The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-21
Tho New Steel Fleet.

During the Senate DEBATE on bne Navy
Appropriation bill this week. a sharp col
loquy occurred between Mr.. GoEMAN OF
Maryland and Mr.. Villas Of Wisconsin.
Ono feature OF this colloquy related to
the new methods OF encouraging Amer
lean shipbuildlng. Mr.. CLEvEbAND's ex-
Secretary OF the Interior for some reason
chose to take umbrnge ut the patriotic and
broad-minded views OF tho Maryland Sem
ator on this subject. and accused him OF pro-
posing policy which would naturally be
interpreted by "our enemies" rs Offering
bounty to shipyards. Mr.. GoRMAN replied
that however this might be. much the
samo policy as he had described had been
carried out by Secretary WHITNEY.
Tho point thus referred TO Is the contract
made by Mr.. WHITNEY with the Bethlehem
Iron Works for the production Of armor for
our ships. The primary purpose OF that
arrangement was TO secure suitable force
OF armored ships. made from American ma
tcrial by American labor. But Mr.. GoRMAN
was perfectly right in holding that il tho
development OF American manufacturing
Industries was an incident OF the building
up OF our navy. 1t is something for the coun-
try to rejoice in and to seek to continues:
There not single establishment in the land that
could mike tho great shafts for thee steamers What
shops do they como FROM what plant furnishes them
now None. except those with which the Government
has made contracts for thousands OF tons OF stcefor
the great ships and for the manufacture Of the great
guns for both army and navy. We had not In the
whole country single forge foundry that could FRO
duce tho metal to go into the vessels We bought the
keeis abroad. We bought as late as 1886, the very
steel with which to make our great guns.
Mr.. GoEMAN further illustrated this point
by n reference to the manufacturing works
at Stcelton in Baltimore. The President OF
that establishment. which is now making
not only ships, but the steel that goes into
ships. assured him that although his COM
pany had never held any Government con-
tracts. yet "had it not been for the course
pursued by the Government. they would
not have had the ability to so on with this
work; they would have kept their money
or put it into bonds" There are. in fact.
several great yards now making vessels
both for tho navy and for commerce
with American steel furnished by the
plants established in order to do the Gov
eminent work. but for the large appro-
priations made" said Mr.. GoRMAN. with
the encouragement given by the Govern
ment. you would not have had in the next
ten years a plant that would have been able
to make an angle bar. or furnish the iron
for the construction OF any Of these vessels"
II the continuation Of the naval work Of
these establishments. which has been so
beneficial to the industries Of the country.
is to be called Offering bounties to them. ut
least it is policy that can afford to stand
on its merits and be Judged by its fruits.
The policy which Mr.. Villas undertakes
to censure Mr.. GoRMAN for supporting was
recently set forth by Secretary TRACY. He
pointed out that under the arrangements
OF tho Government both with the Bethlehem
Iron Works and with CARNEGIE. PHIpps Il
Co.. it was not only fair but expedient to
make contracts several years ahead. so
that the plants might not. from ordinary
prudence. be led to turn to private bust
ness to the detriment of Government needs.
The preparations for the production Of tho
heavy armor and enormous guns OF mod
ern warfare are very extensive; and since
the ultimate needs OF the navy arc we'll
understood. it is Advisable to push forward
steadily and vigorously the construction Of
the vessels determined upon. If this policy
is to be stigmatized as the offering OF sub
sides to American industries. it has its
foundation. as Mr.. GERMAN well said. in
one OF the wiscst steps taken by Secretary
WHITNEY during his administration OF the
Navy Department.