The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-02-12
FIFTIETH CONGRESS.
The Union Pacific Funding
Bill Laid over.
THE SMALLs-ELLIOrT CONTEST
The Intimidation of Negroes-Warm-
ing Up the Returning Board
Charges and Ridicule.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, February 11.-Dawes
presented a petition from 120 Indian
students at Hampton, Virginia, against
the ration system to Indians, as an
encouragement to Idleness, and recon-
mending their equivalent in farming
supplements and stock. Referred to the
committee on appropriations.
Sherman said he had been instructed
by the committee on foreign relations
to move an executive session. The
1potion was agreed to.
The Senate then proceeded to execu-
tiYe business.
The doors were reopened at 8 Is and
legislative business proceeded with.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Frye having been called away by
death in his family, the Pacific funding
bill was laid aside and the naval appro-
priation bill taken up.
Theamendment reported by the COM
mittee on appropriations for the con-
struction of of two steel cruisers or gun
boats of 800 to 1900 tons displacement.
to cost In the aggregate exclusive OF
armament) not more than 800 900, or
one steel cruiser OF about 1000 tons, at
a cost of not more than 100000, and
one ram, for harbor defense, was agreed
to without discussion. This is in ad-
dition to the provision of the bill as it
came from the House under the head
ing Of Increasing of Navy"
NChaudler moved to strike out of the
paragraph for the construction OF one
armored steel cruising monitor the
words, "of the type, and to be con-
structed according TO plans and specifi-
cations to be furnished to the Navy
Department by Hon. John r. Thomas,
of Illinois, to be approved by the Secre
tary of the Navy" He characterized it
as
An ANOMALY IN LEGISLATURE,
and almost as ludicrous a provision as
that vessel of such size and cost, ST.
500 900, should be constructed after
the type and upon plar 3 and specifca-
tons to be furnished by q member of
Congress. The present Secretary of the
Navy ) at his disposal $28 900 900 for
an increase in the navy, unfettered by
any conditions, but this bill contained
provision that Mr.. Thomas "a lawyer,
NOT de signer of ships) should furnish
tEhe next Secretary OF the Navy with
one, and that the Pneumatic 6 N Com
pany should furnish him with another.
He had been uniformly against that
kind of legislation, where inventors and
designers besieged the doors of commit
see rooms and resorted to all sorts of
~ re ling in order to get speci Il enact
MVents favorable to them. The whole
thing was
A BROAD FARCE.
CulIom opposed the amendment, and
read several letters from high naval
officers endorsing and recommending
Thomas plans and suggestions.
Chandler said he had merely desired
to call the attention of the Senate to
the manifest improperly of the thing
to tie up the hands of the Secretary of
Navy as proposed. Not only was it
vicious to put Thomas into the bill, but
il his plans and specifications were not
approved by the Secretary of the Navy,
the construction of the ship must stop.
Cullom said Thomas had been a
member of the Touse a good many
years, and member of the naval COM
mittee. In that position he had given
close attention to the subject of ships
of war. 1t had turned out that
Thomas information study a1d inves
tigation had resulted in his gathering
up a plan for a cruiser, and that the
Navy Department, ate: appointing a
board for the purpose, had adopted and
approved his plan.
Without disposing Of the amendment
the Senate adjourned.