St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-18
THE NAVAL PORTFOLIO.
Senator Mcpherson May Possibly be
CleYeland's Adviser on Ships
and Other Craft.
His Constant Opposition to the Schemes of
Secretary Chandler and John Roach.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |


WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-There would be
an appropriation Of that degree known as
poetic justice in President Cleveland's ap-
pointing Senator Mcpherson secretary Of the
navy. The gentleman from New Jersey
has given a great deal of attention
to naval affairs. He takes an
active part in every debate on the naval
appropriation bill and always in antagonis m
TO the Republican majority Of the com mittee,
and the keynote TO all his remarks on ma
val affairs is his determination that, so far as
he can prevent it, not one cent for the in
crease of the navy shall be expended while
VIM E. Chandler is secretary, and not one
cent shall be disbursed to John Roaeh.
Early this afternoon there was struggle
Tor precedence between Senator Nor
rill, chairman of the finance committee, to
which the nomination of Secretary McCulloch
was Of course referred, who wanted an exec
utive session, and Mr.. Hale who wanted TO
have the senate consider the naval bill, not
the house bill approprating half Of last
years appropriation in lump sum, but the
senate bill, which is itemized as usual, and
which provides for the construction OF new
L
Miller, of California, chairman of the
senate foreign affairs committee, showing
that he had no treaties to press upon the
attention of the senate but Mr. Morrill, got
the usual majority and the doors were closed.
When the open session was resumed Mr..
Hale got his naval bill up, and Senator Nc
Pherson made determined attack on that
section of the bill which allows the secretary
Of the navy to make contracts for the new
ships after sixty days. advertising. Mr.. Nc
Pherson's point was that it was possible.
for the bill to go into effect by Jan. 2, and
If so, the sixty days would expire before Mr..
Chandler would go out of office, and he was
determined that there should not be the re-
hottest possibility that contracts should be
awarded by the secretary, who used to be
John Rhodes legal adviser
Under the most favorable circumstances
this bill, if passed by the
house at all, would not he
likely to get through both houses of congress
and become a law before March 30, the date
of most of the appropriation bills passed at
the short session AS this is Wednesday,
and the bill has only just been introduced
into the senate and has yet got to buffet its
way through the house and congress will adj
journ from next Saturday to Jan
uary 5, the possibility Of Mr.. Chan
dler's awarding contracts is scarcely visible to
the eye, but Senator McPhersor's abundant
caution may be due to his recollection that
Secretary Robson signed the contracts for
the monitors that have caused so much dis
cusSion tho dav hnfnra ha xuapf ont Of oPioo
Mr.. Mcpherson had another point to make
From the first he has been quite faith
less as to the merits of the plans
for the Chicago, Boston g. Atlanta At the
very best he has said they were experiments
plunges into the unknown-and that also
against the judgment of eminent naval ar
chitects, so that they ought to be thoroughly
tested before any more ships are built on
their models. Therefore, be offered an
amendment that none of the new
ships provided for in the bill should
be contracted for until the Chicago, Boston
d. Atlanta had been completed and thor
oughly tested. This amendment was offered
for the purpose of making it responsible for
Mr.. Chandler TO let contracts. It was voted
Down by party vote, except that Messrs.
Garland, Morgan and Jones voted with the
Republicans against the Mcpherson
amendment, and Gen. Hampton an
bounced that he was paired with his
colleague, Gen. Butler, who, if present,
would vote against the Mcpherson amend
ment These four Democrats. all southern
men, Garland, Jones, Morgan and Butler,
have steadily supported the Republican pro-
5ects for increasing the navy without waiting
for Democratic administration.