asked imme.
diate consideration: Resolved, That
the committee on post offices and post
roads be directed to inquire whether
at any time the Western Union and
Baltimore and Ohio telegraph compa-
nies, or any officers or employees of said
companies entered into contract or
negotiation for the purpose of consoli-
dating said companies or making a
combination for any purpose.
Van Wyck explained that some
days ago he offered a resolution con-
fining the time of negotiation referred
to within one year. Che evidence of
DR.. Norvin Green yesterday before the
committee on postOfficeS and post
roads had. he said, clearly established
the FACT that the contract had been
made and executed two years ago, but
that the elder Garrett had defeated
the operation of the contract 1t was
neither patriotism nor philanthropy
nor horror at consolidation or stock
watering that paralyZed the elder
Garrett. The Western Union had
| shown no sorrow or tears at the pro-
posed building of the Baltimore &
Ohio lines. They knew, as did the
elder Garrett, that new lines by indi-
viduals made millions more of ficti-
tious stock to be divided by Western
Union and Baltimore and Ohio, but it
meant also greater burdens upon the
people.
The fact that Bates, a trusted Off
Ger of the Western Union, had gone
over to the Baltimore & Ohio, in ap-
| parent hostility to the Western Union,
was significant. That officer had at
the proper time gone to the Atlantic
& Pacific and Mutual Union compa-
MES, which some time afterwards were
absorbed by the Western Union.
Plumb did not see any good to come
of the resolution. After debate the
resolution was referred to committee
on post offices and post roads.
Blair introduced q bill extending
time for the completion of the rail-
ways west of the Mississippi, to which
grants of public lands have been
made, which in good faith were prose-
cutting the work of construction, with
out forfeitures of grants.
L tpham introduced bill to lncorpor-
ate the Y YelloWStone Park railway and
10 aid the construction of its road.
Nest offered resolution, which was
agreed to. calling on the secretary of
the Interior for information as to
whether lrase had been made of any
part of the Crow reservation, Montana,
| to any person or association to extend
such lease, upon what terms and by
what authority of law such action
had been taken by the department
Also whether any permit had been
given to Craze cattle on that reser-
walton; If so by what authority.
Senate resumed consideration of the
bill to provide new cruisers for the
navy. The debate was participated in
by Jones, of Florida, Mcpherson, Hale,
Cockrell and Beck. The latter
| criticized the management of the
| navy yards. Referring to
the statement of Admiral Porter that
on one occasion $4,000 had been
charged to the wrong ship said no one
could tell but what that money might
have been given to Dorsey to take to
Indiana. 1t was a shame that the
government could not build its own
ships, but had to give the work to ia
vored contractors. 1t was vice in
| the administration, dishonesty IN it's
management, and connivance and
collusion between contractors and Of
ficers of the government that was our
trouble.
Vest said that but a few moments
ago, while in the corridor, he (Vest)
had been approached by an officer of
the navy, an old personal friend. say
ing: "For Gods sake, Vest, vote for
this bill" Vest had told him he
was mistaken. 1t was for
John Roach's sake. He means the
Almighty had nothing to do with it.
When steel vessels were put up to
competition only Roach & Cramp
could bid for them under the terms OF
the bill.
Hale said the committee on naval
affairs was sponsor to this bill, and
the committee had never seen or heard
of John Roach in connection with it.
The bid of John Roach for steel YES.
sells was $4,000 less than any Other
bidder. There never had been sc
clean and incorruptible administra
ton of the navy yards and navy de
partment as now.
Vest inquired who brought in thi:
question of lnefficiency in th'
navy yards. Was it not
the ally of the senator from
, Maine, his assistant Acknowledgement
.. alludiDg to Butler. Who did no
know that these navy yards were ho
beds of political corruption?
Butler with great warmth, repellet
the assertion that he was an ally o.
; adiutant-general of any one on thi
question. The senator from Missouri
had better state in plain terms Uha
his real position to the hill. Is It tina
/, he has no confidence in the honesty o
the pres ent administration of the nav
department, or is it that perhaps som
political advantage may accrue to tn
party to which the senator from Mis-
: souri, and myself do not belong. II W
2 vote this sum of money
/ luOSC ONo
: refuse to subordinate high publ
= duty to the achievement of party az
= vantage. a
r. Mcpherson said that gentleme
who had been asked to estimate upo
= the ships which John Roach contrac
:. ed for, had stated that if he coul
have bad the same inspector to il
= spect work that John Roach had, l
y could build them at John Roache
~ ~ prices.
Butler remarked that when the Sc
er ator from New Jersey (McPherso
" said John Roach had put a represe
y tatiye in the navy department,
o. (Butler) would take issue with hi
u He thought the senator ought
- prove that.
70 Mcpherson said he had not stat
!. that,
% Butler inquired whether he NJ
= understood the senator as not cbal
% ',s ing that John Roach had put repl
: sentative in the navy department.
n Mcpherson replied that if any Sc
N ator had heard him make the sta
= ment which the senator from Sou
an Carolina charged he (McPhers(
" wouA like to know 1t.
w Butler continued saying that
lebby had approached him on the 81