St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-05


and secretary of the navy already had
authority of law to call in for advice and con-
sultation proper experts from among the
naval I'll GERS.
Mr.. Plumb opposed the appointment OF the
proposed officer. He was not necessary.
Mr. Plumb said be would sinply be another
functiouary to wear q rose In a button hole,
give receptions and dispot himself for the
edihcation Of outsiders, so 80 10 make the
government "show'' more complete. These
department chiefs were the ornsHeneal part
OF the departments. Department wsrk. like
tho brook, went on forever, regardless Of
who was secretary. There was too much
machinery in the government departments.
And what was wanted was not an assistant
secretary, but an entire reorganization of the
now too much divided. and in fact, when
traced up, was found nowhere.
NR. HAwLEY
favored the bill He thought 1t one Of the
most palpable Indications OF the times that
the American people wanted something like
q respectable navy. thorough business
man would be necessary in such case. As the
confidential assistant of the secretary of the
navy. Mr.. Beck said that Secretaries Lincoln
and Chandler had. two years ago, made COM
plant 10 the senate committee that there was
a necessity for an assistant In each of their
departments. A bill was then passed pro-
yiding for the officer in the war and navy de-
partments, but the salary (S3,50O) had not
proved sufficient, and the officers were not
appointed. The main argument then used
was that civilian vas necessary in order 10
avoid the jealousies, and. as was said, 1.-THE
bourbonism' Of the naval and military Off
GERS.
Mr.. Beck favored the bill and the proposed
amendment.
Mr.. Plumb's recollection was that the act
had been repealed at the request of Secretary
Chandler.
Mr.. Allison said tie measure had been
passed, but as no officers had been appointed
congress subsequently repealed it.
Mr. Allison thought that IL the new assist
ant was to have a larger compensation IL
would be necessary, he thought, TO increase
the salaries of the other assistants.
Mr. Dawes thought IL necessary TO rehabili-
tate the navy, and spoke in favor OF the bill.
Mr.. Plumb did not think the present Sec
Rotary Of the navy had done anything 10 help
the navy.
Mr.. Van wyck thought this an attempt on
the part OF the Republicans to force the pres
ent administration to accept another officer.
Perhaps, however, the word
''FoRCE" WAS TOO STRONG.
Certainly additional of1cers were contrary
to the expressed desire OF the published plat
form OF the new administration, as II was OF
the old. He thought he had better put the
Democratic senators on their guard so that
they might make sure whether the ad-
ditional officer was needed. Mr.. Van Wyck
presumed the Democrats might be suspicious
of the Greeks, eveL when they bore gifts.
They might be entrapped. He had heard OF
the great enthusiasm with wnca the country
some months ago heard OF the discharge OF
some laberers from the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing. The reduction has been made
from men receiving q dollar a day, but an as
sistgnt was required who should have the sal
airy of fifteen discharged laborers. Mr.. Van
Wyck propnesied thar this thing would be re-
peated.
Mr.. Blackburn spoke for the bill. He did
not want to relieve the secretary of the navy
OF the responsibilities, but, on the contrary,
to rivet and clnch his responsibilities on hiTn-
self. II was impossible for the secretary Of
the navy to be always present in his Office,
and IL was indispensable for him 10 have for
an assistant a man from civil life of active
business habits The Bureau of Detail in the
navy department., Mr. Blackburn continued,
was In charge or captain whose name was
twelfth On the list of captains Of the navy,
vet there was not an officer in the navy, in
Guiding the admi.als. whose detail of duties
were not made by that subordinate officer.
Mr.. Plumb-Who is responsible for that?
Mr.. Blackburn did not think il lay in the
mouth of Republican senator to make that
inquiry, because the same work had been
done under the Republican administration.
INGALLS, FOR JUSTICE.
Mr.. Ingalls, Intended 10 treat this admins
tration with absolute justice. Whatever AS
sistants any officer may certify that be needs
for the proper administration of his depart
ment Mr.. Ingalls, would vote TO give him. But
he would not give any assistance that was not
certified TO be necessary.
Mr.. Butler said the secretary of the navy
had recommended the appointment and read
from the report OF the navy the statement
that IAN assistant secretary of the navy
would seem to be an essential feature
Mr.. Ingalls, Cooking at the reportl-The re-
mark appears to be IN Interpolation, being
evidently an after~thought. Mr.. Ingalls, read
the context preceding the clause already read
to show that il was only in the system of
organization" that the secretary had said an
assistant secretary was wanted-not for the
performance of the duties-for we had no
navy. Laughtcr.1 Why had it not been said
here, itorum itorurn, that we had no navy,
and the hope expressed that the patriotism of
the Democratic party would rise to the ext
gency of the occasion and give us a navy.
Mr.. Ingalls, would baye been better satisfied
If the naval committee of the senate, instead
of comforting new patronage on the navy de-
partmeDt, had arranged for satisfactory in
quiry into the conduct or that department In
connection with naval construction, and the
transaction by which attempt after attempt
had been made to reject the Dolphin. Mr..
Ingalls, animadverted with some severity upon
the course of the secretary of the navy in
connection with the Dolphin, saying he had
sent 1t to sea time after time in special search
STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS,
and the Dolphin finally succeeded in encoun-
tering the cyclone of Cape Hatteras, and the
waves were so high and the wind so tempest
uous that the experts appointed by the SEQ
rotary had 10 go below, seasick. The Ameri-
can people, Dir. Ingalls, continued, could not
forget that studious attempt had been
made by the secretary of the navy TO crush
out great American enterprise, and that
thereby predetermined plan, one of the
- A ia. II -
ments, employing 800 men, had been forced
into bankruptcy. At last however, by some
sort of subteranean arrangement, for no pub
lie notice had been issued. the secretary
seemed to have decided that the Dolphin had
to be accepted. Mr.. Ingalls, was not In q
mood to hand out on q salver any additional
patronage to the secretary of the navy, which
that officer was 10 certify only In a parent
issue. Mr.. Cockren said that IL Mr.. Ingalls,
believed his own estimates true he ives
negiecting his public duty by not calling for
investigation. which the Republicans in the
senate had power 70 order.
MIR. Ingalls-It win be investigated. Don't
be uneasy.
Mr.. Coekren thought investigation should
be made at once The secretary of the navy,
he said, courted
THE FULLEST INVESTIGATION.
He had simply tried to compel a contractor to
comply with the law. Senators should re-
member the condition of the departments
when the new administration took charge OF
them The departments were from one to
two years behind with current work. Mr..
Cockren found no fault about the matter be-
cause business had accumulated from year
TO year. He would say, however, that il was
q burning shame that the balance due to sol
diers and their widows and orphans was still
due and unsettled twenty years after the
close of the war.
Mr.. Logan expressed his willingness for
the pending bill TO pass If the secretary of
the navy thought It was necessary. He re-
membered. however. that the former secre-