National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-04-25

war vessel ever built He criticised severely the
action Of the secretary OF the navy in closing thst
yard OH the recommendation of commission,
which had dared to report that 1t would cost 600.
100000 to complete the yard. The men who made
that report had never examined the SUBJECT Dut
were determined TO follow out the dictates OF the
secretary Of the navy. -,
Mr.. Gibson, VI Vest Virginia, expressed his Will.
ingness to vote for just and fair appropriation OF
the money Of the eople tn at they might have
navy TO represent their interest on the high seas
Mr.. Bland, Of Missouri. Ifyou had navy what
would you do with IL?
Put II on the seas, replied Mr.. Gibson.
And let 1t rot2 suggested Mr.. Bland.
Oh we will have many All excursion, inter.
rupted Mr.. Henley, of California.
Mr.. Gibson. have heard no argument used
against the building OF q navy, except that 1t
might interfere with the election Of some gentle-
man in congressional district. Who has said that
the country does not need navy? Not one soil
tary man, and It is begging the question to say we
need no navy because we are not in war.
Mr.. Bland. What would you do with navy to-
Mr. Gibson. We would give our business men
confidence TO go out into the world and establish
trade, aud with a navy we would unlock the labor
Of this country and men engaged in bulllng and
bearing the market would not be able 70 DO so.
We have no trade and If we follow your lead we
never will have trade. And now 1t Is because
desire TO see American commerce revived, because
desire to soc our interests have some protection
that am anxious to build UP q navy, and If the
country has no honest men who can be intrusted
with building navy we had better lower our flag
and seek the protection Of some honest country;
Mr. Tillman, OF South Carolina. advocated the
old South Carolina policy OF a large navy ana
small army but opposed the pending amendment
because he could demonstrate II ne had the time
that II was stupendous frand for the purpose OF
buying the next presidential election, and II was
to be done under the pretense OF being the labor.
ers friend. If the amendment was conourred in
the ships would BIO constructed In the navy yards
where they would yield the most good in the way
OF substituting voters in November He then pro.
ceeded to crltioise the eight.hour law and the
decentralization Of 1t by the present secretary
Of the navy.
Mr. Kasson said that the true reason of the
democratic opposition to the building of the navy
had been shown to-day to be fear of the secre-
tary Of the navy. Was II pretended that the Sec
rotary had done a single act OF administration
which would not bear the most rigid investigations
refhaPs no gentleman was on less itnaIe se Rms
investigation into the most minute acts of his ad-
ministration. II the democratic party took the
ground that no starving laboring man should have
employment In the government service for fear
he should vote against It, let 1t do 80 and 60 before
and a nSo WAS mgbt Se dnn,sa
that no contract should be made until the LIST OF
January, 1885, or until the 4th of next March. He
wished that the gentlemen on the other side could
SEQ that the defense for their action was hollow.
When he found any officer of any party should at.
tempt to dominate by undue influence the vote Of
any laboring man, that moment his vote would be
given for whatever punishment of such an officer
the law would allow. The country had passed be-
country-except In Ohio which still went for the
| spois-was for the prosecution Of tho principles
| of civil service reform.
A colo guy then ensued between Mr.. Rasson
and Mr.. Cox, of New York, as to the Jay Hubbell
assessment Giro ulars, which partook OF q some
what personal character, but had little to do with
| the question directly under consideration.
Mr.. Hewitt of New York, was opposed 10 the
building of ships in the navy yards, and con.
Cured heartily in the statement Of the secretary
Of the navy in regard to the evils of politics in
navy yards; and no man in the country could
speak from a better knowledge of those evils than
| the secretary. lie was quite sure that tho ships
| in the course of construction were not equal TO
| those which were already built by other navies.
He was not willing to trust the expenditure of
| this money TO the present secretary of the navy.
| He know him as an abe, astute Politician, and
| he believed that in the expenditure Of public
money he was an honest man. And yet the
country had had some experience Of what he
would do when placed in position of great
| necessity.
Mr. Hiscock, of New York. inquired to what his
| colleague referred.
1888 the secretary of the navy was directed TO dis
| pose of certain ships aud ordnance stores no
E hS ana 70
States. Under that act the secretary proceeded to
have appraised and condemned a large number
produced something like 100000. When the
pending bill was originally before the house he
ind whether sSe money hsd rGaced hepe
| was payable to the secretary within thirty days
after the sale Of the material and yet up to three
weeks ago 1t had not reached the treasury Now,
opd @ads use no of charge T mony % dd
prcpriate a dollar OF il, but when he lett that
money In the hands of some subordinate in Now
| YORK or Boston he neglected his duty. He tNIr.
Hewitt had found that $4,000 had been received
| from a purchasing agent In New York on an open
check, and the secretary of the treasury was I'M
able to say from what account 1t came. except
that 1t was TO the credit of the navy department.
| He would not trust public officer who did not
| see that the money which came into his custody
| was properly placed in the treasury as the law
| required. There was no obligation on the part OF
| the secretary to turn in the money before the
| election, except the obligation of The law with
which he hvd not complied three weeks ago
| Mr.. Calkins, OF Indiana, defended the secretary
| OF the navy. The gentleman from New York Mr..
| Hewitt always sensational, had launched a
| charge upon the secretary which amounted to
| this, that he sold condemned ships and did not
turn the proceeds into the treasury. He [Mr.
CaIkins had telegraphed to the secretary to come
TO the capitol, and until he arrived he could not
give Mr.. Chandler's explanation. but in advance
he wished TO suy that no would vouCh that that
explanation would be satisfactory to every men,
Der of the house. OF all the secretaries ofthe
navy which the country had had for years. the
present secretary was the most able, and he was
as honest as any.
Mr.. Cannon, Of Illinois, quoted from the annual
the money received from the sale of Old material
had been placed on deposit with the treasurer of
tho United States, subject to check by the secre.
| the sale were to be paid out OF the proceeds.
Mr.. Calkins sent to the clerks desk, and had
| read, telegram from the secretary, stating that
| the proceeds OF the sale had been Immediately de-
posted In the treasury and there remained. The
| reading Of the telegram was received with ap
| plause on the republican side.
Mr. Cannon, continuing, thanked God that he
was not so organized that he was compelled at all
times. in season and out of season, to distrust
every public officer or every private citizen. He
thanked God that he did not belong To Il party
that was put in such Il strait that lts principal
leader or leaders were compelled for tho purpose
of making party success TO lnsinuate on false
premises against the honesty and honor Of public
| officials.
Mr.. Hewitt repeated his statement, that, on his
| inquiry at the treasury department, he had been
| informed that the money had not been paid into
| the treasury When an investigation was made 1t
| would be found that, though the money might be
In the custody OF the treasurer IL was not covered
| into the treasury as the law required,
| Mr.. Cannon said that the gentleman from New
| York had gone for malIeasance, and had sue
ignorance of the public reports Of the depart.
| ments.
| Mr.. O'Neil's motion was lost, and the remainder
| of the amendments were nOn-concurred in, The
| committee then, rose and the house agreed to Its
report, the vote on concurrence In the ordnance
| amendment being-yeaS l27 nays log.
| The following democrats voted in the aifirma-
| tive: Messrs Aiken Beach, Blackburn, Breckin.
| ridge, Campbell of New York, Dargan, DOrshei-
| mer, Evins Of South Carolina, Fnerty. Gibson
| GreenleRf, Herbert, Hewitt of New York. HILL
LIurd, King, Lanham, May6ury,, Mills Morse
Potter, Robinson Of New York, Rogers OF New
| York. Rosecrans, Singleton, socum, Stewart of
| Texas, sumner of California, Talbot, Thompson
| Tucker, Van Eaton, Wilson of West Virginia
| Winans of Wisconsin, Wood, Worthington
| Mr.. KHsson withdrew the point of order, which
had sent the postoifee appropriation bill and
| senate amendment TO the Commi ttee OF the whole
and the house proceeding to their consideration
| the amendments were non-ConCurred IN.
| The house then lat 1880 took recess until s
| O'clock the evening session TO be for debate on
| the tariff bill.